Chapter Text
“¡La familia Madrigal!”
The moment the camera flashes, time seems to slow down. She watches as her family celebrates the birth of a new gift, bestowed upon her dear Toñito. The gift to speak with animals, and a room that is a huge rainforest with all the animal friends one could have.
She is content.
She is happy that Toñito is not cursed like her. She is relieved that he has a gift, and will not have to suffer the same fate as herself. She is happy for him.
Even when her own heart is cracking.
A small, traitorous part of her wanted Toñito to be like her, that they would always be together in the nursery, sharing each other’s dire fate and finding comfort in each other.
But it was not to be.
Her Toñito is now shining brightly, adding to the perfect constellation that is the Madrigal family. Now, she is pushed further into the darkness, despite her attempts to be recognised and worthy of being a part of the family too.
It is all in vain, and the confirmation that she needed.
Without a word and anyone noticing, the bespectacled girl known as Mirabel Madrigal leaves her primo’s new room, and quietly retreats to the nursery.
Sitting on her bed is her trusty bag, packed with food and clothes. In the lead up to Toñito’s ceremony, she had been secretly packing, in the event that he would get a gift and would no longer need her. She had told herself, if that happens, she would leave the Encanto. After all, up until this point, the only reason for her to stick around was to take care of Toñito, because Tía Pepa and Tío Félix were too busy with their chores around the town. But with all the animal friends he could ever want, Toñito did not need her anymore.
There is no reason for her to stay.
Mirabel picks up her bag, and slings it over her shoulders. She sits down on her desk, where a few sheets of paper, a pen and an inkpot sit patiently, waiting to be used. Mirabel fills the pen with ink, and begins writing a letter.
Dear everyone,
This is my final letter to you, possibly for the foreseeable future.
I am leaving Casita and the Encanto. It is clear that I am not wanted or needed here. I am merely Mirabel Ordinaria, a nuisance who cannot do anything right and only gets in the way. Things will run more smoothly without me around to mess anything up.
Mamá, Papá, I am so sorry. I am sorry for being the screw-up. I wish I could be of use like Luisa and Isabela. But it is better if I leave. I love you both, and please, take care of yourselves.
Toñito, I will never forget the time we spent together in the nursery. Those were the best years of my life. I am really glad that I had the honour of raising you. You will always be my best friend, and I wish you all the best with your new gift. Make friends with all of your animal companions for me, alright?
To the rest of you, there is not much else to say. I wish you all the best, and may the family continue to grow and become even brighter than before. Be happy, for I will not be around to cause trouble for you anymore.
Now, I must get going. I love you all, and maybe, in the future, our paths will cross once more.
Goodbye.
Mirabel
Making sure the ink is dry, Mirabel puts the letter into an empty envelope, and places it on her bed. With one last look around the nursery, she turns on her heel and leaves it for the last time.
She can still hear the party going on inside Antonio’s new room. Good, they will not discover her leaving until she has long gone.
Mirabel descends the stairs towards the courtyard. She takes one last look at the glowing Candle, perched on Abuela’s windowsill. She ignores the dark voice in her head whispering to her, tempting her to blow out the flame or destroy the Candle. She could never do such horrible things to her family, even though they were not the best towards her ever since her failed ceremony ten years prior. Everyone deserves their gifts, she is just the cursed one who deserves to disappear completely.
Mirabel sighs, “Adiós, Casita.”
The magical house does not respond.
Mirabel turns on her heel and makes her way towards the front door. She had just placed her hand on the doorknob when…
“Mirabel?”
She turns around.
“Dolores.”
The soft-spoken young woman looks at her, confused, “Where are you going?”
“I’m leaving, Dolores,” Mirabel replies bluntly, “For a very long time. I don’t know if or when I will come back.”
Shock and realisation flashes across Dolores’ face, before understanding quickly takes over.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers, “I’m sorry that it had to come to this. And...” her lips quiver, "I'm sorry for my part in driving you away."
“I don’t blame you, Dolores,” Mirabel replies, hoping to alleviate the guilty look on her prima’s face, “I just don’t deserve to be here with the rest of the family. I don’t have a gift, I am of no use to the family or the Encanto. Abuela and Isabela can’t stand the sight of me. And everyone will be better off when I’m gone.”
Dolores looks like she wanted to protest, but thought otherwise, “I will never forget you, Mirabel. I still remember, when we were younger, when my ears became too sensitive, and you gave me a pair of earmuffs to lessen the noise. I still have them, you know? I wear them to sleep all the time. I will keep it to remember you by.”
Mirabel smiles, crossing the distance to hug Dolores, which she reciprocates, “I will never forget you too, Dolores. Even though we weren’t the closest, you still tried where you can, especially when my hermanas dropped the ball. Thank you, I really mean it.”
The two primas separate. “Take care of yourself, alright?”
Mirabel nods, “I will. Goodbye for now.”
“Goodbye, Mirabel.”
With a parting smile, Mirabel turns on her heel and heads to the front door. Dolores watches as she steps outside and closes the door behind her with a soft click.
A sad, wistful look takes over Dolores’ features. She knows that all hell will break loose come morning.
But for now, she wishes her prima a safe journey, and goes upstairs to the painting next to her own room. Making sure that no one is around, Dolores pulls the painting open, revealing a hole in the wall that leads to a hidden passage. She climbs in and closes the painting behind her.
She needs to tell a certain missing tío about this.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Back when I was DraconicKai99, my favourite Encanto fic to work on was "A Bond is Forever". I have good memories going on a writing spree while I was down with Covid, churning out chapters to the point that I was posting daily.
But, unfortunately, I made the mistake of writing too many story ideas at once and putting too much responsibility on myself to complete them all. That, plus other external problems, caused me to suffer a severe mental and psychological collapse. As a result, DraconicKai99 ceased to be, as did all of my stories under that name.
I took several days to recover and heal, and now I'm back with a new edition of a runaway Mirabel story. This time, I want to focus solely on Mirabel as she finds her happiness outside of the Encanto. While I was probably the first Encanto writer to create a story where Mirabel and Antonio run away together, I realised, looking back, that I bit off more than I can chew when shifting perspectives between Antonio and Mirabel. "A Bond is Forever" has many mistakes, now that I look back on what I had written, which I hope to fix with this revamped version.
I hope you guys will enjoy and support this story, and I look forward to any feedback that you may have, as they are incredibly important for my growth as a writer.
That's it from me, let's proceed!
- Kai
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Chapter 2: Crossing The Mountains
Summary:
Mirabel's journey begins.
Chapter Text
She needs to reach the mountains.
Beyond the rainforest surrounding the Encanto, the mountains are the primary barrier that keeps the town hidden from the outside world. Only the most intrepid and experienced of explorers are able to cross the impassable mountains to get into the rainforest and then to the Encanto.
Her papá had been one of them. When she was younger, Mirabel heard many stories from her papá about the city where he had come from. All the tales of bustling streets, people going about their day, meeting friends or colleagues, selling their wares in the market, or running their businesses and going to school.
It is a whole world away from their Encanto, but one that is also not all sunshine and rainbows. Her papá talked about bad people too, who steal, hurt and even kill other innocent people. There are rich parts of the city, but also poor parts where the less fortunate live in poverty and suffering. The city is both a place of opportunity, and one that is also dangerous. It is also a place where, apparently, violence had, and still has, continue to erupt from time to time, when people turned on each other for goals that only resulted in mass bloodshed and slaughter.
What will happen when she -
Mirabel catches herself from spiralling down that rabbit hole. She is thinking too far ahead. She still needs to navigate the rainforest and make it to the mountains. On top of that, she needs to find a way to get over the mountains without hurting or killing herself in the process.
At least, she is going in the right direction. The mountains are getting closer and closer. Mirabel estimates that she will get there soon, possibly within the next half hour.
In the meantime, she looks out for any obstacles or dangers. With the moon being the only source of light, the rainforest is dark and menacing. Mirabel hears many different animal calls, shrieks and growls. From her time reading books about animals to Antonio, she knows about the many predators that make the Colombian rainforest their home. So far, the noises are rather distant, but occasionally, Mirabel has to pause or hide whenever a predatory growl is a little too close for comfort.
She decides to speed up a bit. The faster she gets to the mountains, the better.
After journeying for a little while longer, Mirabel feels the ground starting to incline up. Good, that means the mountains are close by.
A bit further up, and Mirabel emerges from the rainforest. She has arrived.
The mountains loom high above her, stretching up towards the night sky like impassable fortresses. Mirabel sits down on a boulder, sighing with relief. Her feet are starting to ache from trekking for so long. Mirabel opens her bag, and takes out a canteen of water. She sips a little bit, careful to not deplete her only source of hydration too quickly. This water will have to last until she either reaches civilization or another body of water where she can replenish her stock.
Putting the canteen away, Mirabel takes a moment to consider her current circumstances.
She had run away, leaving behind everything and everybody she knew for the vast unknown outside. She has no idea what will happen to her once she crosses the mountains. Will she find happiness? Or will she find herself in a situation far worse than what she had experienced in the Encanto? She thinks about her papá’s stories about how dangerous the city can be, all of the crime, the poverty, the many bad things that could potentially happen. What will she do if she ends up with no way of supporting herself? Will she sink into poverty too? She knows how to sew and embroider, but virtually all women and girls know how to do that. Will she be able to stand out and make a living for herself?
There are so many unknowns, and it makes Mirabel worry. So much so that she initially failed to see something unusual coming her way.
She only notices it when it flutters past her face, causing her to look up.
Huh?
As it flutters past, Mirabel gets up and follows it. At first glance, it appears like a glowing orb of golden light.
It is far too big to be a firefly. This orb of light is about the size of her palm.
Mirabel has never seen such a creature, if it is one, before. She tries to keep up with it, hoping to get a better look.
Unknowingly, Mirabel scales up the mountain in her attempt to chase the orb. When it finally settles against a sheer rock face, Mirabel gets her chance to inspect it up close.
A golden butterfly.
‘How strange,’ she thinks to herself as she watches it flutter its wings languidly.
She has never seen this type of butterfly before, let alone one that glows. This is truly a strange sight, almost as if it does not belong in this world.
Her thoughts are proven correct.
Cracks of golden light begin to branch out from the spot where the butterfly is resting upon. Gasping, Mirabel steps back, in case the rock face suddenly collapses on her. Instead, the golden cracks branch further and further out, and then, the rock face explodes with a blast of light.
When Mirabel dares to open her eyes again, she sees a bright tunnel standing before her.
This…cannot be a coincidence, right?
The fact that she has been wondering how to cross the mountain just minutes prior, and along comes a strange glowing butterfly that creates a tunnel that definitely leads to the other side?
Mirabel decides to put all thoughts away for the moment. She readjusts the strap of her bag, and enters the glowing tunnel. Within minutes, she reaches the exit. Sure enough, she is now on the other side of the mountain. The tunnel then closes up, disappearing with a wink. All is dark once more.
Mirabel takes a moment to think. This has to be some sort of divine intervention. A sign from the heavens to continue forward, despite her anxieties. That has to be the reason. Otherwise, that butterfly would not have opened up the mountain for her to cross through safely.
She closes her eyes, and utters a quick prayer of thanks. Mirabel starts her descent down towards the rainforest, and her trek continues.
Mirabel is starting to get tired.
She has been trekking for some time already, and the sky above is starting to lighten, signalling the onset of dawn. She should stop and get some rest, but she is still in the midst of thick rainforest. She dare not sleep here, lest she become a food for predators. So far, Mirabel has been lucky in not encountering any dangerous animals, but she doesn’t know how long her luck can continue to hold.
With her vision limited by the darkness, Mirabel trains her ears to listen out for any sign of civilization. She still hears the calls and noises of wild animals, so she tries to filter those out and hone in on any new sounds that are not from the rainforest.
It is times like this that she wishes she had Dolores’ super hearing. It would have made things much easier.
Continuing on for several more minutes, Mirabel finally hears a blessed sound that brings her relief.
Water.
Running water, to be precise.
There has to be a stream or river nearby, Mirabel thinks.
Keeping the sound as a point of focus, she carries on in that direction. Mirabel knows she is going the right way since the rushing water grows louder.
Finally, she sees an opening in the trees, and when she steps through, relief fills her right down to her soul.
There is a river up ahead.
Mirabel rushes to the river’s edge, kneels down and begins scooping water into her parched mouth. The water is refreshingly pure, and it satisfies her thirst quickly. With another loud sigh, Mirabel leans backwards, lying down on the soft ground and staring up into the predawn sky. The moon is already setting, but the stars are still visible.
It is a beautiful sight, and paired with the gentle rushing water next to her, Mirabel begins to feel drowsy. She adjusts her bag to act as a pillow, and rests her head against it. Setting her glasses to one side, Mirabel settles in for some much-needed sleep.
Within a minute, she is out like the light.
In hindsight, she should have known that something was very wrong.
There was no rhythmic knocking on her door in the morning. While she does have an alarm clock, she is more accustomed to her younger hermana waking her up with her knocking every morning. The fact that no knocks came from her door meant that she oversleeps by about fifteen minutes before her alarm clock rudely jolts her up.
Luisa is typically a punctual person, but this time, she is not.
Realising that she overslept, Luisa rushes to get started on her morning workout, which is cut short due to starting later than normal. Then, after a quick shower, Luisa rushes down to be on time for breakfast.
Thankfully, she arrives at the back patio before Abuela. After bidding her padres a good morning, Luisa gets her food and goes to bring the table out to the patio. Just as she does so, Abuela arrives.
“Buenos días, everyone.”
There are greetings from the gathered family members. Together, they all take their seats at the table. Luisa notices a few of Antonio’s new animal friends sitting on Abuela’s chair at the head of the table. The matriarch notices this herself when she comes to the table with her own breakfast.
“Uh…?”
“They are keeping your seat warm, Abuela!” Antonio tells her.
Abuela smiles warmly, “Oh, thank you Toñito,” she absently waves the animals off as she sits down, “I’m sure we’ll find good use for your gift soon.”
This is when the second sign that something isn’t right presents itself.
Abuela is the first to notice.
“Where is Mirabel?”
There is an empty seat.
“She could still be sleeping,” her mamá, Julieta, suggests, “Last night must have been hard for her.”
Luisa notices that her mamá is giving Abuela a pointed look.
The matriarch sighs, before turning to her, “Luisa, go and wake your hermana up.”
“Yes, Abuela.”
Luisa gets up and rushes back into Casita. Abuela is not a patient woman in the mornings. The faster she gets Mirabel down, the better.
Luisa goes to the nursery door and knocks.
“Mira? Are you up? Breakfast is ready.”
Nothing.
Luisa knocks louder, “Mirabel, are you up or not? Everyone’s waiting for you downstairs!”
Silence.
This is when she starts to worry, “Mirabel! This isn’t funny! You need to get up now!”
Silence.
Luisa’s anxiety reaches a tipping point, “Mirabel, I’m coming in!”
She turns the doorknob and enters the nursery, only to find…
…nothing.
No Mirabel.
Mirabel’s bed is made, showing no signs of being slept in. Her bag, which always hung from a rack, is missing.
There is no sign of Mirabel.
“M-Mirabel?”
Luisa looks around, her anxiety spilling over.
“Mirabel! Where are you?!”
She then sees the envelope on the bed. With shaking hands, Luisa opens the envelope and reads the letter inside.
Those sitting on the patio outside are suddenly startled by a deafening cry of distress. Footsteps rush back towards them, as Luisa reappears with the letter, wailing loudly as tears pour from her eyes.
“Luisa!” Abuela exclaims, “What has gotten into you - ?!”
“She’s gone!”
A beat of silence.
“What?”
“Mirabel has run away!” Luisa cries, before crumpling to the ground, as thunder explodes across the patio.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Not much to say this time, but I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!
- Kai
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Come say hi over on my Discord server! The Rarepair Domain
Chapter 3: Finding A New Home
Summary:
Mirabel continues on her journey, while the fallout of her departure sends ripples across the family she left behind.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The morning sunlight shines softly upon her closed eyelids, rousing her from her sleep. Slowly coming back to consciousness, Mirabel sits up and yawns loudly. She fumbles for her glasses, and puts them on.
She sees the river, and the forested landscape around her.
It takes a hot moment for her to remember.
Ah, yes, she had left Casita and the Encanto. She said goodbye to Dolores, trekked through the rainforest, and somehow managed to cross the mountains with the help of a golden (magical?) butterfly. She made it to the river, where she fell asleep the night before.
She almost thought she would wake up back in the nursery, as if everything was just a dream concocted by her mind and imagination.
No, this is real.
She has really left everything behind in search of a better life, because she is no longer needed by her family.
Mirabel briefly wonders what the rest are doing right now. Given the position of the sun in the sky, it has to be around breakfast time. Has the family discovered her missing already? Or are they continuing on with life, blissfully unaware that one of the family is gone?
She decides not to think too much about it, courtesy of her stomach rumbling.
Mirabel opens her bag and pulls out a loaf of bread and a jar of fruit preserves that she had stolen from the kitchen. She breaks off a small piece, dips it in the preserves, and slowly eats.
It feels weird, eating all by herself. Up until this point, she had always eaten with family around her. The Madrigals ate every meal together, and to be suddenly eating all by herself is a surreal experience. She doesn’t know how to feel about it.
Then again, this is the reality of her current circumstances.
Mirabel doesn’t eat the entire loaf. This needs to last until she finds civilisation again. She puts the food away, and goes to rinse her mouth with water from the river. Once she is freshened up, she takes her water canteen and fills it up completely. There is no guarantee that she will find another source of water again, so she needs to be prepared.
Once done, Mirabel slings her bag over her, wades into the river. Thankfully, it isn’t that deep, and the currents are slow-moving. She makes it across with no problem.
Mirabel takes a steadying breath as she faces the rainforest ahead. She can do this.
Back in Casita, all hell is breaking loose.
Everyone is shouting over one another, panicking and losing their heads. Poor Dolores whimpers in pain as the deafening noise makes her ears ring. Luisa is bawling like a baby on the floor. Antonio is catatonic in shock, as is Isabela, with wormwood sprouting indiscriminately around her.
Abuela is stupefied, for once not sure what to do. It takes several moments for her to come to her senses.
“Everyone, calm down!”
All noise ceases, as all eyes swing towards the matriarch. Finally, Dolores removes her hands from her ears.
“Luisa, show me that.”
The normally unshakeable young woman, however, is still inconsolable with grief. Abuela groans in irritation, stepping over and snatching the letter from Luisa's hand. She reads what Mirabel had written, before sighing.
“We will search for her,” Abuela tells the family, “We will not allow our family to lose another member.”
She sweeps her gaze across the table. Julieta is frantic, while Agustín is grimly determined, hiding his own confusion and fear under a façade of strength. A thundercloud rumbles over Pepa, which Félix attempts to chase away. Camilo is confused, while both Isabela and Antonio are still catatonic with shock. Dolores is quiet, except for a small “hm!” .
“Everyone, we will split up. Pepa, Julieta, Camilo, you three will go into town and ask around if anyone has seen Mirabel this morning. Félix, Agustín, you both will take Luisa and Isabela to comb the rainforest around the Encanto. Knowing Mirabel, she couldn’t have gotten far.”
Another “hm!” from Dolores, but Abuela either doesn't hear it, or if she did, she ignores that.
“I will also inform the townspeople that none of us will be performing our chores today,” the matriarch continues.
“Abuela,” Dolores speaks up, albeit a little softly, “I’ll stay with Antonio. He needs someone to take care of him while everyone is gone.”
Abuela nods, “Very well.” She turns back to the rest of the family, “Everyone, let’s go.”
A few hours of trekking later, Mirabel stops to take a break.
The sun is now at its highest point in the sky, indicating that it is now afternoon. It is getting incredibly hot, although the thick foliage of the trees does provide some form of respite from the bright light. Mirabel leans against a tree, taking the moment to think of her journey thus far.
She has yet to encounter any scary predators, which is a good thing. And she has been making good progress, but there has yet to be any sign of civilisation as of now. A small part of her wonders if the Encanto is really so isolated from the world that there is nothing but rainforest for miles around. If that is true, then she might be in trouble.
Her food and water will only last for so long, even under the strictest of rationing. She needs to find civilisation, preferably by the end of the day, before the possibility of starving or dying of dehydration becomes a reality.
Still, in order to prevent such a dire fate, she needs to keep moving. The quicker she finds a human settlement, the better.
Mirabel goes back onto the path, and continues on her journey. She has no time to waste.
“Lola?”
“Yes, Toñito?”
“Did…Did mamí leave…because of me?”
Dolores gives her hermanito a sad, but reassuring look, “No, Toñito, she did not leave because of you. Mirabel left…because of all of us. It is extremely difficult being the only…non-magical person in the family. Plus, Abuela and Isabela have not been treating Mirabel very well for a long time She just wants to find a place where she can be happy.”
“But…why didn’t she take me with her?” Antonio’s eyes prickle with tears, “Why did mamí leave me here? Does she not love me anymore?!”
“No! No!” Dolores tries to reassure him, “Mirabel loves you dearly. But…she is travelling somewhere far, beyond the Encanto. It's not safe for a young boy like you to travel so far.”
The tears begin to fall, “I want my Mamí! I want her back! Why did she leave me?!”
Dolores embraces her distraught hermanito, “I want her back as well. But we must let her be happy too, Toñito. We cannot be selfish.”
Unfortunately, Antonio is too far gone, “I want mamí back! I want her back! Give me my mamí back!!!”
Dolores simply hugs him tighter, her own tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks.
Hm. This is not ideal.
The sun is setting, but Mirabel is still trekking through endless rainforest with no sign of civilisation in sight.
Coming to a stop, she considers her next course of action. She could continue on even when night falls, but she risks injuring herself, losing her way in the darkness, or becoming the dinner of a hungry predator. On the other hand, she could stop for now and get some rest. She is getting tired, after all, and it wouldn’t do for her to stumble around the dark rainforest in a state of exhaustion.
Yeah, taking a rest sounds like the most logical course of action -
- if she did not just trip a tree root.
With a startled yelp, Mirabel stumbles and bumps down the inclining ground. She slows a stop, covered in dirt, leaves and more than a few scrapes.
“Mierda…just my luck, and it was going so well too,” she grumbles.
“Ay dios, are you okay?”
Mirabel looks up. There is a middle-aged woman with greying hair tied up in a tight bun looking down at her with concern. She has a large basket on her back, filled with what appears to be herbs.
“Sí, señora, I’m just super clumsy,” Mirabel replies, getting up to her feet and brushing herself off.
“What are you doing out here?” the woman asks, “You look like you have been travelling for days.”
“I’m searching for a new life. Do you happen to know if there is a town or something anywhere?”
“Sí, we are not far from the town where I live with my husband and son,” the woman replies. Upon seeing the sigh of relief from Mirabel, she can’t help but ask, “Where were you from?”
“Beyond the mountains.”
The woman’s eyes widen, “¡Ay dios mío! You have travelled a long way! Please, let’s get going, you must be exhausted!”
Mirabel is not going to deny that.
The pair head off, following the path.
“How did you manage to cross the mountains, chica?”
“You…won’t believe me if I told you.”
“Humour me.”
Mirabel adjusts the strap of her bag, “A golden butterfly created a tunnel that allowed me to cut through the mountain directly. I didn’t need to climb or cross it.”
The woman stares in silence, before admitting, “You’re right, I find it hard to believe that it really happened.”
Mirabel shrugs, “Well, it’s either that, or I scaled the mountain with just my bare hands. Which do you think is more believable?”
The woman gives Mirabel a look-over, “The magical butterfly.”
“My thoughts precisely.”
There is a lull in the conversation, before the woman asks, “What is your name, chica?”
“Mirabel. Mirabel Madrigal.”
“Madrigal…that sounds vaguely familiar.”
Mirabel raises an eyebrow, “Where did you hear it from?”
“I can’t for my life remember,” the woman admits, “It just rings a bell, somehow.”
Mirabel shrugs.
Soon, the environment starts to change. The trees and plants become less dense, and the path widens. Then, up ahead, there is an opening. Mirabel and the woman reach the opening, and just a few paces away, is the entrance to a large town.
A sense of familiarity washes over Mirabel. The bustling streets, noise of daily life and commerce, people going about their businesses, it is a welcome sight after a few days trekking through Mother Nature.
“Is this where you live?”
“Sí, come along, Mirabel.”
Mirabel takes in the sights as she enters the town with the woman. The town is large, perhaps even bigger than the Encanto. Unlike the colourful buildings of the Encanto though, all of the buildings and houses here are a washed white and have faded red roof tiles. As it is evening and the sun is already setting, Mirabel sees people packing up and preparing to return to their homes. Everything is winding down for the night, but come morning, life will return once more.
“Here we are.”
Mirabel turns back to the woman. They are standing in front of a modest two-storey house. The woman pushes the door open and enters first. Mirabel follows suit.
“¡Corazón! I’m home!”
Mirabel hears footsteps approaching. A man with a bit of a belly comes in from one of the adjacent rooms.
“Mi amor, you’re back,” the man smiles, coming in close to kiss the woman on the cheek. Then, he notices Mirabel, “Oh, who is this?”
“Carlos, this is Mirabel,” the woman introduces, “She came from beyond the mountains seeking a new life.”
“Ah, a pleasure to meet you, Mirabel,” Carlos greets her warmly, “I presume you bumped into my lovely wife, Julia, during your travels?”
“Well…more like tripped and rolled down a slope to her feet, Señor Carlos,” Mirabel chuckles, rubbing the back of her head.
“Ay, a clumsy one, I take it?” Carlos asks, “Don’t worry, I used to be like you a lot. When I first met Julia for the first time, I tripped and fell at her feet too.”
Julia chuckles at the warm memory, “I brought Mirabel here because I thought that she needs a place to stay. She had been travelling for quite a long while.”
“Ah, sí,” Carlos nods, “Well, Mirabel, you’re more than welcome to stay with us for as long as you like. We have a room that has been sitting empty for the longest time. It used to belong to my madre, who passed away last year.”
“Ah…I’m sorry for your loss,” Mirabel bows politely.
“Fret not, she was old, and she passed peacefully in her sleep,” Carlos waves the concern off, “It was her greatest wish to die in her own bed, surrounded by family. She would have loved to see her room used once more.”
“Muchas gracias, Señor Carlos, for your hospitality.”
“No es nada, Mirabel. Now, you must be sweaty and exhausted. Why don’t you take a nice long bath, while we get started on some dinner?”
“Oh, yes, please!”
Carlos brings Mirabel upstairs, while Julia bustles off to the kitchen. He shows her the room, which is cosy and extremely clean. It is furnished with a bed, a desk, a rocking chair, a bookcase, and a wardrobe. It looks ready for someone to move in and start living within.
“How do you like it, Mirabel?”
“It’s lovely! Have you been cleaning it often?”
“Every day,” Carlos replies, “We do so to keep my madre’s memory alive. It feels like she is still with us, even though she has risen up to join the Lord in his kingdom in heaven.”
Mirabel nods, that is such a thoughtful and nice gesture.
“I will leave you to get settled. The bathroom is just outside."
Mirabel thanks Carlos again, and the man leaves after that. Mirabel takes a look around, and a contented smile blossoms across her face. She goes to sit her bag down on the bed, and takes out all the spare clothes she had brought along in her journey. She puts one set to a corner for her to change into later, and the others to another corner to put into the wardrobe later. She takes her fresh set of clothes, and goes to the bathroom. After a good twenty minutes of hot water washing away the dirt and grime of a day’s worth of travelling, Mirabel changes into her clean clothes and emerges feeling much more refreshed.
Heading downstairs, the aroma of home-cooked food wafts into her nostrils, causing her stomach to grumble loudly.
“Goodness, that was a loud one,” Carlos chuckles from the dining room.
“Had you not been eating well, Mirabel?” Julia asks as she brings in a plate of arepas.
“Well, I had to ration the food I brought along with me,” Mirabel replies, sitting down at the table, “I couldn’t just take the entire kitchen with me, my mamá would notice that something was up.”
Both Carlos and Julia go silent at that.
“You…didn’t tell your padres that you were leaving?” Julia asks after a moment.
“I mean, I wrote them a letter,” Mirabel shrugs, “I think that counts as telling them.”
“But you didn’t tell them physically, like face to face,” Carlos points out, “What if they didn’t find your letter? They must be worried sick about you!”
“Nah, I’m sure they found my letter by now,” Mirabel waves off, “I did explain why I was planning to leave in my letter. I’m not so cruel as to just disappear without a single word.”
Julia shares a look with her husband, before asking, “If you don’t mind telling us, why did you leave your old home in the first place?”
Mirabel is about to respond when she hears the front door open and close. Heavy footsteps approach the dining room.
“Ah! That must be Matías!” Carlos pipes up.
Mirabel turns to the doorway, as someone comes into view.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
If Abuela's reaction to Mirabel leaving appears more controlled than in the original version, that is on purpose. After all, it's not like she assumed that Mirabel kidnapped Antonio and took him away just before his Gift ceremony.
But how will things be different once Antonio makes up his mind about the situation?
And speaking of Antonio, let me know what you thought of his reaction, especially the initial one. I tried to portray him as dumbstruck at the news of Mirabel's disappearance, but I don't know if it's realistic. Tell me your thoughts in the comments section.
- Kai
--------------------------
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Come say hi over on my Discord server! The Rarepair Domain
Chapter 4: Meeting Matías
Summary:
Mirabel meets Matías for the first time, Antonio and his animal friends hit a major obstacle in their quest to find Mirabel, and the entire family comes home to a horrifying revelation.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“Friend, why are you so sad?”
Antonio sniffles, “I miss my Mamí. I want her back.”
The jaguar, nicknamed Parce, rumbles, “Where did she go?”
“Somewhere far away,” Antonio hiccups, “She left without telling me. She doesn’t love me anymore!”
Parce pads forward and nuzzles his head against the boy’s lap, “I don’t think she doesn’t love you anymore. She must have her reasons.”
“But why would she leave without telling me?”
Pico, one of the toucans, flutters down, “Well, why don’t you ask her?”
“Huh?”
“You can go look for her,” Pico explains, “When you find her, ask her why she left.”
“But I don’t know where to look for her!”
“I can help,” Parce offers, “My sense of smell should be able to pick up her scent if you give me something of hers to go by.”
“Really?” Antonio asks with rising hope.
“We hate to see you this sad,” Parce says, referring to all the animals gathered around the young boy, “If we can help in any way, we will gladly do so without hesitation.”
A few tears spill from Antonio’s eyes, “ Gracias…muchas gracias. ”
A plan is quickly put into motion.
Antonio and Parce head to the nursery, where the young boy looks for something that belongs to his Mamí. After a bit of searching, Antonio finds Mirabel’s diary in her drawers.
“Is this good enough?”
Parce sniffs the leather-bound book, “Good enough. I am able to pick up her scent. In fact, I can still sense it, leading out of the house.”
“Then let’s go!”
They return to Antonio’s room.
“Everyone,” he addresses his animal friends, “Today, we are going to search for my Mamí. Since there are so many of us, we need to be careful. We cannot let anyone know that we are leaving or see us leave. So we need to go by the forest, until we are out of the Encanto. Are we all clear?”
There is a chorus of agreement.
“Good, then let’s go.”
With Antonio, Parce and Pico leading the group, all of the animals leave the room and head downstairs, with no one seemingly knowing what is happening. When they reach the front door, Antonio turns to Parce.
“Parce, can you still pick up my Mamí’s scent?”
“Yes, now climb on my back. It will be a long journey ahead.”
Antonio gets on the jaguar’s back, and Parce takes off through the doors with Pico and the other animals following behind.
Once the doors close with a click, someone emerges from the shadows.
Dolores sighs, deep with regret.
She knows she should have stopped her hermanito from leaving. But…she could not do such a thing.
Not only would Antonio do anything to look for his Mamí, Dolores had no right to stop him.
Just like with Mirabel, the family has failed Antonio terribly. While not in the same context, Antonio did not have the most ideal upbringing, although that is no fault on Mirabel’s part. In reality, Mirabel did an excellent job raising Antonio in the nursery. But the fact that a fifteen-year-old teenager spent five years raising her primo is just wrong on so many levels.
Dolores knows that another storm will come when the family returns and realises that Antonio had done a runner, as she looks up to the second floor.
Still, she will not be cowed.
It is time for the Madrigals to learn the harsh truth about themselves.
When the figure comes into view at the doorway, Mirabel almost drops her arepa.
He is huge .
Matías towers over everyone, possibly rivalling Luisa in height. He is insanely muscular, his bulky arms on display and his white, dirt and sweat-stained singlet stretches over the massive torso like a second skin, the contours of pectoral and abdominal muscles on clear display. On top of that, he is astonishingly handsome and attractive. He has a square jaw, dark eyes that glow like diamonds, a shapely nose, and full lips.
Mirabel can’t stop staring, even with her instincts screaming at her to not be so blatantly ogling the young man’s muscles.
“Welcome home, Matías. How was work today?” asks Julia.
“Same old, nothing interesting,” Matias replies, and mierda , Mirabel wants to melt into a puddle. His voice is baritone deep, gravelly and husky. Electric sparks shoot up Mirabel’s spine, and she suppresses the moan that almost escapes out of her throat.
Matías’ eyes then shift towards Mirabel, “Who is that?”
“Oh, this is Mirabel Madrigal, mijo ,” Julia introduces, which Mirabel waves shyly, “I met her while I was gathering herbs for my remedies. She came from over the mountains, seeking a new life. She is staying with us for the time being.”
Matías grunts, and nods slightly to Mirabel.
“Why don’t you take a shower, mijo ?” Carlos suggests, “Dinner is ready.”
“Mm.”
Without another word, Matías disappears from the doorway and heads upstairs.
Now that he is no longer there, Mirabel feels like she can breathe again. She turns to Julia, “Not really much of a talker, is he?”
“Not really,” Julia agrees, “He has never been the sociable type.”
“He is quite the loner, I will say,” Carlos adds in his two pesos, “Never made friends while growing up. He preferred to be by himself all the time.”
“So…he’s fine with being lonely?” Mirabel asks.
“It seems that way,” Carlos sighs, “I do wish he would mix around with people his age, but he just never clicked with anyone.”
“His height and body makes it difficult,” Julia adds, “Most people don’t realise he is still a teenager. They think he’s already an adult.”
“How old is he?” Mirabel asks.
“Just turned seventeen.”
‘The perfect age for a partner,’ a traitorous part of Mirabel’s mind whispers, which she forces down with too much mental strength, “So what does he do here?”
“He works in the fields,” Julia replies, “They are harvesting the banana crop, if I’m not mistaken.”
“Hm…do they need help? I would love to help if they need it.”
“Are you sure?” Julia asks, “It is hard work.”
“I’m used to it,” Mirabel waves off, “I just want to be useful and earn my keep here.”
“Why don’t you talk to Matías when he comes down?” Carlos suggests.
“What?” comes the deep, gravelly voice.
Speak of the (hunky) devil, and he will appear.
“Ah, mijo , perfect timing,” Carlos pats the empty seat next to him, which is also, incidentally, next to Mirabel. Matías sits down and gives his padre a questioning look, “Mirabel here wishes to help with the harvest tomorrow. Do you think the farmers would appreciate another set of hands?”
Matías turns to Mirabel, primarily looking at her arms. Mirabel isn’t sure whether to feel self-conscious, or flustered from the intense look in Matías’ dark eyes.
“She can help,” Matías finally says after a long moment, “I will make sure that she does not overwork herself.”
“Splendid!” Carlos claps his hands, “Take good care of her, will you?”
“Mm.”
“Right, let’s eat then, before the food gets cold,” Julia reminds everyone.
The conversation lulls for a bit as everyone tucks in into the evening meal. Mirabel nibbles on the arepa she nearly dropped earlier. Matías eats silently next to her, paying attention to his food and not noticing her lingering stare.
She should say something, perhaps thank Matías for allowing her to help in the harvest tomorrow. But now, her usual courage has all but evaporated. She can’t bring herself to open her mouth and speak a single word. Something about Matías leaves her completely speechless.
Mirabel decidedly ignores the traitorous part of her mind that whispers in her ear about how Matías’ bulky muscles and handsome face are the reasons why she can’t get her vocal chords working.
Thankfully, Señora Julia provides a timely distraction.
“I completely forgot about it earlier, but Mirabel, why did you leave your old home in the first place?”
Well…the distraction is timely, but one that Mirabel isn’t sure that she wants to delve into.
The memories of the past ten years flood back into her mind, robbing her of appetite and making the arepa in her hand feel quite unpalatable. She sets it back on her plate, and considers how to respond in a way that doesn’t send her spiralling further into the darkness.
“My family…they are all special,” she explains slowly, as all ears turn to her, “They all have special Gifts, and everyone loves them. Me, on the other hand…not so much.”
“Nobody…loves you?” Carlos says uncertainly.
“I mean, my padres love me, and so does my primo Antonio,” Mirabel quickly clarifies, “It’s just that…when your entire family is special…and I am the only…un-special one, it is hard, you know?”
Julia puts two and two together, “You felt unappreciated. You felt that nobody cared about you. So that’s why you left?”
“ Sí, and it's better that I left. I’m only Mirabel Ordinaria , someone who can’t do anything right and always messes up and always gets in the way and makes things difficult for everyone and just being a complete nuisance and bother to everyone and - !”
“Mirabel! Stop!”
Julia grabs her hand, cutting off the self-deprecating rant from continuing.
“Mirabel, calm down. It’s okay.”
Something trickles down her cheeks.
It is tears.
“ L-Lo siento …I didn’t mean to ramble - I just, I - …”
Mirabel gets up abruptly, “Please excuse me.”
Holding in the dam that is on the verge of collapsing, she retreats from the dining room and flees upstairs back into her new room. She throws herself onto the bed, and the dam promptly collapses.
She weeps and sobs into the blanket, her mind crumbling from the weight of bad memories and emotional turmoil. This is supposed to be a fresh start for her, a new life where she could be happy, and not have to bear the weight of being useless and cursed . But ten years of trauma and pain does not go away with a shower of magic sparkles. Even though she is miles away from the place that branded her as “ordinary” and “useless”, Mirabel still carries the scars from harsh words, dismissals and neglect.
It will be a while before she can begin to heal. Right now, all she can do is cry, as the tsunami of emotions that had been building up for ten years comes surging out with catastrophic violence.
“How far are we from Mamí, Parce?”
“Still a long way to go, friend. Your Mamí has travelled for a long distance.”
“Then…do you still have her scent?”
“Yes, I do. Be patient, friend, we will find her.”
Antonio sighs, tracing circles on the jaguar’s fur. They have been trekking for many hours now, and the sun is already setting. The long procession of animals snaked through the forest, following behind Parce who is navigating the endless rainforest with the help of Mirabel’s scent.
They had to stop a few times for the slower animals to keep up, and to eat the wild fruits and berries at around lunchtime. After trekking for so long, the procession is getting tired, and it is becoming increasingly clear that they won’t be able to find Mirabel by the end of the day.
Antonio yawns loudly. He is starting to get sleepy, and he can sense that his friends are growing sluggish too.
“Parce, I think we should stop for now. We’re all tired, and you must be tired too, after carrying me for so long.”
“Friend, I am fine. I can still continue on.”
“But the others - ”
“We also need to find a place where all of us can rest properly. The forest is too dense for us to sleep in as a group, and there are other dangers lurking around too. We need to find a place that is - ”
“Look!”
Parce stops, sees Antonio pointing at something up ahead, and follows the boy’s line of sight.
Up ahead, is perhaps the tallest mountain any one of them have ever seen.
The procession gathers to a stop at the base of the looming mountain, so high up that they could not see the top of it.
“Wow…” Antonio is amazed.
Parce narrows his eyes. He takes several steps forward towards the rocky surface. He sniffs around, coming to a sobering realisation.
“Friend, your Mamí’s scent stops here. I think she somehow managed to cross the mountain to the other side.”
“Well, let’s cross the mountain then!”
“Easier said than done,” Parce gazes up to the mountain, “The slope is extremely steep. It is too dangerous for us land-bound animals to get across. The birds can’t lift most of us, so unless something helps us to get across, we are stuck here on this side.”
The hope that Antonio has dims rapidly, “So…are you saying that we won’t be able to find my Mamí?”
“Unless we are given a miracle, we will not be able to find her.”
Dolores hears their return before they even make it to the front door.
Tía Julieta is weeping, while her mamá is trying and failing to comfort her. Camilo has shapeshifted into their papá, using an umbrella to stave off the rain that their mamá is making from her anxiety and fear. With them, Luisa is also in hysterics, with Tío Agustín trying to be a pillar of support for her.
The door swings open, and a stony-faced Abuela leads the family back into Casita .
Dolores meets them in the courtyard.
“Any luck?”
Abuela sighs through her nose, “No, we could not find her. Mirabel must have left during the party last night when no one in town could have spotted her,” she glances at a still-sobbing Luisa, “Their search in the surrounding forest also came up empty.”
Dolores tries not to glare at how nonchalant and dismissive Isabela is acting. She then turns back to Abuela, “So, what now?”
“Mirabel has made her decision to leave the family,” the matriarch replies coldly, “She has made her decision explicitly clear to all of us. We can only accept it and move on.”
“Mamá!” Julieta cries, “You can’t just - !”
“Enough,” Abuela cuts her off, “The Encanto still needs our help. We cannot shirk our duties. Since Mirabel has decided to no longer be a part of our family, we will accept it and move on. Additionally, I have spoken with the Guzmáns. Isabela’s engagement dinner has been postponed to tomorrow, and everything must be perfect for - ”
Her words die when she realises something.
“Dolores, where is Antonio?”
“Hm!”
Dolores says nothing other than that.
“Dolores, where. is. your. hermanito ?”
She says nothing, but her eyes travel off to the side.
Abuela follows her nieta ’s line of sight, and all colour drains from her face.
“No…”
“Mamá?” Pepa asks worriedly, as the raincloud intensifies from her anxiety spiking up.
“No!”
Moving at a speed that is impressive for someone her age, Abuela rushes back into the entrance hall and thunders up the staircase to the second floor. Pepa follows suit, while Dolores trails behind at a more leisurely pace.
Abuela comes to a stop at Antonio’s door, eyes wide with horror as a dark, lifeless door stands before her. The bright glow that once lit up the young boy’s image has vanished, just like with a certain missing hijo of hers -
“Mamá, what’s wrong? Why are you standing - ”
Pepa sees the lifeless door, and the cloud above her head promptly turns into a thunderstorm.
“W-What is this? Why is his - ?”
Abuela pushes the door open and rushes inside. The forest, once lit up and alive, has gone dark and dead. The smell of rotting wood and plants permeates the air, and the massive tree that stands in the middle of the room has died, lost all of its leaves and is reduced to a lifeless husk of decomposing wood.
There is nothing but eerie silence.
Pale and stricken with horror, Abuela stumbles backwards and turns on Dolores.
“What is the meaning of this?! Where is Antonio?!”
For her part, Dolores remains steady and unwavering, “Gone.”
“W-What?”
A blast of thunder shakes the second floor, as the rest of the family rush up to see what is going on. They are just in time to hear the one sentence that will spark the incoming explosion.
“Antonio and his animal friends left Casita , so that he can look for Mirabel.”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
To be honest, I didn't expect this chapter to get so angsty, but it is for plot purposes. Plus, I don't think Mirabel ever got to unleash her trauma from years of neglect and dismissal from her own family in canon, so her breakdown was a long time coming.
Don't worry, I'm not going to leave Mirabel and Antonio without help. As for the remaining family members, well, they've got a huge hurricane coming.
- Kai
---------------------
Follow me on Twitter here!
Come say hi over on my Discord server! The Rarepair Domain
Chapter 5: The Fallout
Summary:
In which Matías is the textbook definition of a gentle giant, Antonio and his animal friends are granted a miracle, Dolores tears the family a new one, and a missing tío makes his return.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Mirabel has no idea how long she has been crying for.
All she knows is that someone is approaching her, with their footsteps coming close.
“Mirabel?” a deep, gravelly voice reaches her ears.
She looks up, tears still spilling from her eyes.
“Matías…”
The giant hunk has an unreadable expression, but he moves slowly and gently. He crouches down beside Mirabel, “Are you okay?”
She sniffles, wiping away her tears, “ Lo siento …I didn’t mean to disrupt dinner. It’s just…there were so many memories. Bad ones…”
Matías stays silent, but his attention never falters.
“I know I shouldn’t have broken down,” Mirabel hiccups, “Your padres …we have only just met, but they have done so much for me. They gave me a room to stay in, food on the table, an opportunity to return the favour and earn my keep. They are so kind and generous. They should not have had to see me break down.”
Matías considers his words, “Mirabel…I can’t begin to imagine what you went through. But…it’s okay to cry. I don’t think you were given chances to let it all out.”
Mirabel sniffles.
“Just…take it easy. No one is blaming you for breaking down. Give yourself some time, okay?”
Mirabel slowly nods.
Matías’ eyes warm just the slightest bit, and he reaches over to gently ruffle Mirabel’s hair. He gets up, and leaves the room, quietly closing the door behind him.
Now alone once more, Mirabel looks deep into herself. Yes, she is still in an emotional turmoil, but her chest feels a little bit lighter. She still feels like crying, and she just lets it all out.
The room echoes with her weeping and sobs, but this time, her tears are lighter, and she feels the glow of assurance and care. Even though she had caused a scene, no one is blaming her for breaking. She now just needs to let ten years of emotion out, releasing the pain and despair from her mind and heart.
She can begin to heal, even if it takes time.
But it’s okay, because she now has the time to begin healing.
Outside, Matías turns to his padres .
“How is she?” Julia asks.
“She just needs some time to herself,” Matías replies.
“Does she blame us for digging up unpleasant memories?” Carlos asks worriedly.
Matías shakes his head, “It was bound to happen sooner or later. Mirabel did not have the chance to process what she went through in the past. This is her time now. Let’s give her some peace.”
Seeing as there is nothing else to be done, the family split off to their respective rooms, as Mirabel’s weeping fills the silence of the night.
Back in Casita , things are deteriorating rapidly.
“Dolores,” Abuela says in a dangerous tone, “What do you mean that Antonio left to look for Mirabel?”
“I said exactly what I said, Abuela,” Dolores replies firmly, “Antonio is gone. He went to look for Mirabel because she left without so much of a goodbye.”
“And you just let him?!” Pepa shrieks, the stormcloud rapidly growing in size.
“I did, because I had no right to stop him.”
“Dolores - !”
“For once in your life, shut your mouth, Alma Madrigal!” Dolores rounds on the old matriarch.
A collective gasp rings from the watching family members. No one has ever dared to show such blatant disrespect to Abuela before.
So stunned by the biting lack of respect, Abuela is left speechless.
“I let Antonio leave, because it was the best for him,” Dolores says, lips quivering, “His entire world got turned upside down when Mirabel left without so much of a goodbye. Have you all forgotten who it was that raised Antonio from birth? It certainly wasn’t you, Mamá, Papá. Mirabel raised my hermanito in the nursery for five years, ever since she was only ten . She was a child, a child , and she already had to play the role of a parent because Antonio’s real padres were never there for him!”
A blast of lightning shakes Casita down to the foundations.
“We tried - !” Félix attempts to speak up.
“Do you know that Antonio still calls Mirabel his ‘Mamí’, even after all these years?” Dolores cuts her papá off, and judging from the surprised reactions from the family, they had no idea, “That’s how close they are! He never calls Mamá that! Mirabel treated my hermanito as her own hijo , because he was the only one who returned the unconditional love she gave to him, apart from Tía Julieta and Tío Agustín! The rest of us failed them both! We got so swept up by our Gifts and duties, we ended up neglecting both Mirabel and Antonio! Even worse, we were so afraid that Antonio would end up like Mirabel, that he became terrified of not getting a Gift himself! He was so scared that he had to plead for his Mamí to walk him to his door! And what did we do when he actually got a Gift? We got so carried away that we didn’t even include Mirabel in the family picture!”
Dolores pauses to take a deep breath, but her eyes still burn with cold fury, “But, I bet that is what you planned all along, right Abuela? You hated Mirabel so much that you excluded her from everything, even family pictures! You wanted to erase Mirabel from existence because you think she is a curse upon this family!”
“Don’t you ever - !”
SLAP
Another round of horrified gasps, as Dolores did the unthinkable and slapped Abuela across the face.
“Face it, Alma Madrigal, you hate Mirabel. Just because she somehow did not get a Gift, you think she doesn’t deserve to be a part of this family. I bet you were planning to send her away when she came of age, right? You can’t bear to even look upon this supposed stain on your “perfect” world, therefore you want to get rid of her as soon as you can, right?”
Silence follows, which is more of an answer than anything.
“Mamá…is this true?” Julieta asks dangerously, “W-Were you planning on casting my hija out of the family?”
Isabela sniffs, “It’s not like it would mean anything. She is just a waste of spa - ”
SLAP
A third round of gasps, partly from Isabela openly saying such derisive words, and mainly from Dolores striding over and slapping her prima hard across the face.
“Don’t think you are any better, Isabela Madrigal,” Dolores growls, “You had just as big a part in driving Mirabel away as Abuela did!”
“How dare you - !”
Dolores raises a hand in warning, and Isabela snaps her mouth shut, flinching back from a potential second slap, “You think I haven’t seen you treating Mirabel like crap since the beginning, Isabela? You always demean her, call her horrid names, and you made her life difficult for merely breathing in your direction! In fact, I wouldn’t put it past you to want Mirabel dead and gone just so you can live your “perfect” life in peace. Am I right?”
A beat of silence.
“Isabela Madrigal,” Julieta now turns her ire on her eldest hija , “is this true? Do you really see your hermanita as a nuisance and a bother?”
“It’s not like it isn’t true!” Isabela cries, “She just always gets in the way and - !”
“So you hurt her, even physically?”
All eyes turn to Camilo, who is staring at Isabela as if he had just remembered something horrifying.
“What?” Dolores asks, “Milo…what are you saying?”
“There was one time, I think last year,” Camilo recounts, voice quiet, “Mirabel was walking past Isabela’s door when she came out and they collided into each other. She…” he points a shaky finger at Isabela, “...she called Mirabel a…a… oh dios , I can’t bear to say it…”
“What did Isabela call Mirabel?” Dolores presses.
“She…she called Mirabel a puta .”
Horrified gasps ring out.
“Isabela screamed at Mirabel for getting in her way. And then…Isabela’s vines pushed Mirabel away, so hard that…that…”
Camilo’s lips tremble, “...Mirabel lost her balance and fell over the railing.”
Dead. Silence.
“Had Casita not caught her in time, Mirabel would have hit the courtyard floor and gotten seriously injured.”
A blast of lightning shakes the house.
“Isabela Madrigal…” Agustín growls, “Is this true? Did you try to hurt your hermanita simply for accidentally bumping into you?!”
“I…I didn’t mean to hit her that hard! I only wanted her out of the way - !”
This is too much for Julieta.
She bursts into tears, and flees from the scene.
“ ¡Mi amor! ” Agustín cries, running after her.
Dolores’ rage goes over the breach, “You are the absolute worst , Isabela Madrigal. Just when I thought you couldn’t get any more cruel, you just go and prove me wrong. How can you even call yourself a hermana for trying to kill Mirabel?!”
She then spins on Abuela, “The same goes for you! Because of your cruelty, you drove away my prima and hermanito ! Our family is falling apart because of you ! You are nothing but a heartless monster who only cares about the Miracle!”
Dolores has one last parting shot, “Abuelo Pedro made the mistake of ever loving you.”
With that, she stomps off to her room and slams the door behind her.
Dolores doesn’t care that she is still in her day clothes. She just topples onto her bed and lies there, overwhelmed and ears ringing from the auditory overload.
She reaches for her earmuffs, the pair that Mirabel made for her, and puts them on. She closes her eyes and tries to get some sleep, despite knowing that things are crashing down all around her.
With her hearing muffled and her rage mellowing out into exhaustion, Dolores fails to hear the ominous sound of stone cracking and splintering.
Antonio is in a pickle.
The mountain is an impassable obstacle with no clear way around or over it.
Parce is right. None of his avian friends are strong enough to lift the land-bound travellers over the mountain. They are all stuck on this side of the mountain.
What can they do? How can they progress forward?
“Friend, why don’t we stop for the night?” the jaguar suggests, “We are all exhausted, and there is no point in trying to think about how to get over the mountain when it is dark and extremely dangerous.”
“But…what about my Mamí?”
Pico tries to be the second voice of reason, “Your Mamí would not want you to get hurt. Let’s rest for now. When morning comes, we can decide on what to do next.”
Faced with no other choice, Antonio relents, “Alright. Let’s stop for now - ”
“Hey!” one of the toucan chicks suddenly pipes up, “What’s that?”
All eyes turn to where the chick is looking towards.
In the darkness of the forest, a small golden glow flutters towards the procession.
As it approaches, Antonio realises what it is.
“A butterfly…?”
The glowing insect flutters past, all eyes watching as it flies towards the rock face in front of them. The butterfly lands on the rocky surface, and then, cracks of golden light begin spreading out.
Antonio and his animal friends gasp, and are then forced to shield their eyes as a golden supernova lights up the night. When it is possible to see again, the entire procession is greeted by a jaw-dropping sight.
“A tunnel!” Antonio gasps, “The butterfly created a tunnel!”
Glowing brightly against the darkness, the tunnel appears to cut through the mountain, with more forest beyond the exit.
“We should go! There is a way forward!”
“Hold on, friend,” Parce stops the young boy, “Let one of us go through it first. We need to make sure it is safe.”
“I will do it,” Pico volunteers himself.
The toucan flaps his wings and flies through the tunnel. Sure enough, he comes out on the other side of the mountain through the exit.
“It is safe!” he calls back.
“Alright everyone, let’s go through!” Antonio declares happily.
Parce takes the lead, with the young boy on his back. The rest of the procession follow suit, all gathering at the other side. Once the last animal has made it through, the tunnel closes up with a small wink, letting darkness take over once more.
“That was so cool!” Antonio exclaims, “We made it across!”
“I believe that something otherworldly had been watching us,” Pico remarks, “That butterfly…it was unlike anything I have seen before.”
“Good thing though! It helped us when we needed it,” Antonio agrees, “Now, shall we continue on?”
“Until we can find a place to rest, and maybe with water nearby,” Parce adds, “Pico, can you fly up and see if there is any source of water ahead?”
The toucan nods, and takes off into the air. The procession waits for him to return, which he does after several minutes.
“There is a river due north from here,” Pico relays back, “There is also plenty of space for all of us along the embankment.”
“Good to know. Everyone, let’s head off to that river!” Antonio declares.
The procession chorus with assent, and the journey resumes once more.
He waits until all is quiet.
Even through the walls, he could hear his sobrina tearing into the family for driving Mirabel and Antonio away from Casita . The slaps she gave to Abuela and Isabela were especially astounding, nobody had dared raise their hand against the matriarch and golden child of the Madrigal family before. The fact that said blows echoed through the walls only proved how things have rapidly deteriorated since Mirabel and Antonio have left.
Although, he knows that the explosion was a long time coming, ever since he went into hiding and saw the cracks widen and grow with each passing year.
He waits until everyone has retreated to their rooms, probably to process what had just gone down. Once the coast is clear, he emerges from the painting next to Dolores’ door. Double-checking to be absolutely sure that he will not be seen, he creeps past Dolores and Camilo’s doors, pausing to glance at Antonio’s dark, lifeless one. Unintentionally, his youngest sobrino , despite having never met him before, has emulated him by leaving. Although, Antonio must have already crossed the mountains by now; unlike his weak, cowardly self, who spent a night in the forest and then ran back to Casita when he got too spooked by the noises of wild animals.
But anyways.
He creeps past Pepa, his mamá and Julieta’s doors, glancing back to make sure he isn’t being followed. He turns the corner, faced with a flight of stairs that leads to his own dark, lifeless door, one that he abandoned over ten years ago.
Even in the darkness, he can see his image on the door glaring back at him, arms raised as if preparing to attack. For years, his door frightened him, as did his curse.
Tonight, though, he is prepared to use his curse once more.
He will put aside a decade of trauma, fear and disgust, for the sake of his family.
Especially, for Mirabel and Antonio.
He calls out quietly, “ Casita , I have returned.”
His door begins to glow, lighting up for the first time in ten years.
On this night, Bruno Madrigal re-enters his room, with the goal of seeing what fate awaits the family that he loves so much, to the point he went into hiding in order to protect them.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
I think we can all agree that Dolores is a queen.
- Kai
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Chapter 6: New Beginnings
Summary:
Mirabel begins her first day in a new town.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Mirabel wakes up feeling something soft underneath her.
Her drowsy eyes open to a bright morning sun, rays of light shining through the open window. Her vision is blurry, but she manages to find her glasses sitting on the bedside table next to her.
Mirabel yawns loudly as she sits up. She doesn’t remember going to bed. Did she cry herself to sleep last night? How did she get into the bed, then?
“Buenos días, Mirabel.”
She snaps towards the familiar voice.
“Matías?”
Mirabel fumbles for her glasses and puts them on. Matías sits at the foot of the bed, eyes intense.
“Did you sleep well?”
Her answer would have been affirmative, but she has more pressing questions.
“How did I get into bed?”
“I came in to check on you before I went to sleep,” Matías replies, “You had fallen asleep by the side. I didn’t want your knees to ache, so I tucked you in.”
“Oh…” Mirabel feels her cheeks become a little warm, “ Muchas gracias, Matías.”
“ No es nada, Mirabel. Are you feeling better?”
“Much better. I don’t think I’ve ever cried so much in my life…”
“You needed it, though.”
Mirabel has to agree, “ Sí, I think I did.”
Matías gets up from the bed, “Do you want breakfast?”
“Yes, please.”
Mirabel gets out from the covers, and together, she leaves the room with Matías following behind her. Entering the dining room, Mirabel sees that Carlos is already at the table, and Julia is just entering herself with plates filled with arepas and scrambled eggs.
“Oh! Buenos días , Mirabel. Are you up for some breakfast?”
“ Buenos días, Señora Julia, I would like some, if you don’t mind.”
“No problem, just sit down and I’ll be back shortly.”
Mirabel sits down next to Carlos. Matías takes the chair next to her.
“How are you this morning, Mirabel?”
“Much better, Señor Carlos. I apologise for disrupting dinner last night.”
“No apologies needed, Mirabel,” Carlos reassures her, “We understand that you just needed to let out what was causing you distress.”
Julia appears with another plate of food, setting it before Mirabel. She takes her place, and together, the family say grace, before breaking their fast.
The meal is a quiet affair. Mirabel notices that none of her host family seem inclined to engage in conversation, which is so unlike the Madrigal table, which is usually noisy and full of talking. Still, there is nothing awkward or tense about the silence. Even knowing what happened last night doesn’t seem to sour or make the silence uncomfortable. It feels routine, completely normal.
Julia finishes her food first, “I better go check on the empanadas.”
Carlos leans over to Mirabel, “She always makes sure that Matías has a good lunch whenever he works in the fields. Since you’ll be going with him today, she made extra.”
“That’s nice of her.”
“It’s what a madre does to keep her hijo full. Honestly, if Matías doesn’t work as hard as he does in the fields with all of the food his madre feeds him, he will be as round as I am!”
Mirabel wants to point out that Carlos is not that round. At least, not as round as Señor Osvaldo back in the Encanto. But Julia comes back with two brown paper bags, and sets them in front of Mirabel and Matías.
“You two better get going. The bananas are not going to harvest themselves.”
“ Gracias por la comida , Señora Julia. Shall we go, Matías?”
“Mm.”
They get up, and with their lunches in hand, the pair bid Julia and Carlos farewell. They head upstairs to change, and then they leave the house, joining the flow of residents going about their business for the morning. Mirabel looks around to take everything in. It is so different here. Back in the Encanto, everyone knows everyone. She knows many of the residents by name, and even if she didn’t know who they were personally, Mirabel has seen them enough times to recognise their faces. Here, though, everyone is a stranger. Every face is one she has never seen before. The names of the people they pass are unknown to her. Their personalities, likes and dislikes are a mystery. This is a whole new world, which Mirabel hopes that she will be able to navigate with ease soon.
“This is the town square.”
Mirabel can see why.
It is a large, open space, surrounded by shops and a church at one end. In the middle of the square, there appears to be a large monument with a statue of a family of three, a man, a woman and her infant child. Captivated by the monument, Mirabel deviates from the path and approaches it, noticing a plaque at the bottom of the statue of the family. Matías says nothing as he follows close behind.
Mirabel crouches down to read the words on the plaque, “In memory of those lost in the Thousand Days’ War…”
There are rows of names inscribed into the plaque. Mirabel reads them, going by alphabetical order.
Then, she notices a set of names.
Pedro Madrigal
Alma Madrigal
Julieta Madrigal
Pepa Madrigal
Bruno Madrigal
She gasps quietly.
“What is it?” Matías asks.
“My family…they used to live here,” Mirabel mutters, “Abuela…Abuelo Pedro…”
Matías crouches down beside her, seeing the names where her fingers ghost over.
“That must be why Mamá thought your family name sounds familiar.”
The five Madrigals are listed under a category titled ‘Lost’.
“You said that you came from beyond the mountains. Is that where they are now?”
Mirabel nods, “We live in a town hidden behind the mountains and rainforest. We call it our Encanto.”
She continues, “Abuelo Pedro sacrificed his life to protect my abuela and her children. Julieta is my madre . Pepa is my tía , and Bruno is -” her words get caught in her throat, “Bruno was my tío .”
Pulling her hand away from the plaque, Mirabel stands up, and walks away from the monument. Matías follows suit, sticking by her side.
“Tell me more about your family.”
Mirabel chuckles, “You won’t believe half the things I will say about them.”
“Humour me.”
“After my abuelo Pedro died, my family was given a miracle. The miracle blessed each generation of the family with special powers. We call them Gifts. My mamá Julieta, everything she cooks can heal whatever illness or injury you have. Tía Pepa can control the weather with her emotions, and Tío Bruno…well, he could see the future.”
“Why do you speak of your Tío Bruno as if he no longer exists?”
“Well…he disappeared ten years ago. No one knows where he went. We don’t…talk about him in our family.”
Matías’ lips dip a little, “That doesn’t seem right, just erasing him from memory.”
“I don’t make the rules,” Mirabel shrugs, “Bringing him up upsets Abuela and Tía Pepa.”
Matías decides to drop the subject for now, “What are the rest of your family’s Gifts?”
“I have two hermanas , a prima and two primos . Luisa and Isabela are my hermanas. Luisa has super strength, she can lift just about anything. Isabela can create all kinds of plants and flowers, although she mainly creates roses and flor de mayo . My prima Dolores has super hearing, nothing remains a secret whenever she is around. My primo Camilo can shapeshift into just about anyone, and Antonio can talk to animals.”
“Impressive,” Matías notes, “And what about you?”
Mirabel falls silent, and for a moment, the towering hunk wonders if he had accidentally stepped on an emotional landmine.
“I…I don’t have one,” she eventually reveals, “For some reason, I don’t have a Gift.”
“Why not?”
“Nobody knows why. I just don’t have one.”
Matías puts two and two together, “Is that why you left?”
“Partly. The other reason is because on the night I left, my primo Antonio, the one who can talk with animals, got his Gift. Up until then, Antonio and I were extremely close. I practically raised him since he was a baby, since his padres were often too busy to look after him.”
“That doesn’t sound right, why were you made to raise your primo ?”
“Well…Abuela always said the family should serve the Encanto with their Gifts. Tía Pepa works in the town’s farms, providing rain whenever the farmers need to water the crops. Tío Félix was often with her, making sure that she didn’t accidentally start a hurricane or natural disaster should she lose control of her emotions. Since I didn’t have a Gift, I was often left at home, and when Antonio was born, I was the only one who had time to raise him.”
“That…is wrong on so many levels.”
“Yeah, when you think about it that way, it is. Antonio still calls me his “Mamí’, even though I’m his prima . I tried to correct him many times, but he still calls me that.”
Matías nods, “So you left, because he got his Gift?”
“It was part of the reason. Antonio doesn’t need me anymore. He has a Gift just like everyone else. There was no reason for me to hang around anymore.”
Mirabel falls silent after that.
“I’m sorry you had to go through all that. It must have been difficult to be the only one without a Gift.”
“It was, I won’t deny that,” Mirabel agrees, “But that’s all in the past now. My family is better off without me, and I am happier now. Your padres are extremely nice people, and I am forever grateful that they took me in.”
Matías wants to protest about how unfair things were for Mirabel, but it is clear that she is done talking about it, so he holds his tongue. Which is just as well, for they have arrived at the fields located outside of the town.
“Here we are.”
Mirabel takes a moment to see it all. The fields cover an expansive land area, with many types of crops being grown. She spots several plots where coffee is being grown, and others for several varieties of root vegetables. Another plot is growing maize, and another grows rice and wheat. More are growing other types of vegetables such as tomatoes, and many different types of fruit trees.
It is easy to see where the banana trees are waiting to be harvested. It is the section where most of the workers are gathering.
“Let’s head over.”
Matías guides Mirabel onto a path that cuts through several plots. The fields are clearly marked out and arranged in neat sections, indicating a high level of upkeep and maintenance to keep everything tidy.
They reach the banana plantation, where a small group of young men are chatting amongst themselves. Mirabel notes that all of them are quite muscular themselves, although not as bulky as Matías for sure. One of them turns towards them, “Ah! ¡Matías, hermano!”
Matías grunts in acknowledgement. The young man shakes his hand and pulls him into a one-armed hug, which Matías accepts without a change in his blank expression. The others in the group get up to greet him too, and for a moment, Mirabel is left to the side, feeling a little awkward in the sudden rise of masculinity and testosterone.
Then, the first young man notices her.
“Now who might you be, chica ?”
Mirabel shrinks a little into herself as the men turn towards her.
“This is Mirabel,” Matías introduces her, “She offered to help us with the harvest.”
“Really? Can she keep up?” one of the other men asks in a teasing voice.
“I will be teaching her,” Matías cuts in, eyebrows dipping down.
“Can she do it? She doesn’t have a lot of meat on her bones,” another remarks.
Mirabel frowns.
“I will be helping her,” Matías’ voice now has a sharp edge to it.
“Chill, hermano, relax,” the first young man raises his hands, “We’re just teasing.” He approaches Mirabel, “ Buenos días, I’m Javier. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Likewise…” Mirabel mutters.
Matías decides to save her from the situation, “Come, let me show you where the equipment is.”
He guides her away from the young men. Once they are far enough, he mutters loud enough for her to hear, “ Lo siento , they are a bunch of idiots.”
“Do you know them?”
“They work in the fields too. Javier is the only decent one of the lot.”
“Thanks for the heads-up. Should I stay away from them from now on?”
“You can if you want. They have enough sense to not try anything stupid. Plus, when you are equipped with a machete, they usually are smarter than normal.”
“Ah.”
They arrive at what appears to be a large shed. Matías goes inside, and returns with two large, deadly-looking machetes. Mirabel pales a little at the sight of the sharp blades glinting in the morning light. Matías straps both machetes to his sides, and goes to grab two large baskets from a pile nearby.
“Now, I’ll show you how to harvest.”
He goes to a tree, where a crop of bananas are growing a bit above the top of his head.
“Make sure to grip the handle tightly. When you swing, the last thing you want is for the machete to fly out of your hand.”
Mirabel nods, her head conjuring up all kinds of horror scenarios that could arise from a flying machete.
“If the bushel is too high up, you need to cut the tree in order to reach it. Make sure to not cut all the way through. It could destroy the bananas if you let it fall to the ground. Cut only enough so that you can bring the bushel down enough to reach it.”
Matías gives a demonstration. Mirabel notes that he only cuts through halfway before the bushel is easily brought down.
“Once you have the bushel, cut it from the branch in one clean slice. After that, put it in the basket.”
Easy enough.
Matías removes the machete still attached to his side and gives it to Mirabel, “I will watch you try your hand first.”
Mirabel swallows nervously. She takes the machete with slightly trembling hands, and goes to the adjacent tree. Thankfully, this particular bushel of bananas is not as high up. For the sake of practice, though, Mirabel keeps a tight grip on the handle, and hacks through the trunk about halfway to bring the bananas lower. So far so good, and no objections from Matías as of yet. She takes a deep breath, and slices the bushel from the tree.
Phew, no chopped off fingers or hands.
“Good work,” Matías nods, “Let’s keep going.”
Emboldened by her first successful harvest, Mirabel nods, “I’ll do my best.”
Between the two of them, they harvest about two dozen trees by mid-day. With sweat beginning to trickle down her skin, Mirabel goes to a faucet near the shed and washes the dirt and grime from her hands. She splashes some water on her face to cool off against the hot sun above.
Matías approaches with their brown paper bags, “You must be hungry.”
“Starving.”
They head to a patch of trees which provides some shade from the sun. Sitting down, Matías and Mirabel dig into the empanadas made by Julia earlier in the morning. Stuffed with beef and potatoes, it will definitely keep them going until the day’s end.
“It’s hard work, I have to say,” Mirabel remarks.
“Mm.”
“How long have you been working in the fields for?”
“Since I was five.”
“That’s a really long time. Did you go to school?”
“ Sí , it was nothing special, though. Just learning how to read and write, and count numbers.”
Mirabel nods, “So what are your plans for the future?”
Matías is about to take another bite, but stops. He lowers his empanada, and his eyes take on a distant look, “I don’t know, actually. Maybe settle down and start a family?”
“Hm, nothing wrong with that,” Mirabel shrugs, not noticing how Matías is now glancing at her, “There was a period of time where I thought about marrying someone and having a family of my own. But then all that stuff with the Miracle and not getting a Gift kind of put a dampener on that.”
“Why?”
“I mean, who would want to marry Mirabel Ordinaria ?” she chuckles humorlessly, “There is nothing special about me. I’m nothing compared to people like Isabela. She is pretty, graceful, and her Gift is beautiful too! She is getting married to the handsomest man in the Encanto. It can’t get any more perfect than that!”
Mirabel takes another bite out of her empanada, missing the meaningful look Matías is giving her, “She has everything. What chance do I have in comparison?”
It is a pity that Mirabel does not have the Gift of reading minds.
“It sounds to me that Isabela is extremely pampered and spoiled.”
“Oh, like you wouldn’t believe!” Mirabel goes on an impassioned rant, “She is my abuela’s favourite nieta. She is the golden child. La Señorita Perfecta. Anything she could want, she gets it. She just - urgh!!!” Mirabel growls and chomps at her empanada, “Like what is so good about her anyway? She’s all roses coming out of her flat, nonexistent ass cheeks!”
…
…
“Pfft.”
Out of nowhere, Matías erupts into laughter.
Admittedly, Mirabel is taken by surprise. She did not expect this.
Poor Matías has completely lost himself. He doesn’t exactly roll around the fields, but it is a close thing. He does clutch his stomach from laughing so hard.
It takes several moments for him to calm down.
“ Lo siento. Lo siento . I couldn’t help it.”
Mirabel huffs goodnaturedly, “Well, I’m glad that you find me roasting my hermana to be funny.”
“Sounds like she would deserve it though.”
“Yeah…yeah, she does.”
They sit in silence for a bit.
“Anyways,” Matías gets up, “We need to start work again.”
“Ah, okay, give me a sec.”
Mirabel downs the last bite of empanada, before getting to her feet, “Right, let’s go chop some more bananas!”
Matías watches her stride back towards the shed, and he follows her with a small smile on his lips.
The rest of the day continues. Mirabel gets the hang and rhythm of harvesting, and between her and Matías, they harvest fifty more trees. A total of ten baskets loaded with bananas join the rest of the harvest come the day’s end.
“Good work, Mirabel, I’m proud of you.”
“ ¡Gracias, Matias! I really enjoyed today,” Mirabel beams, “It feels good to know that I am capable of helping out!”
Again, a pity that Mirabel does not have the Gift of reading minds.
“Oh hey! Matías!”
Javier shows up with the other young men, “How did Mirabel do today?”
“She did good,” Matías replies with deadpan emptiness, “Perhaps even better than you lot.”
“Ouch, you wound me, you know?” Javier feigns indignance.
“Hm.”
“Oh, right, Matías, did you hear something strange just now?”
“Hm?”
“Around lunchtime,” one of the young men says, “We heard laughing, deep, bellowing laughter from somewhere. It was unlike anything we heard before. Do you know who it was?”
“Me.”
Dead. Silence.
“W-What?” Javier sputters.
“I laughed. What about it?”
“B-But…but…you never laughed before! Mierda , no one has even seen you smile !”
“Mirabel said something funny,” Matías gestures to the shorter girl, “It is only natural that I laughed.”
The young men are now staring at Mirabel dumbly. For her part, Mirabel is a little out of her depth with this conversation.
“Anyways, we need to get home,” Matías starts guiding Mirabel away, “Mirabel needs her bath and rest. I will see you all tomorrow.”
“Um… adiós! ” Mirabel waves goodbye as she is led away.
The young men continue to stare at their retreating backs until they are no longer in sight. They turn to each other nervously.
“That chica …”
“She is formidable.”
“She did the impossible.”
“She is scary…”
Javier regards his fellows seriously, “I already have no intention of doing so, but I need everyone to understand this. Mirabel is not to be messed with, are we all clear?”
The resounding chorus of “ Sí” validates the notion.
The walk back to the house is quiet, but companionable. Mirabel is starting to feel tired from the day’s work, so she couldn’t really dig up the energy to talk.
Her stomach, however, has plenty to talk about.
“Hungry? I’m sure you must be.”
“I feel like I could eat an entire horse…”
“Mamá always cooks more for dinner.”
“I look forward to that.”
Silence takes over again.
Matías glances at Mirabel, noting that she is looking a little distant.
“What are you thinking about?”
“I wonder how Antonio is doing…”
“The one who can talk to animals?”
“ Sí , I wonder if he’s having fun with all of his animal friends. He has a literal rainforest inside his room.”
“I’m sure he is.”
GROWL
“Wow, your stomach must be really upset.”
Mirabel stops, “Matías…that wasn’t my stomach.”
As if on cue, the screams begin.
Matías pulls Mirabel close, looking around for any signs of danger. People are running, screaming and shouting, stampeding in the opposite direction that the pair were coming from. Matías sees something hurtling towards them, and immediately pushes Mirabel behind him.
It screeches to a stop, and growls again.
A jaguar, with a young boy on its back.
Mirabel peeks around Matías. Her eyes bug out, “Antonio?!”
“Mamí!”
Mirabel rushes out from behind Matías, just as Antonio leaps off the jaguar’s back and into her outstretched arms.
Matías stares at the unfolding scene, beyond confused. His reaction is mirrored by virtually everyone else.
“Antonio, what are you doing here?! Why are you here?!”
“You left me behind, Mamí! I came looking for you!”
Matías’ confusion only grows, as more animals come racing towards the hugging pair.
What in the world is going on?
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Show of hands, who expected the twist at the end?
- Kai
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Chapter 7: Intervention
Summary:
Dolores does some damage control, and the future shifts.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
It is not a hurricane.
But it is close. A tropical storm, perhaps.
Heavy rain falls all over the Encanto, and the wind howls across the isolated town. Anything that is not secured is either blown or washed away. The streets become rivers, and the stream running along the perimeter of the town threatens to overflow and add to the flooding.
Casita groans and moans under the onslaught of the deluge. It is in mourning, grieving how far the family living within has fallen apart. The loss of two important members, the conflict between those remaining, and the widening cracks that threaten to bring everything crashing down.
It is a sad day for the Madrigals, felt most acutely by Julieta and Pepa.
Locked up in her room, Julieta is lost in her storm of grief and loss. Agustín stays dutifully and lovingly by her side, acting as a pillar of support in a rapidly collapsing world.
“ Mi amor , where did we go wrong?” she sobs, “How could we have let this happen?”
Agustín holds his wife close, “We were blind. We were blinded by our duties and chores. We let ourselves be carried away, so much so that we completely forgot about our hijas .”
Julieta’s weeps intensify, “I should have been a better madre . I should have shown more love to Mirabel! I should have been there for her more! I should have - !”
Agustín tightens his embrace, “I know. I know.”
Down the corridor, the same exact scene is playing out in Pepa’s room.
It is raining heavily inside, as Pepa completely loses control over her emotions. She sobs, cries and weeps into Félix’s arms, while he holds up a large umbrella in an effort to not get himself or his wife drenched by the wind.
“I’m a terrible mamá!” Pepa wails, “How could I have abandoned my hijo ? How could I have forgotten about him?!”
Unlike Agustín, Félix is unable to say anything to comfort his grieving wife. The normally unshakeable pillar that keeps Pepa steady whenever her emotions threaten to blow her over is cracking, failing under the weight of guilt and shame. He is not blameless in this mess, he has equal part to play in abandoning and forgetting Antonio, his youngest niño , leaving him to be raised by someone that is not him or Pepa.
How could they have failed their hijo so badly? How could they even be called padres for what they have done?
His own tears spill from his eyes. As a pillar of stability, he is rapidly crumbling. He is being crushed by guilt and shame. There is nothing he can do, but to lament and pray for a chance of redemption and amends.
The rain falls heavier, and the storm outside worsens.
His room has not changed in ten years.
Bruno looks around. The bottom is still filled with dunes of sand, and up above, the tower extends to the heavens with its countless stairs.
But, unlike before, the room is now saturated with magic. He can feel it coursing through the grains of sand, and through the walls of the tower. What was once dead is now alive, and it is time for him to return to where it all started.
“Casita, get me up there.”
The sand rumbles around him, and slowly, Bruno rises up in a growing pillar of sand. He bypasses the countless stairs, which would have taken him hours just to reach the top. He reaches the broken pathway connecting the end of the stairs with the entrance to his vision cave, and the sand deposits him safely on the other side.
Bruno heads into the winding corridor, lined with effigies of his head in various states of disrepair. He reaches the large, metal vault door that leads to the cave. He goes inside, and immediately, all the unlit torches lining the walls burst alight. Bruno can see the faint green glow of his previous prophecy, broken in several pieces. It is that vision that sent him into hiding in the first place, for the sake of his sobrina and the family.
However, if what he is about to do changes things, those pieces will disappear, becoming null and void.
Bruno goes to the middle of his cave, and closes his eyes. He takes a steadying breath, and calls upon his sight.
The sand rises, and forms a dome around him. Bruno opens his eyes, revealing irises that are now glowing an unsettling green. He pushes his sight, trying to see if anything has changed, if at all.
Soon, images begin to appear in the swirling sand. Bruno sees the Candle on Abuela’s windowsill knocked off its holder when cracks shatter the window frame. The main street of the Encanto cracks, and people scream when the tallest mountain splits in two down the middle. Félix grabs Antonio, pulling him out of the way of a falling door. And then, Mirabel appears, face twisted in uncertainty as Casita materialises behind her. Cracks branch across the house from the image of sobrina , disappearing and reappearing repeatedly.
“Everything is still the same…” Bruno groans, curling into himself, “Why did I bother? I need to stop! I need to - !”
A flash of gold cuts his rambling off. He looks up, and gasps as a golden butterfly emerges from the sand. He watches it flutter towards the image of Mirabel and a cracking Casita . The butterfly releases a stream of golden sparkles, and the image dissipates. From the sand, a new image appears.
Mirabel is no longer fearful. She is laughing, smiling as she dances with a young man that towers over her and is just as muscular as Luisa, maybe even more. Mirabel is also wearing a different dress, one fit for a quinceañera . Bruno sees Julieta dancing with Agustín, and Dolores dances with Antonio, his many animal friends running and jumping around him with cheer. There are many people, all with indistinct faces, watching the members of his family dance and have a great time.
And then, the image changes. It shifts into Mirabel and the same young man she was dancing with. A moon hangs above, and butterflies flutter around them. The young man is holding Mirabel close in a soft embrace, and gently pulling her in. To Bruno’s shock, the image of his sobrina and the young man kiss under the moonlight.
Immediately after, a vision plate appears before Bruno. He takes it with both hands, and sees the image of Mirabel in lip-lock with the young man with butterflies around them.
“ Dios mío…”
However, the sand has yet to fall. Bruno looks up, as the image of the kissing pair dissipates. A new image takes its place, showing a cracking Casita once more. This time, the image of Abuela appears. Unlike Mirabel, who had a look of uncertainty on her face, Abuela is frowning in contempt, as she chokes the Candle with unrelenting force. The Candle appears to be melting, as more cracks yawn across Casita . Finally, the Candle melts to its base, and Casita falls to pieces behind her.
A second vision plate materialises before Bruno, just as the sand dome finally collapses around him. This one shows Abuela, holding the extinguished, melted remains of the Candle, in front of the ruins that once was Casita .
For a long moment, Bruno stares at the prophecy before him.
What…the fuck…
Dolores wakes up.
Sitting up on her bed, she yawns loudly and stretches her cramped body. She glances at the clock ticking away on the wall - quarter to midnight.
Well, she is not likely to get any more sleep at this rate, and her ears are not ringing anymore, at least. She takes off the earmuffs, letting sound in again.
Tía Julieta is still crying, as is her Mamá. There is rain pouring outside, but not the strength or power of a hurricane. She hears Abuela and Isabela pacing around their rooms, muttering to themselves in great agitation. Camilo is fast asleep, so there’s that.
As she moves to sit by her bed’s edge, the memories come back to her. Shouting at Abuela and Isabela, slapping them both across the face, and tearing everyone a new one for what they all did to Mirabel and Antonio…
Mierda , she needs to do some damage control, doesn’t she?
Sighing tiredly, she gets out of bed and leaves her room. The rain is pouring in buckets outside, and the wind howls like a ferocious beast. It is a wonder that her Mamá has not set off a hurricane after what had happened.
Dolores first goes towards Tía Julieta’s room, and knocks gently.
“Tía Julieta, Tío Agustín? I’m coming in.”
She enters, and sees her tía weeping on her bed, her tío hugging her and trying his best to provide any form of comfort that he could. As she approaches, Tío Agustín looks up.
“Dolores?”
“Hey, how are you both faring?”
“Ay…not good, Dolores,” Agustín sighs, “Your tía and I…this has been a blow far too great for us. Your tía has been inconsolable, she fears that she is a bad madre to our hijas , especially Mirabel.”
Dolores goes to sit down next to Julieta, “I do not doubt that you are a good madre , Tía Julieta. I know that Mirabel loves you and Tío Agustín. If she could, she would have never left. But…I hope you understand that after everything she has gone through, she needs to find her own happiness away from us. She needs to be away for a while. However, this is not because you are a bad madre , Tía Julieta. For her own sake, Mirabel decided to prioritise herself for once, instead of putting the family first.”
Julieta sniffles, “But…what about Luisa? And…and…”
“There is only one person to blame for all of this, and that person is Abuela,” Dolores replies seriously, “She is the reason why Mirabel ran away. She is the reason why Luisa is working herself to an early grave, and she is the reason for Isabela becoming a cruel, self-absorbed brat who saw Mirabel as a nuisance and treated her like dirt. I remember all three being very close once, before Mirabel’s ceremony. But after her door faded away, Abuela got it into her mind that Mirabel is some sort of curse on the family, especially when Tío Bruno disappeared. She poisoned and corrupted Isabela, influencing her to follow her tune. She warped Luisa’s self-worth to the point where she believes she needs to work herself to death to be of any worth to Abuela and the Encanto. She tore Isabela and Luisa away from Mirabel, along with the rest of the family. She is the reason why our family is falling apart. Abuela is the one destroying us all.”
Julieta’s tears have stopped, as she processed everything her sobrina told her. Agustín continues to be a supporting pillar for her.
“Then…what can we do? How can we go about fixing things?” she asks quietly.
“For now, focus on Luisa,” Dolores replies firmly, “Despite having the entire world on her shoulders, Luisa still cares about Mirabel greatly. She will do anything to keep her hermanita safe. She also thinks that she is part of the reason why Mirabel ran away, because she believes herself as a terrible hermana who didn’t look out for Mirabel enough. She needs your support and love at this moment. As for Isabela…well, I don’t mean to sound callous or cruel, but she needs to understand that she has fucked up. While I don’t blame her for getting influenced by Abuela, much of the fault still lies with her. She should not have let Abuela’s poisonous words sever her relationship with Mirabel. She should have stood up for herself and made the conscious effort to maintain ties with her hermanita . Instead, she let herself be carried away by Abuela’s corruption and turned into a heartless, cruel puta who drove her hermanita away.”
Julieta takes a moment to process her sobrina ’s advice, and nods, “I understand. I think…I know what we need to do now.”
“ Muchas gracias , Dolores,” Agustín gives a small smile, “You have been a great help.”
Dolores returns the smile, “Our family may be cracked, but I will do my best to heal the rifts.”
She bids them farewell, and departs from the room. The rain is still pouring strong, as she walks down the corridor towards her Mamá’s room. Casita rolls an umbrella towards her.
“Gracias, Casita.”
The house rumbles in reply.
Dolores opens the umbrella, and opens the door into her Mamá’s room. Just like outside, there is a storm howling away inside the room. Rain is pouring heavily, and thunder rumbles occasionally. She sees her mamá sobbing wildly, held tightly by her papá, who also has tears running down his cheeks.
This conversation is going to be even more difficult, Dolores knows. However, it needs to be done. For the sake of the family, Dolores pushes down her discomfort and approaches her padres .
“Mamá, papá.”
Félix looks up, “Dolores…?”
And so it begins.
“I will not apologise for shouting at all of you just now,” Dolores begins firmly, “We royally messed up. We all had a part in driving Mirabel and Antonio away. We forgot that our family needs love, unconditional love, in order to remain together. Mirabel may not have a Gift, but she has plenty of love to give. But instead of graciously receiving her love and returning it unconditionally, the family pushed her away, ignoring her or dismissing her. I heard each and every time you turned her away, and her disappointed heartbeat as she retreated further into the darkness.”
She takes no vindication on seeing her papá’s expression fall, or her mamá sobbing harder. Dolores hates being the bad person here, but sugar-coating things will not solve the problems plaguing her family.
“Apart from her padres , the only other person who unconditionally returned her love was Antonio. Mirabel was my hermanito ’s entire world, the one who raised him since he was in diapers. And when she ran away, it was only a matter of time before Antonio went off in search of her. How would you feel if the one who raised you your entire life suddenly vanished without so much as a goodbye?”
Both adults turn to each other, very likely thinking of said scenario in their minds. The dipping of their lips is all the proof Dolores needs to know that she has struck a chord.
“All of this started because we have become blinded,” Dolores continues, “We let ourselves be carried away with our Gifts and chores around the Encanto, that we forgot to show and give love back to the two youngest members of our family. We let ourselves become subservient to the whims of Abuela that we have forgotten that in order to be a stable, healthy family, we need to set boundaries with one another. It took Mirabel running away for me to realise how dysfunctional our family has become, and Antonio leaving cemented the truth. But, I need to ask, do you both recognise where you have gone wrong with Mirabel and Antonio?”
The rain slowly comes to a stop. Umbrellas are closed.
“I think…we do,” Pepa speaks for the first time in hours, “I remember the times I turned Mirabel away whenever she offered to help me, even -” she hiccups, “ - the times I snapped at her to not get in the way.”
“We should have been better padres ,” Félix adds his two pesos, “When Antonio was born, we should have put our foot down with Abuela and actually raised our hijo . It is…just wrong to get a child to raise a baby all by herself.”
Dolores nods, satisfied that her padres are now seeing the truth.
“But…what can we do to make amends? To make things right?” Pepa asks, a hint of desperation in her voice.
“Well, there is nothing we can do with regards to Mirabel and Antonio. At least, not until they decide to return,” Dolores replies bluntly, “But for the family, we need to start with establishing boundaries. We are human beings, not machines. We have our limits. We cannot let Abuela or the Encanto order us around like indentured slaves. And yes, I am calling us “slaves”, because that is what we have become. Abuela made me listen to all kinds of gossip and secrets since I got my Gift. Do you know how many secrets I have to keep inside me that can cause divorces, fights or even outright war ? And don’t get me started on those gossip about people’s sex lives -”
“ Lo siento , what?!” Félix explodes, as thunder cracks across the room.
“ - and that was when I was eight.”
The blast of lightning that Pepa produced is strong enough to splinter the floorboards.
“Do you see the importance of boundaries now?” Dolores emphasises, “If we have put our foot down since the beginning, I wouldn’t be learning what sex was at the age of eight, Mamá would not have her emotions messed with by the whims of others, and Papá would not be constantly stressed trying to calm Mamá down. Furthermore, if we had boundaries from the beginning, Tío Bruno would not have left us at all.”
Thunder cracks again, but for a different reason altogether.
“ Lo siento , Mamá, but we need to talk about Tío Bruno,” Dolores cuts in, before she could be interrupted, “I know he caused you to unleash a hurricane during your wedding, but his bad reputation came from this lack of boundaries. Abuela set the entire Encanto on him, with townspeople demanding him left, right and centre to have visions of the future to satisfy their endless curiosity. And when he delivered prophecies that they didn’t like, the townspeople immediately condemned him as a harbinger of bad news. He was demonised as a bad omen, a curse on the Encanto, and a monster who preyed on the innocent. This bad reputation affected our family. Abuela increasingly saw her own hijo as a curse on the family, and as a result, you were sucked into the belief too.”
Pepa looks like she wanted to protest, but after what Dolores had said, she now looks uncertain.
“Tell me, Mamá, what did Tío Bruno tell you that caused you to unleash the hurricane?”
The words that forever cemented her negative belief about her own hermano , are still fresh in Pepa’s mind.
“He said…it looks like rain.”
Dolores nods, withholding any judgement, “And was it going to rain on your wedding day?”
Félix shakes his head, “It was blazingly hot. The sun was shining brightly.”
“Alright, then tell me, Mamá, why do you think Tío Bruno told you it was going to rain?”
Pepa’s instinctive answer is that her hermano wanted to ruin her big day, simply out of mischief and malice. But when she looks further back, and how much Bruno had been like growing up - nervous, shy, awkward, always trying to prove his worth, her default answer suddenly seems much more uncertain.
Did she…misinterpret what Bruno said to her that day? Did she let the fear-mongering of the townspeople and her mamá’s poor perception towards her hermano warp her own perception towards him?
Was he…simply trying to help her calm her nerves that day? But due to his awkwardness, he accidentally caused her nerves to spike into full-blown anxiety, thereby causing the hurricane?
Oh…
Oh mierda .
Dolores feels grimly satisfied when the look of horrified realisation blossoms on Pepa’s face, “I think you understand now. This is why things need to change now . We already lost three members of our family. If things remain the way they are, we will lose even more. Once we go over the edge, no amount of repentance or amends will bring back anything.”
Both adults nod.
“I hope that moving forward, we can make things right and better. Not just for those we already lost, but for those who we still have. I know that today has been extremely rough on you both, so try to get some rest, okay?”
Félix nods, “We will, Lola. Thank you, for opening our eyes and helping us to see the truth.”
Dolores leans down to kiss her papá on the cheek, and goes to hug her mamá. She leaves the room with her umbrella, and Casita rolls it away. She is about to head towards the stairs, perhaps to get a snack from the kitchen, when someone bumps into her from behind.
“Oof! Wha - ?”
“Dolores?”
She spins around, “Tío Bruno?”
“ Santo padre, you scared me, Lola,” the bedraggled man whispers, “Where did you come from?”
“From my mamá’s room,” she whispers back, “Where did you come from?”
“My room.”
“Your hideaway?”
“No…my room. My tower.”
“Why were you there?” Dolores asks, curiosity piqued.
Bruno looks around, “Not here. Follow me.”
Dolores notices her tío holding something under his ruana. She says nothing, as she follows Bruno back to the portrait next to her room. They climb through the hole, and hurry down the narrow makeshift corridors, jumping the large hole with practised ease, and arrive at Bruno’s hideaway. The rats look up as they enter, but quickly go back to their own business.
Finally, Bruno produces what he is hiding under his ruana.
Dolores gasps, “You had another vision?”
“Two, actually,” Bruno corrects, setting both vision plates on a stool, “The second came right after the first.”
Dolores gets a closer look at the first plate, “It’s Mirabel! And she’s kissing a man?!”
“Sí, it’s her. Believe me when I was just as shocked as you are,” Bruno nods, “I did not expect our sweet Mirabel to actually find love.”
Dolores picks up the plate, eyeing the young man who is kissing her prima , “He is huge, bigger than Mariano!”
“Perhaps even bigger than Luisa, if I’m being conservative,” Bruno remarks, “Plus, he is quite the looker, isn’t he?”
Dolores stares at the man for a long moment, “If I wasn’t already in love with Mariano, I would be all over for whoever this hunk is.”
Bruno chuckles, “I’m not surprised in the slightest.”
Dolores returns the plate, and eyes the second, “What about this one?”
“Ah, that,” Bruno’s voice drains of all light-hearted cheer, “That…is…”
Dolores picks the plate up, and nearly drops it from surprise, “W-What is this? Why is Abuela - ?”
“This might shock you, so I suggest you find something to sit on,” Bruno says. He waits for his sobrina to grab a stool and sit down before him, “I need to give you context first. The reason why I left the family stems from a prophecy I received in the aftermath of Mirabel’s failed Gift ceremony. Your abuela was worried that something might be wrong with the Miracle, and begged me to see what the future had in store for our family. And, well, I received a prophecy that showed two possible futures. Mirabel was the centre of both, and she would either cause the destruction of the Miracle and our home, or be the one who saves both.”
Dolores is left speechless, “So you left…to protect Mirabel?”
“Sí, I knew how our family and the townspeople would react if they ever saw that prophecy, because I am “bad-luck Bruno” who causes disaster to happen. I could never condemn my sobrina to a similar fate, so I destroyed the vision plate and left Casita , eventually returning because the rainforest is scary as fuck and I would be dead if I stayed out a moment longer. But when Mirabel and then Antonio ran away, I had to see if the future remained the same. The first vision showed Mirabel happy with her potential lover, but the second…it showed your abuela. I think…based on what I saw, your abuela…will be the cause of the Miracle being destroyed, and the loss of our home.”
“ Casita …gone?” Dolores cannot begin to comprehend.
Bruno gets up, “There is something you need to see. Follow me, sobrina .”
He heads towards the door. Dolores quickly puts down the vision plate and follows after him. Bruno brings her back down the makeshift corridors, arriving at a larger inner space where Casita ’s supporting stone walls are located. Dolores looks at the walls, which appear to be covered in some grey substance.
“What is that?”
“Spackle,” Bruno replies, “Nobody knows this, but Casita …has been cracking for many years. At least, when I went into the walls, I noticed the cracks forming, and growing worse with each passing year. I tried my best to cover them over, but more will just appear, despite Casita ’s attempts to heal them.”
Now that he mentions it, Dolores gazes at the spackle with a closer look. They cover an area that seems to branch out like the branches of a tree.
“What is causing the cracks to appear?” she asks.
“My guess? The conflict within our family,” Bruno supplies, “Every time there is a conflict or clash, cracks will form. They literally symbolise how our family is breaking apart.”
And right on cue, the stone behind Dolores splinters, and another crack appears.
“Is there a way we can fix this?”
Bruno sighs, “I don’t know. I guess the obvious way is for the family to come together and heal. But after what happened with Mirabel and Antonio, I’m not sure if it’s possible, especially with Abuela.”
Dolores can understand. Abuela is steadfast at best, and outright stubborn at worst. Until her outburst earlier in the day, nobody has ever gone against the matriarch before, let alone physically assaulted her. Abuela’s word was law in Casita , and everyone went by it without question.
But then, after everything that has happened and with the knowledge of two new visions, Dolores wonders what will happen now. She has gotten the ball rolling with Tía Julieta and her
padres
, but will it be enough? Will it be enough to save the Miracle and keep
Casita
standing? Or is the future already set in stone, and they will lose everything as a result?
She feels Bruno’s hand on her shoulder, “Hey, don’t overthink about it. We’ll cross the bridge when we get there.”
“I know, Tío Bruno. I just don’t want our family to lose our home.”
“Neither do I, kiddo, neither do I. But worrying about it won’t change anything. We just need to take it one step at a time.”
Dolores sighs, “I just wish Mirabel was here with us. She would know what to do.”
“Sí…that girl is smart, exceptionally so,” Bruno chuckles, “Must have gotten it from Julieta. She is the smartest of all three of us.”
He urges her along, “Anyway, let’s try to forget about this for now, yeah? I was thinking of continuing on with “Rato del Encanto” tonight.”
Dolores gasps, “You mean we’ll find out who is the real father of the baby?”
“Sí,” Bruno winks, “And I promise you, it’s not who you think it is.”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
You can take the headcanon of Dolores listening to Bruno's rat-novelas out of my cold dead hands.
- Kai
-------------------
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Chapter 8: New Guests
Summary:
Antonio and his animal friends are introduced to Matías and his family.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
By now, they are drawing a crowd.
Matías hears the whispers, some curious and others uncertain, as a horde of wild animals surround Mirabel and Antonio.
Perhaps the biggest concern is the jaguar, a man-eating predator who is watching the hugging pair with uncanny calmness. It certainly was not this calm when Matías pushed Mirabel behind him, thinking that it would attack. Matías watches in trepidation, wondering if the large predator will choose to attack for real.
“Toñito, how did you get here?” Mirabel asks frantically.
“We followed your scent, Mamí!” the young boy replies, “I found your diary from the nursery, and Parce picked up your scent! We followed it through the rainforest and up to the mountains!”
“The mountains?! But - !”
“Then the coolest thing happened! A golden butterfly appeared and created a tunnel for us to get through! We followed your scent until we reached a river. We slept there, and then we continued on! Your scent led us to this town, and then Parce managed to find you!”
Antonio then realises that there is someone standing behind his Mamí, “Who is this?”
Matías raises an eyebrow back.
“Oh! Right!” Mirabel pulls away, clearing her throat as she stands up, “Antonio, this is Matías. Matías, this is my primo , Antonio, and these…” she gestures helplessly to the animals, “...are his friends.”
“Ah,” Matías remembers now, “You’re the one who can talk to animals.”
Antonio’s eyes brighten a little, “Oh! Did Mamí tell you about our family?”
“She did,” Matías nods, “She -”
“Out of the way! Out of the way!”
There is a disturbance in the crowd. When Matías turns around, a group of men brandishing farming tools and shotguns come bursting through the crowd and rushing towards them. Moving at lightning speed, Matías stomps the ground and throws his hands out.
“Stop!” he bellows, “Drop your weapons!”
The men screech to a halt in disbelief.
“Niño! What are you doing?! There are wild animals behind you!”
“They won’t hurt anyone!” Matías shouts back, “I said drop your weapons! Now!”
The men are clearly hesitant, obviously from Parce the jaguar growling at them with teeth bared.
Antonio lightly smacks the jaguar’s side, “Parce, stop it. You’re scaring them.”
Parce wilts, properly chastised. The watching onlookers whisper to one another in amazement.
Matías gives the men an expectant look, “Drop your weapons and leave. Now.”
Slowly, all the while glancing back at the young boy and jaguar, the men all retreat. The rest of the crowd take a leaf out of their books and dissipate. Soon, the street appears to have returned to normal, if one overlooked the horde of animals still gathered around Antonio and Mirabel.
“Well..um…shall we head home?” Mirabel suggests after a moment.
“Mm,” Matías nods.
“Come, Toñito, we’re going to where I’m living right now,” Mirabel begins guiding Antonio down the street.
“What about my friends?” the young boy asks.
Mirabel eyes the horde of animals looking at her expectantly, “Um…we might have some space issues if they all come.”
“Oh…” Antonio wilts.
Matías has his two pesos to add, “They can come with us first. My padres don’t know that your primo is here with his friends.”
“Ah, right,” Mirabel nods, “Shall we get going then?”
When Julia hears the door open, she knows that Mirabel and Matías have returned home from the fields.
In her mind, there should be only two of them.
Instead, there are three.
And a whole horde of wild animals that should belong in the rainforest, not pooling into her house.
For a long moment, there are no words exchanged. Julia stares at the unfamiliar young boy holding onto Mirabel’s hand like a lifeline, then at the wild animals, and then at the young boy again.
“Hola, Mamá, we have guests,” Matías says, oh so helpfully.
Then, a jaguar appears by the young boy’s side, and Julia promptly screams.
Her terror sends Carlos running.
“ Mi vida , what is it? What did you see - ?”
He then notices the wild animals, and the young boy holding onto Mirabel’s hand.
“Carlos! There’s a jaguar! A jaguar is in our house!” Julia screeches, scrambling to her husband.
“He won’t hurt you!” the young boy pipes up, “Parce is a nice jaguar.”
Now both adults are staring at him as if he had just grown a second head. Mirabel sighs, “Um…we can explain?”
And so she does, with Matías backing her up.
Mirabel gives Carlos and Julia a quick run-down of what Gifts are within the Madrigal family, how they are actually special powers that essentially make the family superhuman. In Antonio’s case, his ability to communicate with animals. She vouches for Parce, which seems to alleviate Julia and Carlos’ concerns a little. Mirabel also explains how Antonio and his animal friends managed to find their way to the town.
“I…see,” Carlos says after a moment.
“So Antonio and his friends left, because you did?” Julia clarifies.
Mirabel nods, “Correct. Antonio and I share a close bond, since I pretty much raised him all by myself in the nursery since I was ten.”
“That…is just wrong on so many levels,” Carlos remarks.
“What about his padres ?” Julia asks.
“They were too busy to take care of him,” Mirabel explains, “My Tía Pepa is often sent to the farms in order to water the crops, and Tío Félix goes with her to make sure she doesn’t accidentally unleash a hurricane over the town. And, since I was the only one without a Gift and therefore had no duties in the Encanto, I was the one who took care of Antonio and raised him.”
“Again…that is just wrong on so many levels,” Carlos repeats himself, “How can your abuela essentially treat your family like tools?”
“Matías said the same thing too,” Mirabel shrugs, “As for why Abuela is like that, I don’t know. I really have no idea why.”
Silence follows for a moment.
“Well,” Julia says, “It is a good thing that you left that toxic environment. And I am also glad that Antonio decided to leave too. I can now understand why you came here. You were hoping to find your happiness elsewhere.”
“That’s the gist of it, yeah,” Mirabel agrees, “Although, I had no idea that Antonio would come looking for me. I thought he would be happy with his new room and all of his animal friends.”
“How can you say that, Mamí?!” Antonio cries, “I was so scared when you left! I thought you didn’t love me anymore. You didn’t even say goodbye!”
Mirabel pulls the young boy on her lap, “I know, Toñito, but that was the point. If I told anyone I was leaving, they would have stopped me.”
“You should have told me, though!’ Antonio retorts, “I would have come along with you! We could be together and happy!”
“I know, Toñito. But the journey was not easy, even by myself. Also, I was sure that you would be more happy with your new room and animal friends -”
Antonio looks up and smooshes Mirabel’s cheeks with his hands, “Stop saying that! I’m most happy with you, Mamí. In fact, I wanted you to move into my room so that we can always be together! My friends wanted to meet you so badly too! You are my whole world, Mamí. And…” he sniffles, although from genuine emotion or simply putting on a show is lost to Matías and his padres , “...my world broke when you left without telling me. I was so, so scared, and so sad, Mamí! I thought…there was nothing to live for, because you were not with me. That’s why I went after you, I can’t live without you, Mamí! You are everything to me, and I want you with me forever!”
Mirabel is left speechless. Sure, she does know that her relationship with Antonio is…unique, given their circumstances and their shared life together in the nursery. But this level of love, trust and devotion by her primo is something she could never have expected.
“Please, Mamí, promise me that we will be together, forever?” Antonio pleads with wide, begging eyes.
Mirabel’s heart crumbles, and she hugs her primo tightly.
“I promise, Toñito. We will always be together.”
It is an emotionally charged scene. Julia and Carlos wipe tears from their eyes, and the watching animals make soft noises, moved that their leader is finally reunited with his beloved mamí .
Julia pulls herself together, “Shall we all have dinner? I’m sure that everyone must be famished by this point.”
“Do we have enough food for everyone?” Carlos asks, waving his hand specifically at the animals.
“I’m sure I can whip something up,” Julia gets to her feet, “Now, what are your preferences?”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Something short to tide things over until we get to more Mirabel appreciation in the next chapter. After which, we will go back to the Madrigal family and see how things are faring there.
- Kai
--------------------
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Chapter 9: Needle and Thread
Summary:
Mirabel gets the appreciation she deserves for her skills.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Dinner, understandably, is somewhat delayed since Julia has to whip up an extra serving for Antonio and cater to the wildly varying tastes of all of the animals waiting patiently for their first meal in the past 24 hours.
Julia digs into her supply of fresh fruit and vegetables for the herbivores and birds, and she pulls out a whole raw steak from the ice box to satisfy the carnivorous urges of Parce the jaguar. As there is not nearly enough space in the dining room for all of the animals to eat with them, Julia had Antonio instruct his friends to move to the back yard outside to eat their dinners.
Meanwhile, Carlos brings in an additional chair to the dining table for Antonio to sit, making sure it is next to Mirabel’s usual chair. Dinner is brought out - steamed rice with two kinds of meat and a vegetable dish. Everyone sits down, and after saying grace together, indulge in their evening meal.
“Antonio,” Carlos says, “How did you manage to find your way here with your friends?”
“Oh! I had Parce pick up my Mamí’s scent, and we followed it out of the Encanto. There was a huge mountain blocking our path, but a golden butterfly appeared and created a tunnel for us to go through the mountain without climbing it. We followed Mamí’s scent to a river, and then through the rainforest until we arrived here!”
Julia blinks, “That…is how Mirabel described getting here too. She said a golden butterfly opened a tunnel for her through the mountain.”
Matías hums, “Is the butterfly a special symbol in your family, Mirabel?”
“Well,” Mirabel puts down her fork, “The magical candle that was blessed with the Miracle does have an image of a butterfly on it. And the Miracle came about after our abuelo Pedro sacrificed his life to protect my abuela and her three children from attackers. Oh!” she remembers now, “Speaking of which, I found out that abuelo Pedro and our abuela used to be residents in this town!”
“How do you know?” asks Julia, interest piqued.
“You know the memorial in the town square?” Mirabel replies, “It was erected to memorialise the victims of the Thousand Days’ War. My abuelo, abuela, and our padres and tío’s names are listed on the memorial plaque. I think that is why you thought our family name, Madrigal, sounds vaguely familiar, Señora Julia.”
“Indeed,” Julia nods, suddenly appearing to remember something herself, “my madre was a survivor of the raid that took place in this town. She was a distant friend with a young woman named Alma, and she attended her wedding to a man named Pedro. When the raid occurred, my madre hid from the attackers. She had no idea where Alma and Pedro had fled following the attack, only that she never saw them alive again.”
“What a small world,” Carlos is amazed, “It feels almost poetic, two of the Madrigal grandchildren coming to live in the town where their grandparents originate from.”
“It really does,” Julia agrees, before turning to Antonio, “How do you like the food?”
“It’s really good!’ the young boy replies after swallowing, “Your food is just as good as Tía Julieta’s cooking!”
“I’m honoured,” Julia chuckles, “Although, I would think that being able to heal illnesses and injuries with one’s food is clearly a step-up.”
“Oh yeah!” Antonio remembers something, “Mamí, Tía Julieta was very sad that you left without telling her. She was crying a lot, and so was Luisa. She was crying really badly too.”
“Ah, I see,” Mirabel nods, “I suppose it is only right that I should write to them and let them know that we are both safe?”
“I think that is a wise idea,” Carlos nods, “Your padres must be worried half to death by now.”
“You can do so after dinner,” Julia adds, “Right now, your stomach is the main priority.”
The table erupts into chuckles, especially when both Mirabel and Antonio’s stomachs rumble at the same time.
After dinner has concluded and the plates cleared, Mirabel retreats up to her room while Carlos shows Antonio where the bathroom is. While her primo sorts out where his animal friends will sleep during the nights, Mirabel finds some paper and a pen to begin writing her letter.
Halfway through, Antonio comes in and demands that he write something too, specifically for Dolores. Mirabel shifts over to let her primo add in a paragraph or two into the letter. By the end of it, the letter spans seven pages, and the envelope is noticeably thick from the contents sealed inside.
As for delivering the letter back to Casita , Antonio has an easy solution. From the window, he calls Pico the toucan over, instructing him to take the letter to Julieta and Agustín. The toucan nods, and takes the letter into his beak. Mirabel and Antonio watch Pico take off into the night, disappearing into the distance.
“I hope Pico manages to deliver the letter,” says Mirabel.
“He will!” Antonio reassures her, “Pico is a smart bird. He knows what to do.”
And that is all they can do, really, until Julieta and Agustín reply back.
This would have been the time to go to bed, but Mirabel notices something important.
“Toñito…do you have any clothes with you?”
“Uh…no?” the young boy replies, “I came straight from Casita .”
“And you didn’t pack anything?”
“Nope!”
Ah, okay.
“Well, we’ll tell Señor Julia tomorrow,” Mirabel decides, “In the meantime…I’ll lend you one of my spare blouses.”
“Okay, Mamí!”
The night passes peacefully, and come the next morning, Mirabel and Antonio wake up to the delicious aroma of breakfast being cooked. They head downstairs, where Mirabel spots Matías in the kitchen, standing over the stove.
“Matías?”
The towering hunk turns around, “ Buenos días , Mirabel, Antonio. Are you both hungry?”
“You’re cooking breakfast?” Mirabel asks.
He shrugs, “I can cook. I can’t rely on mamá to do the cooking all the time.”
“Do you need help?”
“No need, go and sit down first, I’ll be done soon.”
With nothing else to go for, Mirabel guides Antonio towards the dining room.
“That apron looks very small on him,” the young boy remarks.
Mirabel chooses to not respond, her mind still lingering on Matías’ muscles, as he was not wearing a shirt. And the fact that he is cooking (and wearing an apron) is making her feel things in the chambers of her heart.
A man who is as handsome and strong as Matías can also cook?
The perfect husband.
“Ah! Buenos días , Mirabel, Antonio!”
Carlos’ greeting at the dining table is a timely, welcome distraction.
“ Buenos días , Señor Carlos, Señora Julia,” Mirabel returns the greeting, as does Antonio, “Can I ask, is there a place where I can buy some clothes for Antonio? He did not pack anything before leaving the Encanto.”
“Is that why he is wearing what I presume is one of your blouses?” Julia asks, and when Mirabel nods, “Sí, there is a shop near the centre of town run by someone I know very well. We can pay her a visit after breakfast.”
Matías chooses at that moment to appear with plates of breakfast food expertly-balanced on his hands and forearms. Everyone sits down to say grace, and break their morning fast. Like before, the conversation is minimal, with the only occurrence being Julia asking Matías what his plans for the day are, to which the towering hunk replies that he is heading back to the fields again to finish harvesting the banana crop.
Mirabel is tempted to go with him, but with her current plans to visit the shop with Antonio and Julia, she keeps her mouth shut. Although her heart sighs in disappointment at not being able to spend the day with Matías, her primo is her main priority right now.
After breakfast is done, Julia leaves with Antonio and Mirabel in tow.
Admittedly, the sight of a young boy wearing a teenage girl’s blouse is odd enough to draw plenty of stares, so they make quick work of getting to the shop in record time. Thankfully, the shop is open when they arrive.
Through the window, Mirabel sees racks upon racks of fabrics, dyed in just about any colour imaginable. This is basically a seamstress or tailor’s paradise.
Julia opens the door, which rings a small bell overhead.
“Coming!” an elderly voice calls from another open doorway.
Footsteps approach, and an old woman with greying hair appears. She is dressed in a long-sleeved, modest dress and has a soft peach shawl draped over her shoulders.
“Ah! Señora Ramirez, it has been a while!”
“ Buenos días , Señora López, I’m in urgent need of your help.”
“What is the matter?”
Julia gestures to Antonio, “He needs new clothes right now.”
Señora López blinks owlishly, “Why is he wearing a girl’s blouse?”
“That is mine,” Mirabel says, “He came with no clothes other than the ones on his person. As they are being washed right now, my blouse is the only thing I have that can keep him covered.”
This does nothing to help the old woman’s confusion, “What?”
“I crossed the rainforest and mountains to be with my Mamí!” Antonio speaks up, “I left without packing anything, because I wanted to be with her immediately!”
“Ah…” Señora López seems to understand, despite still being confused at certain parts, “I see. Well, can you follow me, niño?”
The seamstress brings Antonio to stand on a stool, and with a tape measure, Señora López takes down the boy’s measurements.
“As it is, I have quite a few pre-made clothes for those who need them quickly. Give me a few minutes, and I will be back shortly.”
Señora López disappears off to another room, and Antonio hops down from the stool.
“I wonder what my new clothes will look like…”
“I’m sure that they will be wonderful,” Mirabel smiles, “Right, Señora Julia?”
“Well, Señora López is the best seamstress I have had the pleasure of knowing. If there is one person who can work miracles with clothes, it is her.”
The trio fall into idle chatter for a while, as they wait for Señora López to return.
“Thank you for your patience,” the seamstress reappears after about ten minutes, a bundle of clothes in her arms, “I have chosen the best for the young niño . Why don’t we try them out and decide which pieces you would like to purchase?”
“Sounds good,” Mirabel nods, “Is there a place where Toñito can change?”
“I have a changing stall just over there,” Señora López points to a curtained doorway further down the room.
“ Muchas gracias . C’mon Toñito, let’s go try out your clothes.”
The next twenty minutes are spent with Antonio entering and disappearing into the changing stall repeatedly, parading the clothes that Señora López has chosen for him. There is some discussion between him, Mirabel and Julia over which pieces they like, eventually settling for three shirts, four pairs of pants and the five sets of undergarments that Señora López included.
“Excellent choices,” the seamstress beams, “I take it that you are ready for payment?”
Julia pays the tab, and Señora López puts the clothes into a bag.
“It was nice to meet you both, Mirabel, Antonio,” she smiles, “I hope to see you both around town.”
“Likewise, Señora López,” Mirabel bows in thanks.
“ ¡Muchas gracias!” Antonio beams.
“ No es nada , please take care.”
They are about to leave the shop when the door is thrown open.
“Señora López! Señora López!”
At the door is a middle-aged woman. She is herding a distraught, sobbing young woman who is clearly distressed about something into the shop. Mirabel can’t help but feel her curiosity rise.
“Goodness! Whatever is the matter?”
“It is horrible! Simply horrible!” the older woman wails, “My hija ’s wedding is in jeopardy!”
Mirabel notices that the sobbing woman is dressed in a wedding gown. White in colour with purple accents, it is quite a beautiful dress, if not for the tears in the fabric.
“What happened?” Señora López asks.
“We were having the last rehearsal before the wedding,” the mother sniffles, “As my hija was walking down the aisle, she tripped, and her gown got snagged in one of the pews! Her fall tore the dress completely! Señora López, I beg you, please help us! The wedding is tomorrow!”
“Ay…what a disaster,” López sighs, “Señora Gómez, I am truly sorry. I would help, but I am facing a backlog of orders that are due tomorrow too. I won’t be able to fix your hija ’s dress in time.”
The bride wails even harder.
Mirabel feels her heart crack for the young woman. The biggest event in her life thus far, and it is all about to be ruined because she suffered an accident. Mirabel watches the mother plead and beg even more, although Señora López’s regretful expression is clear that there is nothing she can do to help.
…does she want to risk it?
…
…
“ Perdón, señora .”
The mother turns to Mirabel, who has stepped forward.
“I think I can help fix your hija ’s wedding gown.”
Julia and Señora López blink in surprise.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Mirabel,” Mirabel introduces herself, “I know quite a fair bit about sewing and embroidery. Your hija ’s dress…the tears themselves cannot be fixed, but since the dress is layered, I should be able to remove the damaged layers and replace them with new ones. Although this is my first time dealing with something like a wedding dress, I know how much this means for you and your hija . If you are willing, I would like to help.”
It is testament to how desperate the mother is that she agrees immediately, “Please, help us! We will do anything!”
Mirabel nods, before turning to Señora López, “Where do you usually work on projects such as this?”
Surprised at the turn of events, the seamstress wordlessly leads Mirabel and the sniffling bride-to-be to a room at the left side. It appears very much like a workstation, with a sewing machine, mannequins with half-completed projects dressed on them, and drawers containing all manner of sewing materials and essentials.
“ Mija , are you sure about this?” she asks Mirabel.
“I’m willing to try.”
The firmness in Mirabel’s tone leaves no room for argument. Señora López nods and leaves the room, letting Mirabel get straight to work.
“Alright, scissors, scissors…”
She searches the drawers, eventually finding what she needs. Mirabel goes back to the bride, “Hold still, and try not to move, okay?”
The bride nods, and Mirabel begins by carefully cutting the damaged layers off the skirt, making sure to not cut off the other layers below. Once she is done, she goes back into the main room and searches out for a roll of fabric that matches the dress’ shade of white. She returns back to the workstation, and using a tape measure she finds in the same drawers, measures the length of the skirt. Mirabel then cuts out pieces of the white fabric along the dimensions of the recorded measurements. She puts a few pins in between her teeth, and wraps the first two pieces around the skirt and pins them together to keep both in place. With white thread and a needle, she sews the pieces together. She repeats the process for the remaining two layers. Once she is done, Mirabel produces a roll of purple thread and begins embroidering the accents back into the newly reconstructed skirt.
The entire process takes nearly two hours, with the bulk of the time delegated to embroidering the intricate purple accents. By the end of it, Mirabel stands back up, and stretches.
“All done!”
The bride immediately goes to a nearby mirror, and inspects her dress.
“This…this is…”
The waterworks immediately start again.
Mirabel, understandably, panics, “ Oh dios , you hate it, right? I’m so sorry, I - !”
The bride rushes towards Mirabel, and throws herself at the teen, hugging her tightly as she cries tears of joy.
“¡ Gracias! ¡Muchas gracias! You saved my dress! You are a hero! ¡Muchas gracias! ”
Stunned by the outpouring of gratitude, Mirabel is frozen stiff.
The door to the room bursts open.
“ ¡Mija! Are you alright? We heard you crying - !”
“Mamá!” the bride rushes to her mother, “She did it! Mirabel saved my dress! Look!” she spins in a circle, “It looks even better than before! And she did it in only two hours!”
The mother gasps, “ Ay dios mío …this…this is a work of art!”
Mirabel, who is only beginning to reboot, is suddenly embraced by a grateful mother who is also shedding tears of joy, “You, niña, are an artist! An angel from heaven! You were sent by Santo Padre above in our time of need! We are forever indebted to you! You are a blessing, a true miracle!”
From the doorway, Señora López watches in awe along with Julia. Antonio is smugly proud, “That’s my Mamí for you! She may not have a Gift, but she is magical too.”
The grateful mother is not yet done, “Mirabel, mija , I must pay you. I must compensate you for saving my hija ’s wedding!”
That snaps Mirabel out of her stupor, “No! Please, no! I don’t need to be paid! I just wanted to help!”
“I insist!” the mother grabs Mirabel’s hands, “You have a magical talent! Such talent must be rewarded! I will not take ‘no’ for an answer!”
In the end, there is no getting around it. Mirabel is paid for her work, a total sum that is double of what the mother originally paid for the gown, at the demands of the bride. A stupefied Mirabel is left with a large pouch of pesos in her hands, as the mother and bride bid farewell and leave the shop in high spirits.
“Ay, what an unexpected turn of events,” Señora López remarks, “You are a heroine, Mirabel.”
“I…I…I just wanted to help.”
“You did,” Julia nods, “And you saved a young woman’s big day in the process. I am so proud of you, Mirabel.”
Mirabel gazes down at the money in her hands. She has no idea what to do with it.
“Come,” Julia’s voice brings her back to the present, “Let’s go home. I can’t wait to tell Carlos and Matías about your amazing accomplishment today.”
“If I may, before you all go,” Señora López cuts in, “Mirabel, your work with a needle and thread is beyond anything I could ever imagine. I wish for you to work alongside me. I am not as fast or nimble as I once was. Having a second pair of hands in the shop will give me a strong peace of mind for the continuation of the business.”
“I…If you will have me?”
“I want you, Mirabel. Your talent must not go to waste. It will be a great crime to not have people marvel at your work and efforts.”
“ Oh dios …you’re making me blush,” Mirabel gazes down, going red in the face.
Antonio laughs, “Mamí is finally getting the praise she deserves!”
And about time too, the young boy thinks to himself.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
I really need to stop letting Pokémon games take over my life...
Also, forgive me if this is not how wedding dresses are actually made. I tried to do some research on how layered skirts are made, but Google decided to be an asshole and throw all manner of irrelevant stuff at me, despite my efforts to make my search as specific as possible.
But that is beside the point. The main point is that our best girl Mirabel is getting the praise she deserves. In the next chapter, we will get back to the Madrigals, and let me warn you all beforehand, another storm is about to come down on the Encanto.
- Kai
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Come say hi on my Discord server! The Rarepair Domain
Chapter 10: No More
Summary:
Julieta puts her foot down with Abuela and the townspeople. Dolores does a little intervention of her own too.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Julieta stares at her reflection in the mirror.
This is it.
The moment of reckoning is upon them.
The day has come that she will put her foot down and say, “No more”.
She has had a long conversation with Agustín and Dolores on how things will play out. She will dive straight to the point, leaving no room for argument or rebuke. She will not let Abuela or Isabela get a word in. She will no longer be a doormat and let her madre walk all over.
No more.
Agustín comes up from behind and embraces her supportively.
“You got this, mi vida .”
“ Gracias, corazón . This cannot go on for much longer.”
“And it will not, because you’ve got this.”
Agustín kisses her cheek, and she smiles in return. She steps out of his embrace, and heads for the door, Agustín following close behind. They head downstairs to the dining room, where Dolores is already sitting at the table. Julieta nods to her sobrina , and she nods back in acknowledgement. Julieta and Agustín sit down, and over the course of ten minutes, the rest of the family trickle in.
Pepa and Félix come in first, both sporting dark circles under their eyes. Camilo comes in next, followed by Luisa, whose face is scrunched up with despair. It is clear that the normally unmovable woman is on the verge of another breakdown, an urgent sign that Julieta has no time to waste.
Isabela comes in next, resolutely avoiding eye contact with Dolores. And finally, Abuela arrives, and sits down at the head of the table.
For a long moment, the tension is so palpable that the bluntest knife could easily cut through it. Julieta eyes her madre , waiting for the right moment to strike.
“Everyone, listen up. We cannot let ourselves dawdle any longer,” Abuela speaks, tone icy and hard, “Despite everything that has happened, we cannot shirk our duties to the Encanto. We must work doubly hard to -”
“No, we will not.”
Abuela is rendered speechless, stunned that someone just interrupted her.
That someone being her own hija .
Julieta is on her feet, staring down her madre with a piercing glare, “We are not going to continue like before. Things have to change around here.”
“Julieta - !”
“Mamá, shut up.”
Abuela gapes at Julieta, as if she had been slapped across the face.
“We are not going to meekly listen to what you say or do what you want us to do,” Julieta continues, going straight for the jugular, “We have reached our limit, and we are putting our foot down right now. No more.”
“I demand - !”
“You don’t get to demand anything from us,” Dolores rises to back her tía up, “You have demanded more than we can give for the longest time. You forced us to use our Gifts to benefit a town who only takes and takes from us, never once giving anything back! You pushed us around like slaves, while all you do is sit around and hold that Dios-damned candle!”
“How dare - !”
“No, how dare you , Alma!” Agustín knocks his chair back, “You don’t see us as family! You only see us as tools to be used and disposed of once we are no longer useful! You treated Mirabel as a defect and threw her to one side like a piece of garbage. You drove my youngest hija away! You drove Antonio away! How many more are you going to drive away because you only care about the motherfucking Miracle?!”
“I am doing this for the family - !”
“No you are not!” Julieta slams her hand on the table, “You don’t care about us at all! Family means nothing to you! You only care about keeping the Miracle alive, at the expense of our wellbeing and happiness! You don’t know anything about family! You know nothing about love! You are nothing but a selfish, heartless and cruel monster who corrupted papá’s sacrifice!”
Abuela gasps, grasping at her heart, face pale with outraged horror.
Dolores sneers, “ Casita , take Abuela back to her room. Don’t let her out until we say so.”
The magical house grabs the four legs of Abuela’s chair, and whisks the elderly woman out of the dining room. A few seconds later, comes the sound of a door slamming shut, and a lock clicking in place.
Silence follows for a moment, before Julieta pulls herself together. She turns to the rest of the family, “From now on, we will no longer pander to the whims of the Encanto. We will focus on only ourselves.”
“That means no more chores, not unless we ourselves want to help. However, there are a few exceptions,” Dolores adds. She turns to Luisa, “Luisa, you are barred from entering the Encanto for the foreseeable future. Take as long as you need to rest and heal.”
Luisa is left stupefied, “W-What are you saying?! I can’t just stop - !”
“Yes, you can, and you will ,” Dolores interrupts, “You will prioritise yourself for once, and not do a single moment of heavy lifting. You will get to catch up on all of the lost rest and relaxation you missed over the years. Tío Agustín?”
Agustín nods, recognising his cue. He goes over to his second hija , and gets her up to her feet, “Come along Luisa, I’ll stay with you.”
Luisa finds herself being guided out of the dining room, speechless and confused.
Julieta turns back to the table, “The same applies to you, Pepa.” The redhead looks up, “You will stay in Casita and avoid all work until you feel up to it. Take the time to calm down at your own pace. Your emotions are not a machine that people can switch around at will. Focus on yourself for the time being.”
Unlike Luisa, Pepa nods in understanding.
“Félix,” Julieta turns to her hermana ’s husband, “I will need your help today. I will be going down to the Encanto with Dolores to tell everyone that things will be changing. The townspeople will need to know that we will no longer serve them blindly. We will be setting boundaries on what and when we are willing to offer.”
Félix nods, already getting up.
“If there is nothing else, we will be off first. I will see you all later.”
As the trio prepare to leave, Agustín leads Luisa back to her room, studiously ignoring the pounding coming from Abuela’s door and her muffled demands to be released.
“Should we…let her out?”
“No, mi vida , not until she opens her eyes and sees how much she is hurting our family,” Agustín replies. He opens the door, and ushers his hija inside. They head to the bed, and sit down.
“Papá…will Casita prevent me from leaving?”
“I don’t know, why don’t we ask?” Agustín asks, before looking up, “ Casita , are you going to keep my hija inside?”
The house rumbles, and the lock clicks shut.
“There is your answer, Luisa.”
The young woman wrings her hands, “I’m very confused. Why is all of this happening?”
“Ever since Mirabel and Antonio ran away, the rifts between us have become too much to ignore,” Agustín explains, “Additionally, I have seen how the guilt is eating you alive. You feel personally responsible for Mirabel leaving, that you were such a bad hermana that Mirabel decided to run away without so much of a goodbye.”
Luisa looks down, fists clenched, “Did I really drive her away?”
Agustín takes his hija ’s hand, “No, mi vida , you did not. You tried your best to look out for Mirabel. You tried to be the dependable older hermana for her. But because Abuela and the townspeople kept piling more and more work on your shoulders, it became increasingly difficult for you to be with Mirabel. You work from morning to dusk, only stopping for meals. You never once took a break, because you felt obliged to help everyone in the Encanto. I remember how you used to play with Mirabel all the time when she was little, but all that stopped because Abuela saw you as nothing more than a pack mule to keep dumping loads on until you broke.”
Silence follows for a while, as Luisa processes everything her padre has told her.
“So…what happens now?”
“What do you want to do, Luisa?”
The young woman fiddles with her fingers, “I…don’t know. I feel really…clogged up inside. I want to cry, but I have to be strong. My Gift is my strength, but I just feel…so…so weak .”
“Then cry,” Agustín encourages her, “Let it all out. Don’t shoulder all of your emotional weight by yourself. It is healthier to release your load. Plus, Mirabel always wanted you to be kind to yourself. And the best way to be kind to yourself now is to let go of your emotional burden and simply cry .”
And that is what Luisa does.
Agustín simply becomes a pillar of support and a willing shoulder, as his second hija unleashes years of turmoil in a flood of tears, wails and sobbing. Luisa completely breaks down, shattering the façade of strength and simply letting herself be the vulnerable child. Her sobs air out her fears and insecurities, her desires to be considered worthwhile, but also her need for rest and time for herself. She cries for her hermanita , and promises to be always there for her blubbering amidst the tears.
Agustín rubs Luisa’s back, humming childhood lullabies as if his hija is still a five-year-old niña , not the nineteen-year-old young woman who thought she had to carry the entire world to be worthy of love.
This is the first step towards healing. The journey ahead will not be smooth, but all that matters is that Luisa has taken the first step, and despite her tears and sobs, she will continue moving forward towards a better future.
Outside, Julieta is on a warpath.
The Encanto is within sight, and already, people are rushing towards her, questions and demands at their lips. Even after everything that has happened, the townspeople are still demanding for the Madrigals to work and serve them like they are supposed to do.
Ungrateful bastards, all of them.
When a crowd begins to form, Julieta raises her voice, “Everyone! Be quiet!”
Everything goes as silent as a graveyard.
“Now, I will only say this once, so you all better listen up. From now on, the Madrigal family will not be coming down to help out around the town every day.”
That triggers a storm of outraged and indignant shouts.
“Everyone shut up, right now!” Félix bellows.
Silence once more.
“Since you all are apparently selectively deaf, let me emphasise again,” Julieta’s lips are twisted into an unimpressed sneer, “The Madrigals will not come down to help around the town every day . If there are emergencies, such as serious injuries or danger, then we will help. If not, you will just have to learn how to fix your own problems by yourself .”
“I need Luisa to - !”
“You will find yourself going up against Casita then,” Dolores shoots back, “Last I heard, Casita has barred Luisa from leaving, at least until she has rested enough.”
“But my church - !”
“You don’t need the sun to shine through the stained glass every morning at the right angle, Señor Baldie,” Félix growls, to which the priest does the sign of the cross in horror, “Learn to be grateful with what you have!”
“I need Isabela to refresh my - !”
“Just so that you can claim credit again?” Dolores replies in a sickly sweet way, “I hear everything, including how you brag to your neighbours about having the most pristine garden in the Encanto. Don’t try to be sneaky, you’re not slick.”
“My donkeys - !”
“Then do your fucking job for once and make sure all of your Dios-damned asses don’t escape again!” Félix rounds on the man, “You have two fucking hands! Use them!” The priest does the cross again in paling horror.
“I need Luisa to reroute the river - !”
“Did you not hear a word Dolores said?!” Julieta finally loses her cool, “Luisa will not be leaving Casita ’s door until the house deems her rested enough! And why the fuck do you need to reroute the Dios-damned river?!” the priest is clutching his rosary, trembling violently, “That is the most fucking pointless thing I have ever heard in this fucking town!”
“Our crops need - !”
“Oh for fuck’s sake!” Félix bellows, “My wife’s emotions are not yours to fucking play with! She is a human being , not a machine to use as and when you need it! Build a Dios-damned -” the priest collapses, frothing at the mouth, “ - irrigation system and actually be farmers for once in your pathetic lives!”
“For too long, this entire town has taken advantage of our Gifts,” Dolores growls, “You all only took and took from us. Never once did any one of you give back or thank us for all the effort and sweat we put forward just to make your lives better.”
“I was willing to compromise with you all, hoping that you have it in your souls to have compassion and understanding for the family who has served you for so long,” Julieta puts her foot down once and for all, “But it seems that none of you have the capacity for understanding or care. Since it has come to this, I only have two words to say to you all. Fuck. Off! You will receive no help from any of us until you have learnt how to be decent human beings!”
The frustrated madre spins on her heel and storms off back towards Casita . Dolores and Félix give the stunned townspeople one final reproachful look, before catching up with Julieta. Casita opens the door, and ushers the trio in, before closing shut and locking in place.
“I can’t believe them!” Julieta rants, “Just how entitled are they?!”
Félix pats her shoulders, “We have let the situation deteriorate for too long. They are far too deep within their selfishness to bother with right now.”
Julieta sighs, “Muchas gracias Dolores y Félix, I needed that. Now, I’m going to see how Luisa is doing.”
The trio go their separate ways, with Félix tracking down Pepa to check on how she is faring with her first real day off since forever. Dolores, on the other hand, still has a few things on her agenda, but with things still boiling over in the Encanto, she decides to retreat back to her room and wait for things to simmer down first.
By mid-afternoon, Dolores sticks her ear out and listens.
It seems that the townspeople have moved past the explosion of the morning.
Good, now she can make her move.
Slipping out of her room and out of Casita , Dolores quietly makes her way down to the Encanto, stealthily heading towards the house where the Guzmáns live. She slips into alleyways and behind houses when she sees people coming. The last thing she wants is to be accosted.
It takes longer than normal to reach her destination, but she knows it is not as long if she had cut straight through the town and gotten stopped left, right and centre.
There is no time to waste.
Making sure the coast is clear, Dolores goes to the front door and knocks lightly. A few seconds later, Abuela Guzmán opens the door.
“Dolores? What brings you here?”
“Hola, Señora Guzmán, do you have a moment? I need to talk to both you and Mariano.”
“Please, come in.”
Abuela Guzmán ushers Dolores inside, and brings her to the sitting room. The elderly woman then goes to get Mariano, and it takes a lot of self-restraint on Dolores’ part to not make any embarrassing noises or behaviour in front of the man she is in love with, but is currently out of reach.
“Dolores, how are you?” Mariano asks with a polite smile.
“Could be better, Mariano. It has been a rough time for us all.”
“Sí, I heard through the grapevine that Mirabel and Antonio have run away from home,” Abuela Guzmán sits down with her nieto , “How have things been in your family?”
“My family is actually what I want to talk about,” Dolores replies, “It pertains to my abuela and Isabela…”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Don't worry, it's not like Dolores is going to upend Abuela's plan to marry Isabela off to Mariano, and then snag the man of her dreams for herself.
No way.
- Kai
------------------------
Come shout at me over on my Discord server!
Chapter 11: No Good, Terrible Day
Summary:
Two sisters, two different definitions.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Isabela could not have foreseen how her day would end up like this.
It started off on a chilly note.
No one in the family wanted anything to do with her. They are still giving her the silent treatment, especially her own padres . Mamá and papá do not even look in her direction, acting as if she is invisible and not worth mentioning.
Just like how Mirabel was treated by Abuela and herself.
Abuela is still pounding on her locked door, demanding to be released. However, no one listens to her shouting and ravings, and Casita keeps the door steadfastly locked.
With no one speaking to her, Isabela is left all alone.
Feeling rather uncomfortable (and annoyed) by the cold treatment, Isabela decides to head into the Encanto to fulfil her duties. Perhaps going about her routine of refreshing and growing beautiful flowers and roses will help to push away the gnawing, tightening grips of discomfort from her heart.
She is just trying to run away from her problems.
Casita unlocks the front door for her, but does not see her off the way it normally does. Isabela tries to ignore how even her own home is regarding her with frigid iciness, and heads down to the town.
Immediately, she is descended upon by the townspeople.
“Isabela! We need more roses!”
“Isabela, can you help to refresh the flowers in the town square?”
“Can you help to refresh my garden?”
“Isabela!”
“Isabela!”
“Isabela!”
“Everyone, everyone, don’t worry,” Isabela replies serenely, poised and graceful, “I will help. There is no need to panic.”
She decidedly ignores the fact that the townspeople are desperate for some form of servitude from the magical Madrigal family, still not used to being denied by the ones who gave them everything and got nothing back in return.
Isabela spends the entire day going around town, fulfilling her tasks as if everything is normal.
Occasionally, someone stops her to chat.
“Isabela, I’m so glad that you’re still here to help. Your madre has gone bonkers! How could she stop healing everyone with her food?!”
“Oh, I am sure she is just out of it,” Isabela replies serenely, “She will get over it soon enough.”
Wait.
Did she just talk badly about her own
madre
?
That was not what she wanted to say!
“Oh, I really hope so too! But, at least you still have your senses about your head. No wonder Abuela Madrigal favours you so much!”
Did this
puta
just call her
madre
crazy?!
“I am just doing what I am supposed to do.”
Really? What does she want to do? Or what
Abuela
wants her to do?
“Ay, look at the time, I need to go. Keep being you, Isabela!”
“Take care.”
Are you really being you, Isabela? Or being what others want you to be?
Isabela huffs, and continues on with her duties.
Around half past one, Isabela returns to Casita for lunch.
Sure, she was late, but only because the townspeople really needed her help! She was faithfully doing her duties as what a Madrigal is supposed to do.
And besides, her mamá usually cooks a lot, to satisfy the many stomachs in the family. Surely, there must be plenty of food left.
Isabela enters through the doorway, and finds an empty dining room and kitchen, with no sign of her mamá.
She blinks, her serene expression cracking.
“Looking for Tía Julieta?”
Isabela turns around. Dolores is behind her, a dismissive expression on her face.
“She is in her room, resting. She needs it, after making lunch for all of us.”
What.
“What do you mean?” Isabela utters.
“You missed lunch,” Dolores states unapologetically, “We waited for you, but you did not show up. So we all ate, and…oops, I think we did not leave anything for you.”
A vein pops on Isabela’s forehead, “What am I supposed to eat?!”
“Surely you can make your own food?” Dolores snorts, “Oh, wait, I don’t think you can. You only know how to be waited upon like the spoiled princess you really are.”
Isabela raises a hand, but her prima catches her wrist before it could land.
“I wouldn’t do that, Isabela. You are already on thin ice with everyone. I don’t think Tía Julieta will be too happy to hear that you tried to assault me for simply stating the truth.”
“How dare you?!” Isabela snarls, ripping her hand away from Dolores’ grip.
“How dare me? More like how dare you . Even after everything, has nothing settled inside that empty cavern inside your head? Do you seriously believe that after everything that has happened, that things will simply go back to what it was before? Ay dios mio , you really are a La Señorita Idiota .”
Turning on her heel, Dolores glances back, “If you don’t want to go hungry, learn how to make your own food. Otherwise, you will just have to wait until dinner. Hopefully, you will actually show up on time and deign us with your regal presence.”
The all-hearing young woman walks off, but she only gets a few steps before Isabela explodes, “What the fuck is your problem?!” Petunias begin sprouting at her feet, “Why are you acting like a puta ?!”
Dolores looks back, “Takes one to know one, Isabela. But just in case you are too stupid to figure it out, this is your just desserts. This is for all the times you have treated Mirabel badly. Every time you insulted her, treated her like mud on your shoe, and each and every time you mistreated her with your Gift. This is payback for every time you acted like a heartless monster.”
Isabela splutters, “Why do you care?!”
“I care because I see Mirabel as my hermana !” Dolores finally loses her cool, and Isabela flinches back as if slapped across the face, “I always wanted to have a hermanita to cherish and confide with! I love my hermanitos , but it is different to have a hermana ! And although we did not interact often, I tried to support Mirabel as much as I could, especially since she had to put up with the bullshit coming from you and Abuela!”
“Mirabel is not your - !”
“Well neither are you!” Dolores fires back, and Isabela flinches a second time, “What kind of hermana mayor treats her hermanita like trash?! How can you call yourself Mirabel’s hermana when you almost killed her simply because she accidentally collided with you?!”
“I - !”
“Face it, Isabela Madrigal, you're no hermana mayor ! You are nothing but a la carechimba who is a disgrace to this family! Until you see the error of your ways, don’t even bother trying to speak to me!”
Dolores spins on her heel and storms off, leaving a stunned Isabela all alone, standing like a fool. Spluttering in indignant outrage, it takes a lot of restraint on Isabela’s part to not scream bloody murder up to the heavens. Forcing herself to calm down, she heads for the doors and leaves Casita .
The feeling is mutual, she doesn’t want to speak to her prima either, not when she is acting like a puta madre .
Takes one to know one, Isabela.
Putting on her best look of poised sereneness, Isabela heads back into town to continue with her duties. Sure, her stomach is grumbling from the lack of food, but she can deal with it. Dinner will come soon enough, and she will just eat more then to make up for the lack of lunch.
She pushes away the shame of eating more than she should. She doesn’t want to become the centre of gossip by putting on weight.
She just needs to focus on her duties, just as she is supposed to as the eldest Madrigal grandchild.
Everything is fine, she tells herself.
Everything is fine.
Everything is not fine.
Nothing could have prepared for the bombshell shock of her life.
Isabela had just refreshed a rose bush in the town square that was beginning to wither, when she bumps into a pair of familiar faces.
“‘Oh! Abuela Guzmán! Mariano! What a coincidence to meet you both here.”
The elderly woman gets straight to the point, “Isabela, we have been looking for you.”
Isabela brushes down her dress, “Is something the matter?”
“Yes, the engagement dinner is off.”
…
…
What?
“I-I beg your pardon?”
“The engagement is off,” Abuela Guzmán repeats, her face stern, “I will not let my nieto be engaged to someone like you.”
Isabela promptly loses all poise and grace, “W-What are you talking about?!”
Mariano speaks up, mirroring his abuela’s disappointed gaze, “I have been told the truth. I finally know what you are really like.”
“What did I do?!” Isabela screeches.
“Many horrific things, all towards Mirabel,” Mariano continues without hesitation, “I can’t believe you, Isabela Madrigal, how can you be such a cruel, heartless monster to your own hermanita ?!”
Isabela realises something, “It was Dolores, wasn’t it? It was that puta who told you all of that rubbish, right?”
“What rubbish?!” Mariano retorts, “Dolores opened my eyes to the truth!”
“She is just jealous that we are going to be married!” Isabela screeches, “She is trying to break us up!”
“And I’m glad she did!” Mariano raises his voice, “If I had known about the kind of monster you actually are, I would not have agreed to the engagement in the first place!”
By this time, they are drawing attention from curious onlookers, many having never seen the golden child of the Madrigal family descending into such an unkempt frenzy before.
“Why do you even care about Mirabel?!” Isabela shouts, “She is nothing special!”
“She is more special than you can ever be!” Mariano roars, “You hide behind a pretty smile and beautiful flowers. Mirabel is true and honest! She is genuine in her desire to help others! She helped my abuela bring her shopping home when her wrist was acting up! She has a good, pure heart that wants to make things easier for everyone else! You, on the other hand, are nothing but a malparida who made Mirabel’s life miserable and ultimately drove her away!”
Isabela is left speechless, her tongue failing her completely.
“The moment I learnt how badly you treated Mirabel, is the moment I realised just how ugly you truly are,” Mariano growls, before turning on his heel and storming away. Abuela Guzmán sniffs derisively and catches up with her nieto , not wanting to stay in the presence of a truly despicable woman any longer.
This time, there is nothing stopping Isabela from screaming at the top of her lungs in frustration and outrage, petunias blooming rapidly around her. Terrified townspeople fled, not wanting to get caught up in the young woman’s meltdown.
Isabela screams until her throat goes hoarse. With fury rolling off her in waves, she stomps her way back to Casita , any and all plants and flowers she passes dying instantly from the toxic aura spilling from her soul.
This is all Mirabel’s fault, she seethes. If she had just known her place and not been a nuisance to everyone, none of this bullcrap would have happened! Isabela would still be engaged to the most perfect man in the Encanto, and her greatest desire would have been fulfilled!
Is that what she truly wants, though? To be married to someone she barely knows?
As Isabela stews in her fury, she hopes that wherever Mirabel is, she is having an equally bad time as her.
Overall, it had been an incredibly productive day.
With Antonio’s clothes settled, Mirabel juggles her new job at Señora López’s shop and assisting Matías in the fields.
The morning is spent in the fields, when the sun is not too hot. The rest of the banana crop has been harvested, courtesy of Mirabel’s quick and efficient handling of a machete and easy teamwork with Matías. It also helps that with Antonio hanging around and making sure any and all insects stay away from the pair, they are able to work without the annoyance of getting eaten alive by mosquitoes and other pests.
After lunch, Mirabel heads over to Señor López’s shop for the rest of the day. While the seamstress tends to customers and the finances, Mirabel works on the backlog of projects that had been piling up before she arrived. With quick work and honed efficiency, Mirabel is able to lighten up much of the backlog by the end of the day. Many customers leave with satisfaction, and a grateful Señora López compensates Mirabel handsomely for her efforts.
Several hundred pesos richer, Mirabel returns home with Antonio for a hot dinner and a nice, refreshing shower to close a productive day.
Once they reach the house, Antonio goes to the backyard to spend some time with his animal friends, leaving Mirabel free reign to use the bathroom for as long as she needs. After a good shower, Mirabel emerges feeling much more refreshed and cooled off. Even inside the shop, it had been quite warm, so dousing herself with cold water did the trick of staving off the heat.
Changing into a fresh pair of clothes, Mirabel dries off her hair and checks the time - 6:37pm.
Hmm, she wonders if Matías is back from the fields yet. Dinner should be ready soon, and it would be a tragedy if Matías missed it.
An annoyed sigh catches her attention.
Peering out of her bedroom door, she spots the man she had been thinking about, climbing the staircase while scratching his back furiously, grunting in annoyance.
“Matías? Is everything okay?”
He looks up, “Mirabel. No, not really.”
“What’s wrong?” she asks, concerned.
“After you and Antonio left, the mosquitoes returned,” Matías replies, scratching at his back again, “I made the mistake of taking off my singlet during the afternoon, and the mosquitoes saw my back as a buffet. It itches like hell now.”
Mirabel winces, thinking of her papá and his propensity to get stung by bees, “Is there anything I can help?”
“Ma has a homemade salve that stops the itching. I have it with me, but I also struggle to apply it on my back. If you could help, I would appreciate it.”
“Sure, anything to stop the itch.”
Matías nods, “Let me take a shower first. We can apply the salve after that.”
The towering hunk disappears into the bathroom, leaving Mirabel to return to her room to pass the time. She sits on the bed, twiddling her thumbs and humming a tune as she waits. She occasionally goes to the window, which overlooks the backyard. She spies Antonio playing with Parce, wrestling with the jaguar on the ground.
She smiles to herself, at least her primo is having fun.
The sound of the bathroom door opening brings her attention back to the task at hand.
“You done, Matías?”
The hunk grunts, “The salve is in my room.”
Mirabel rejoins Matías and follows him into his room.
Admittedly, this is her first time inside his personal space. Out of respect for his privacy, Mirabel has never once entered Matías’ room.
She had no idea of what it looks like on the inside, and it comes as a surprise that Matías apparently has very simple tastes. There are expected furniture that make up a bedroom - a bed, a chest of drawers, a wardrobe, and a mirror. Everything is made simple and practical, completely ordinary.
Just like herself.
Matías goes to his drawers, and pulls out a small ceramic pot. He takes off the lid, and a soft lemon-like scent fills the room.
“What is it?” Mirabel asks curiously.
“Lemon balm,” Matías replies, “Ma harvests them from the fields. It has always helped to stop the itch from mosquito bites.”
“Well, it certainly smells nice,” Mirabel remarks.
Matias grunts, handing the pot over to Mirabel. He sits on the bed, and takes off his fresh singlet. Mirabel’s eyes unabashedly gaze upon Matías’ bulky, sculpted torso and arms. Again, the connection to Luisa is not lost to her, although she absently wonders if Matías is able to hold his own against her hermana in some trial of strength. Wrestling, maybe?
Matías shifts his position, so that his back is facing Mirabel. Her throat promptly goes dry upon seeing the vast expanse of muscles ripple with every slight movement, and did it suddenly become a little warm in this room?
Even the presence of angry red welts from pesky mosquitoes do nothing to detract from the mouth-watering fact that a handsome man sculpted by angels is asking to rub lemon balm salve all over his back.
There is something really…carnal about getting her hands on his muscular back. It seems extremely sinful to even lay a touch upon this work of heavenly art. It feels incredibly intimate, something that should only happen between a couple who have sworn everlasting love for each other. Mirabel and Matías are close acquaintances, possibly friends if she wants to be generous. They haven’t even reached the stage where romantic interest has blossomed between them.
But who is she kidding, she already has a massive crush on him.
Plus, the idea of being a couple sends strange tingles down Mirabel’s spine. Her thoughts begin to fill with…extremely graphic images, quite against her will. Mirabel’s flush intensifies when she sees herself being tossed onto the bed, not getting the chance to recover as Matías hovers over her, eyes smouldering with carnal lust. He cages her into place with his massive body, plunging down into a deep searing kiss. Literally dominated and forced into submission, she grasps at his back, fingers digging into the skin as he ravishes her like a hungry beast on its prey. His hand moves to her blouse, grabbing the fabric and tearing it off -
Mirabel slaps herself across the face.
Matías spins around to her, “Mirabel? Is everything okay?”
Now back in the present, she fights off the flush before it causes her face to glow, “ L-Lo siento , a mosquito landed on my cheek.”
Matías chuckles, “Now you know I felt.”
“ Sí …I guess I do,” Mirabel clears her throat, “Anyway, let’s get that salve on.”
She climbs onto the bed, and Matías faces away from her. Dipping her fingers into the salve, Mirabel scoops a decent amount and dabs it on his back. Matías sighs quietly, and Mirabel spreads the salve across every welt she can feel. She thanks the heavens that Matías is facing away from her, as her flush has returned with full force. It takes a lot of effort to not let those sinful images take over her mind a second time, so she focuses on getting the job done properly and quickly.
Matías purrs and grunts under her hands. He leans back, forcing Mirabel to push him upright. This happens over and over, until Matías quite literally falls backwards onto Mirabel’s lap, knocking the pot away.
Mirabel’s mind shuts down, forcing an emergency reboot to comprehend what had just happened.
“Um…Matías?”
The hunk rumbles, shifting into a more comfortable position, “You’re warm…”
That much is true, given how Mirabel is aflame from the intimate position she is now in.
“Could you…um…get up? I c-can’t move.”
Matías rumbles again, shifting closer, “Don’t wanna…too comfy…”
Mirabel stares dumbly at the hunk on her lap, internally screaming.
Blissfully unaware of her emerging panic, Matías nestles into place, and quite possibly falls asleep where he lays. Poor Mirabel is left trapped in place, growing increasingly flustered. This is too much, too intimate given their current relationship status. She wants to remove herself, but Matías is too heavy to shove off.
Oh dios…what in the world is she supposed to do?!
“Mamí?”
Mierda.
Antonio peeks his head into the room, “Señora Julia is saying that dinner is ready. Are you - ?”
Dead. Silence.
Mirabel stares at Antonio, and he stares back, particularly at the position she is in.
Well…this is awkward.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Hehe, the ship is sailing ~
But there is a forecast for storms ahead, so hunker down everyone, we are in for a bumpy ride.
- Kai
-----------------------------
Come shout at me on Discord! The Rarepair Domain
Chapter 12: Revelations
Summary:
Antonio and Isabela learn the truth.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Isabela stomps her way back to Casita , fuming out of her mind and teeth bared in a vicious snarl.
She has never been so insulted, humiliated and degraded in her entire life!
Everything she has worked for is all crashing down around her. Her perfect image, her perfect Gift, her perfect engagement, everything!
She couldn't care less that she looks like a feral monster, rather than the perfect princess everyone expects her to be. Isabela is just so furious, she wants to destroy everything around her. She wants the entire world to go up in flames for ruining the life she was destined for.
It is just not fair!
What did she do to deserve this?!
Isabela throws the doors open and stomps into the entrance hall. She is trembling from a mix of rage, hunger and exhaustion. All she sees is red. It will only take someone crossing her path to become a target of her wrath.
Perhaps Dolores should be the target. She was the one who corrupted Mariano, after all. She was the one who started everything.
Yes, she should go and give that all-hearing puta a piece of her mind -
Suddenly, Isabela finds herself unable to move.
Momentarily jolted out of her blinded rage, she looks down.
Casita has moved the floor tiles over her shoes, preventing her from moving.
“ C-Casita ?! What the hell are you doing?! Let me go!”
The magical house rumbles, but instead of listening to Isabela, the house does something completely unexpected.
Isabela finds herself being whisked up the staircase to the second floor. Screeching in an undignified fashion, Isabela is pushed straight into the nursery, before the floor finally lets go of her feet. The sudden momentum throws Isabela to the floor, and she hits the floorboards with a loud “Oof!”. The door shuts behind her, locking in place.
Isabela jumps up and rushes to the door. She tries her hardest to open it, but the lock remains firmly shut.
“Casita!” she pounds against the door, “This isn’t funny! Let me out! Let me out now!”
Despite her screams and efforts, Isabela gets nowhere. Casita goes silent, and does not respond to her demands. Eventually, Isabela grows exhausted, and she sinks to the floor, panting hard and throat parched from shouting.
Once she has regained her bearings, Isabela slowly gets up, and takes stock of her situation.
Casita has locked her inside the nursery, apparently for no rhyme or reason. Isabela has no idea why the house sent her tumbling into the room where Mirabel stayed in, although it is very clear that she will not be let out until the house deems it time for her to leave.
Just like with Abuela, whom she can still hear pounding and shouting against her own door.
Faced with no other options, Isabela goes towards her hermanita ’s bed and sits down with a huff. Seconds pass in complete silence, before it gets too unbearable for Isabela and she falls back against the mattress with a loud groan. What is she supposed to do here? Why on earth is she even here in the first place? And most importantly, how can she convince Casita to let her out?
Sitting back up, Isabela notices something else on the bed with her.
Mirabel’s diary.
This is incredibly odd.
What is it doing here?
Mirabel always kept her personal belongings private and secure. Why is her diary out in the open?
Somehow, an unknown force compels Isabela to pick up the diary. Setting it on her lap, she opens it and reads the first entry.
For a long, tense moment, nobody moves or says anything.
In all honesty, Mirabel has no idea how to explain to her primo about the intimate position she is currently in with Matías. No amount of skirting around or misdirection will suffice. Antonio saw, with his own two eyes, Matías snuggling into her lap, who for the record is fast asleep and completely oblivious to how inappropriate their position is, given their current relationship dynamic.
If anything, Antonio is going to think that -
“Mamí? What is Señor Matías doing in your lap?”
Mirabel knows there is nothing she can do but to be honest, “Toñito, Matías is very tired, and he just fell asleep. My lap happened to be in the way.”
“Oh…so he won’t be coming down to dinner?”
“I will try to wake him up, you go and tell Señora Julia that we will be down soon.”
“Okay…”
With one last doubtful look at the sleeping hunk, Antonio disappears from the doorway. The sound of his footsteps going down the staircase linger for a moment longer, leaving Mirabel in silence. With a shaky breath, she tries to shake Matías awake.
“Matías, wake up.”
He does not wake.
“C’mon, wake up. Dinner is ready.”
All he does is snuggle deeper into her warmth, purring deeply.
Her face flushing once again, Mirabel bemoans her dire fate, torn between squealing in rapturous joy at being so intimate with her crush, and internally screaming in anguished horror at doing something so scandalous with someone she is not even in a romantic relationship with.
Either way, it looks like she is not going to make it down to dinner anytime soon.
She had no reason to read her hermanita ’s diary entries.
After all, what kind of superfluous, whimsical things could Mirabel have written in this notebook?
Still, that does not stop Isabela from reading the first entry, dated just a few days before her hermanita ’s fifth birthday.
Dear diary,
My fifth birthday is coming soon, and I’m really excited! I will be getting my Gift then, and I will be just like my hermanas, prima y primo! Everyone is also excited too. Camilo and I will finally become mellizas, Luisa is just jumping with excitement, and I can’t wait to show off my new Gift to Isa! We will have so much fun together!
I can’t wait!
- Mirabel
Of course, Isabela knew what was to come. The next diary entry, dated literally the day after Mirabel’s disastrous ceremony, confirms what she already knew.
Dear diary…
I’m scared.
My door disappeared.
I don’t know what is going on.
Nobody is telling me anything.
My padres won’t answer my questions. I ask them, why did my door disappear? And they will smile, and say that even without a door, I’m just as special as the rest of the family.
But I don’t have a Gift. I can’t make pretty flowers like Isa, or lift heavy things like Luisa. I can’t do anything, no matter what I do!
I’m really scared.
I tried looking for Abuela, but I couldn't find her. She disappeared last night, and I don’t know where she is.
Tío Bruno has also disappeared, which scares me too. Tío Bruno always keeps me safe when I’m scared, but I can’t find him anywhere either. His door is no longer glowing, and my mamá told us not to go near it.
I don’t know what is going on, I just wish someone could tell me what happened, why I was not given a Gift. Did I do something wrong? If I made things right, will I get a Gift too?
I wish someone would tell me…
- Mirabel
From there, Isabela keeps reading, and reading, and reading…
A pensive Antonio returns to the dining room, all alone.
“Antonio? Where are Mirabel and Matías?” Julia asks.
“My Mamí…she was in Señor Matías’ room,” Antonio replies quietly, and Julia ushers him to a chair, “Señor Matías…is sleeping on her lap.”
Both Julia and Carlos share a look.
“Señor Matías seemed quite comfy in my Mamí’s lap,” Antonio continues, fiddling with his thumbs, “It was…strange. They seem really close, like really, really close. I have only seen Tía Julieta and Tío Agustín acting so close before.” He gives the adults a confused, bordering on desperate look, “Please tell me, is Señor Matías going to marry my Mamí? Is he going to take her away from me?!”
Julia and Carlos share another look. The latter nods, giving her the go-ahead.
“Antonio,” Julia shifts closer, “there comes a time when a person grows up, and they begin to experience new feelings about the people around them. In Matías’ case, these feelings are a form of love.”
“Love? Like how Mamí loves me?”
“A different kind of love,” Julia corrects, “This kind of love is what we grown-ups call “romantic” love. It is not quite the same as the love shared between you and Mirabel, which is what we call “family” love. Romantic love develops when two people form a deep connection, right down to their heart and soul. They want to be with one another for the rest of their lives. They care deeply for each other, on a level that only the heavens know.”
“And, based on our observations on Matías, we think that he is beginning to show the first signs of romantic love towards Mirabel,” Carlos adds, “And we are absolutely sure that Matías will never take Mirabel away from you.”
“H-How do you know?” Antonio asks uncertainly.
“Matías would have to be blind and stupid to not see how much Mirabel loves you,” Julia reassures him, “He treasures family over everything else, and he sees how much you are family to Mirabel. Mi hijo will never come between you and the one who raised you from birth, Antonio.”
Still, Antonio doesn’t look convinced. Julia and Carlos can’t blame him though, he is only a child of five years. Mirabel is his entire world, and to suddenly have a new figure coming in, bringing with him all manner of unknowns and uncertainties would make any child like Antonio fearful and anxious.
“Why don’t you have a talk with Matías after dinner, Antonio?” Julia suggests, “That way, he can tell you, right from his heart, how he will never take Mirabel away from you.”
That sounds like a reasonable idea, Antonio decides. Hearing it from the man himself means more to him than from an intermediary. For now, he will just need to get through dinner, before he can confront the issue head-on.
“Antonio, why don’t you go with Señor Carlos to the table first?” Julia offers, “I will go get Mirabel and Matías down.”
“Okay.”
Dear diary,
I don’t really know what’s going on. Abuela no longer smiles at me or hugs me anymore. She never seems happy when I’m near her. Did I do something wrong? I don’t know what I did though…
Also, we are not supposed to talk about Tío Bruno anymore, Abuela announced it at breakfast. She never really said why, and she made a really scary face when I asked.
My birthday is coming soon, but I don’t really feel like having a party…
I wish I could have a door.
- Mirabel
…
…
Dear diary,
Another year, another birthday.
Mamá and papá were so nice, giving me a new dress and shoes. I wish I could have a party, but everyone was really busy. Luisa was doing a lot of lifting today, and I hardly saw Isa around too. Dolores and Camilo wished me a “happy birthday”, but that was all, really.
Abuela is still being very mean to me, though. I don’t know what I did wrong, but maybe…it's because I’m not doing anything? I don’t have a Gift, after all. Everyone uses their Gift to do chores. Even though I don’t have a Gift, maybe if I offer to help around Casita and the Encanto, Abuela will smile at me again?
Won’t hurt to try!
- Mirabel
…
…
Dear diary,
Big news! Tía Pepa is going to have another baby!
This is totally unexpected. I never thought that Tía Pepa and Tío Félix would have another baby. I can’t wait to find out if it will be a boy or a girl!
If it's a girl, they can be my hermanita , even though we are technically primas . It will be nice to have a hermanita to play and talk with. After all, Isa and Luisa are hardly ever around, and it gets really lonely here in Casita when everyone is away…
Also, I don’t know why Isa is suddenly so mean all of a sudden! She snaps and shouts a lot, especially when I talk to her or ask her something. I don’t know what I did wrong to make her so angry, but she has been saying really hurtful words lately!
I don’t know what her problem is, especially since she is never angry with anyone else!
What a mess…
- Mirabel
…
…
Dear diary,
It’s a boy! And his name will be Antonio!
Antonio is such a cute little thing! He has Tío Félix’s hair, and his skin colour matches too!
Everyone is so happy, especially Abuela. She kept saying to Tía Pepa and Tío Félix how much Antonio will be a huge blessing to the family and the Miracle. I have never seen Abuela so happy before. I wish she would be this happy with me too…
It seems like no matter what I do, Abuela is never happy with me. She always brushes me off, speaking to me with harsh words, and never acknowledging my presence.
Never mind! I will keep trying. I will keep trying until I find something that Abuela will be proud of!
Maybe if I help to take care of Antonio, that will do the trick?
Fingers crossed!
- Mirabel
—————————————————
One would have to be blind and stupid to not notice the tension in the air.
Although, to be fair, the tension primarily centred between Antonio, Mirabel and Matías.
To the external eye, Carlos and Julia appear blissfully unaware. They ate and chatted as if nothing was wrong, engaging all three in conversation as if blind to the tension in the air.
They are aware, but there is nothing that they need to do.
The ball is in the court between Antonio and Matías, and both know what needs to be done once dinner has concluded.
The plates are cleared, and while Carlos offers to do the washing up, Julia leads Mirabel away with the excuse of wanting to ask her about something. She leads the blushing girl out of the dining room, and with Carlos bringing all of the plates and cutlery to the kitchen, Antonio and Matías remain in their chairs, not moving or saying anything.
For several long, awkward moments, the silence stretches, and the tension does not abate.
Finally, Matías turns to Antonio, “Ma said that you wanted to speak with me?”
The young boy nods after a moment.
Matías gets up, “Shall we talk in the sitting room? It will be more comfortable there.”
Antonio follows suit, and the pair enter the room, sitting down on the sofa across from each other.
“What is it that you want to talk about?” Matías asks.
Antonio gathers his courage, and faces the towering hunk with his fiercest expression possible, “Are you taking my Mamí away from me?”
Matías blinks, “¿Perdón?”
Antonio ploughs ahead, “You are really close to my Mamí. I saw you sleeping on her lap before dinner. You are acting like how Tío Agustín acts towards Tía Julieta. Are you going to marry my Mamí? Are you going to take her away from me by marrying her?”
Matías stares at the young boy for a very, very long moment, as his brain tries to reboot from having such a bombshell dropped on him. When his ability to speak finally returns, Matías clears his throat, “Antonio, I…I don’t know where this came from, but I’m not going to take Mirabel away from you.”
Antonio squints at the hunk, “How do I know you’re not lying? You are really close to my Mamí.”
“Anyone who even thinks of taking Mirabel away from you should be eaten alive by that jaguar of yours,” Matías replies seriously, “I will be honest, I am attracted to Mirabel. She is pretty, kind, and always a good laugh. But…I don’t know if she returns my feelings.”
Antonio leans back against the backrest, “How can you show that you are not lying?”
Matías slides off from the sofa, and goes down on his knees before the young boy, “Give me a chance, Antonio. Let me show you how much I want the best for Mirabel and you. Let me prove to you that I don’t want to take her away from you, but instead, I want to become a part of your family.”
Antonio regards the kneeling hunk with a long, severe stare. Finally, he says, “I’ll think about it.”
“That’s all I ask for,” Matías nods.
And that’s that.
Dear diary,
Sorry for not writing in a long while. Taking care of Antonio is a lot of work. I have to make sure he is fed regularly, has his diapers changed, and that he is happy.
I haven’t gotten much sleep either. Antonio often wakes up in the middle of the night and cries really loudly, and it is a challenge to calm him down again.
Seriously, his cries are loud enough to wake the dead. I’m just glad that Dolores’ room has soundproofing, and she really liked the earmuffs I made for her. Otherwise, I think Antonio might make her go deaf by the time he can walk.
I should really try to get as much sleep as I can. I foresee myself being woken up in the middle of the night because Antonio needs something again.
Good night!
- Mirabel
…
…
Dear diary,
Good news! Antonio took his first steps today! And he said his first word too! He said “Mamí” , while patting my cheeks with his tiny hands.
I was so happy and excited, that I completely failed to realise that he just called me his Mamí! Antonio thinks I’m his madre , even though I’m only his prima .
Then again, I have been the one raising him all this while. Tía Pepa and Tío Félix are almost never around in Casita because they are so busy with their chores. Still, I need to teach Antonio that I’m not his madre , and I should try to have Tía Pepa and Tío Félix spend more time with him. Otherwise, this is going to be incredibly awkward.
On a different note, Isabela is such a puta today! It is as if she made it her mission to get in my way as much as possible! I have lost count of how many times she has whipped her “perfect” hair in my face or thrown a fistful of flower petals at me. And all of her “sisterly advice”! If you can call advice thinly-veiled insults and how I should “get out of the way”. I mean, I’m trying to take care of Antonio here! Not once was I trying to get in her way.
Gosh, what is her problem with me anyway?
Anyways, I should stop here, otherwise I will be up all night trying to calm Antonio down again. Buenas noches!
- Mirabel
…
…
Dear diary,
Another birthday, another reminder of how much I don’t belong in this family.
I turned fifteen today, and this should be when I have my quinceañera, right? Wrong. My birthday is just any other day in this wonderfully magical family.
Sure, my padres wished me a happy birthday and gave me a few presents, but no quinceañera. I did remember mamá begging Abuela to let me have a quinceañera, but she was just brushed off and told to focus on her chores and to not ask such frivolous requests.
It’s not fair! I remember Isa having a quinceañera, and so did Luisa and Dolores. Why am I not allowed to have one?
Is it because I don’t have a Gift? That because I am not like the rest of the family, I don’t deserve nice things?
Hm, maybe I’m reading too much into this. Either, happy birthday to myself, I guess.
- Mirabel
…
…
Dear diary,
This is it.
Antonio’s birthday is in a few days.
He will be turning five, and I’ve already seen a magical door appear next to Camilo’s door. Antonio’s birthday will see if he will get a Gift, or if he will be just like me, completely ordinary and Gift-less.
On the one hand, I’m excited for Antonio. I’m sure he will get a cool Gift, and he will have an amazing room too! On the other hand, I kind of wish that Antonio would not get a Gift, so that we can stay together in the nursery, with something in common that sets us apart from the rest of the family.
But I shouldn’t be so cruel. Antonio deserves to get a Gift. He deserves to be a part of the amazing, magical Madrigal family. If I’m truly condemned to be the cursed one, then I will simply let him go, so that he shines brightly like everyone else.
That being said, I know what I have to do.
If Antonio does get a Gift, I will leave Casita and the Encanto. If he has a Gift, he won’t need me anymore. The family will love him and treat him well. I don’t need to be around to give him what he needs. If he doesn’t get a Gift, I will stay until he is old enough to take care of himself. When that time comes, I will leave then.
So this could very well be my last entry in this diary. Writing down my thoughts and feelings does help in some way, but it doesn’t change the fact that I’m neither wanted nor needed in this family for much longer. Thank you for being a constant throughout my life, and I hope that whatever happens, I will find my paradise someday.
With lots of love,
- Mira-
Mirabel’s name is smudged by a teardrop, the dried ink becoming saturated and then running across the damp surface of where the teardrop fell on the page. Then, more teardrops fall, and soon, the quiet stillness is broken by heartbreaking sounds of weeping, as the one reading the diary collapses into a void of guilt and grief.
The diary falls from her hands, hitting the floor by her feet. Amidst her weeping, Isabela fails to hear the lock of the nursery door undo itself, and the sound of footsteps approaching.
“Isabela?”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
My apologies for going radio silent. This chapter has been difficult to write, simply because my motivation could never last long enough for me to see this chapter through to completion. And even now, I'm not entirely satisfied with some of it, especially Mirabel's diary entries. However, I've used up all of my creative juices today, so I will leave it as it is.
If you have feedback on Mirabel's diary entries, do share them in the comments section. When I have more capacity for writing, I may re-do that section with your feedback.
- Kai
Chapter 13: Greater Clarity
Summary:
Julieta and Agustín receive Mirabel's letter, and Isabela comes to terms with her guilt.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
To put it simply, Julieta is beyond exhausted, physically and mentally.
Normally, she is calm and rational, the middle ground between the loud and emotional Pepa and the soft-spoken, awkward Bruno. She is the tether that tries her best to keep everything within her family tied together.
Not right now.
Julieta could honestly say that she has never blown up at people, be it her neighbours or even her own madre . Not until now, that is.
Perhaps it was the breaking point of being the middle ground, the favoured child, having to pile on the expectations of her madre and the townspeople. Years of suppressed emotions, fears and anger suddenly exploding as a result of her own hija running away, finding out how much Isabela had a part to play in driving Mirabel away, and ultimately, having her eyes opened to the truth of how much her family is falling apart at the seams.
Make no mistake, Julieta has experienced exhaustion before, when she had to slave away in the kitchen for hours on end without so much of a break, to make the food that will heal every single ailment the townspeople managed to suffer that day.
But this is a whole new level, one brought upon by bombshell after bombshell that has shaken not just her, but the entire family down to their very souls.
And now, Julieta doesn’t want to do anything. She just face-plants down on her bed and does not get up.
Agustín merely says, “You do whatever you feel like doing, mi vida . You deserve this break.”
Julieta sighs into the covers, “Is it wrong that a small part of me still feels guilty for what I did? Blowing up at mamá and the townspeople?”
“You were always a gentle soul,” Agustín replies, “I remember how you tried to avoid conflict as much as possible, always acting as the mediator and peacekeeper in this family. You played that role for so long, so it’s only natural that there will still be a part of you who wants to avoid conflict.”
Julieta sighs, “I know. Muchas gracias, mi amor , I don’t think I could have done it without you.”
“Hey, you are my wife,” Agustín scooches over to kiss her hand, “It is my responsibility as your husband to support you all the way. I made it clear in my wedding vows to you, and I’m not going back on it anytime soon.”
Julieta peels her face off the covers to smile at her eternal love.
Then, from the window, comes a fluttering of wings and a loud squawk.
Both Julieta and Agustín turn towards the window. There is a toucan perched on the windowsill, an extremely familiar toucan, one that first appeared on Antonio’s arm when his magical door activated his Gift.
And it has a letter in its beak.
With a gasp, Julieta is out of bed in an instant, rushing over to the window with her husband close behind.
The toucan squawks a second time, and deposits the letter into her trembling hands. On the envelope, written in her hija ’s unmistakable handwriting, are Mirabel and Antonio’s names.
“Oh dios! It’s from Mirabel and Antonio!” Julieta gasps.
“Quick, mi vida , open it!” Agustín pushes.
They return to the bed, sitting down on the mattress. Julieta opens the envelope, and takes out the seven pages that make up the letter.
Mamá y papá,
I probably should have written this letter much sooner, but there has just been so much happening since I left the Encanto. However, I want to make clear that I am doing fine, physically and mentally. I have managed to find a place to stay, courtesy of a very gracious woman named Julia who I met in the rainforest, and she is treating me extremely well, as does her husband, Carlos, and son, Matías. Her cooking is almost as good as yours, mamá, and her husband reminds me of papá a little.
Matías, on the other hand, the closest I can relate him with someone from our family is Luisa. He is really, really , tall, I think about as tall as Luisa, maybe even taller. He is really handsome, and very muscular too! I think he might just rival or even surpass Luisa in terms of musculature, although for sure, Luisa has him beat with how much she can lift easily with both hands.
Matías works in the fields surrounding the town where I now live. I went out with him to harvest the banana crop, which is really hard work, I have to say! The sun was relentless, and we sweated like nobody’s business! However, we managed to harvest over fifty banana trees, which I think was quite productive as a two-person job!
That wasn’t the end of it though. Antonio is here with me!
I had no idea he would come running after me when I left the Encanto. I had previously assumed that since he now has a Gift and such a cool room, Antonio didn’t need me around to take care of him anymore. I had no other use anymore, but I had apparently underestimated how much Antonio saw me as his entire world, far more than his Gift or his new room. All of his animal friends came along with him too. Parce, his jaguar, apparently picked up my scent through my diary, and they followed my scent all the way to the town I am now living in.
Let me tell you, they nearly caused a stampede upon arriving. But to be fair, it’s not every day that you’re just going about your business and then you see an entire horde of wild animals running towards you. I would be terrified for my life if that happened to me!
But anyways, Antonio and his animal friends are all safe and sound. We all had a hearty dinner, courtesy of Julia’s commendable ability to think on the fly and adapt to the extremely varied tastes of different wild animals. Right now, Antonio is hounding me to let him write his part, so I’ll let him take over now.
Take care, and with lots of love,
Mirabel
¡Hola Tía Julieta y Tío Agustín!
I hope everyone in the family is doing well, because I was not!
I could not just sit there while my Mamí left Casita without telling me, so I went after her!
I cannot live without my Mamí. If I had to choose between my Mamí and having a Gift, I will choose my Mamí. I rather be without a Gift, than to live without my Mamí.
She is my everything. She took care of me since I was a baby. She always made sure I was happy, and was always there for me whenever I felt sad or afraid. When she ran away from Casita , I thought my world was ending. I was so scared and sad, because she was not there. I cannot stand living without my Mamí, so I had to go after her.
I know you were both worried about my Mamí when she ran away, but I am with her now, and she is doing really well! She is staying in a nice house, though not as large as Casita , and she has her own room! I will be staying in the same room, because I can’t bear to sleep in a different room without her! My animal friends will be sleeping in the backyard. Thankfully it is big enough for all of them to be comfortable!
Anyways, I’m okay, and now that I’m with my Mamí, I’m much happier too! Don’t worry too much about me or my animal friends. So long as we stay with my Mamí, everything will be okay!
I hope Pico reaches with the letter. Do write back if you can!
Lots of love,
Antonio
Tears pool in Julieta’s eyes, and her hand covers her trembling lips, “My sweet baby hija …”
Agustín hugs her supportively, “This is wonderful news! Mirabel is okay, and so is Antonio. This is cause for celebration, no?”
“Ay…I wish I could hug her right now,” Julieta sighs, “I miss her so much.”
“So do I, mi vida , but we should take comfort in knowing that Mirabel and Antonio are both safe and being well taken care of,” Agustín reasons, “Also, I think we should write back, no? It is only right, after all.”
“Sí, sí, we should, but…” Julieta suddenly has a realisation, “...should we show this letter to Pepa and Félix? I know that my hermana would like to hear news about Antonio, but what if she…”
“Sets off another hurricane?” Agustín fills in the blanks, “Always possible, especially given how emotionally vulnerable Pepa is right now. Hm…perhaps we can tell Dolores about it first, and then she can tell Pepa later? I think Dolores is in a better position to determine when your hermana is more emotionally stable to receive such news.”
Julieta nods, “Good idea. Now, let’s write back?”
As the couple go about finding some paper and ink to pen their replies, the subject of their conversation, Dolores herself, had intended to go downstairs to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. However, as she neared the stairs, she hears the most unusual sound coming from the nursery.
With her curiosity piqued and more than a little concerned, she heads over to the nursery door and pushes it open.
“Isabela?”
Dolores is greeted by a truly unexpected sight.
Isabela, the perfect princess, and favoured golden child of Abuela and the Madrigals, is crumpled on her knees, sobbing uncontrollably.
Any previous image of perfect poise and grace has been shattered. For quite possibly the first time ever, someone has laid witness to Isabela crumbling down to pieces, her vulnerability being exposed in all stark relief.
“Isabela, what happened?” Dolores asks, trying to not get too disturbed over her prima actually crying and completely losing her composure, “What has gotten into you?”
“It’s all my fault!” Isabela wails, when she realises she is no longer alone, “I was a terrible hermana ! It’s my fault that Mirabel ran away! I’m sorry! It’s all my fault!”
Dolores slowly makes her way over, making sure to close and lock the door behind her. She kneels down in front of Isabela, who is still wracked with uncontrolled sobs and sniffles.
“What happened?”
“I-I found M-Mirabel’s diary,” Isabela explains, her words broken by her sniffling, “I read e-everything. I read how much Mirabel s-suffered over the years, because of me! She suffered so much because of me! I m-made her life miserable, simply for being there! I was the reason why she ran away! I’m a monster, Dolores! I drove my own hermanita away!”
A fresh wave of tears overwhelms Isabela, robbing her of the ability to continue speaking. Left conflicted between vindication and the familial instinct to provide comfort, Dolores sticks to the middle ground and remains neutral, in tone and words, “Sí, you had a part to play in driving Mirabel away, and by extension my own hermanito , but you were not the entire reason. Abuela also had a part in this whole mess, and she is paying for her mistakes right now.”
Dolores lets her prima cry for a little while longer, waiting until Isabela is able to calm down a little.
“I want Mirabel back, Dolores. I want her back, I want to tell her how sorry I am.”
Dolores shifts a little, “Isabela…tell me, why did you treat Mirabel so badly? She always looked up to you, and you two were so close all those years ago.”
Isabela hiccups, wiping away her remaining tears, “I was envious of her.”
“Envious? Of Mirabel?” even Dolores did not expect that.
“She might not have a Gift, but she was everything I wanted to be,” Isabela continues, unconsciously slipping into a rant, “Mirabel could do everything she wanted. She could run around and do what she wished at any moment. She had no expectations hanging over her. She was free, while I was trapped inside a cage because of this stupid Gift!”
Dolores is rendered speechless, unable to get a word in.
“Mirabel never had to worry about looking perfect. She never had to worry about how she acted or behaved. She never had to worry about disappointing others. She could do literally anything and get away with it!” Isabela’s rant becomes even more manic, roses popping up indiscriminately across the floorboards, “And also, Mirabel never had to worry about being married to someone she doesn’t like!”
Dolores snaps to attention at that last point, “Isabela, what are you saying? I thought you always wanted to marry Mariano - ?”
“I never wanted to marry Mariano!” Isabela cries, “I was doing it because Abuela said it was for the family!”
Then, quite suddenly and without any prior warning, a small cactus pops into existence between Isabela and Dolores.
Silence befalls the room and stretches for several long moments.
“ Ay dios mío …” Dolores gasps, “Isa…that is a huge confession there.”
Isabela, for her part, is staring dumbstruck at the cactus, quite unsure about what, or how, it just happened.
“Isa…um…is there something you would like to do?” Dolores offers, when the silence begins to stretch for a second time.
Instead of hearing her prima , Isabela goes closer to the cactus, releasing an awed breath, “What is this? This is…unexpected.” She brushes a finger against the spikes, which pricks her skin, but the contact also causes the cactus to morph into a different shape, “It’s sharp…and new…”
Dolores catches on, “Right…you’ve never made anything other than roses or flor de mayo before.”
Isabela carefully plucks the cactus from the floorboards, bringing it up to inspect it at different angles, “It’s not symmetrical, or perfect. But…” she lowers the cactus, “...it’s beautiful. And…I made it. It’s mine.”
She turns to Dolores, eyes alight with cautious hope, “What else can I do?”
Out of nowhere, Casita rumbles.
Dolores looks around, “ Casita ?”
The floorboards jump and bounce, and they appear to be pushing the two young women out of the nursery. Isabela and Dolores allow themselves to be whisked out of the room by the magical house and taken to Isabela’s door, which appears to be glowing brighter than normal.
Dolores opens the door, and receives another big shock.
Her prima ’s room…is completely empty.
Save for the furniture such as the bed, the room is completely bare. All of the roses that covered the walls, floor and ceiling have vanished, leaving behind empty stone surfaces.
“W-What is this?” Isabela splutters, “What happened to my room?”
Dolores comes to a conclusion, “This must be Casita ’s way of telling you to go wild.”
“Go…wild?”
“Sí, like go apeshit or something,” Dolores replies, “You asked what else you can do, right? This is your chance to find out.”
Isabela looks at the cactus, and back at her prima uncertainly.
Dolores gives her an encouraging smile, “Go ahead. Go wild. Be the person you always wanted to be.”
Isabela releases a breath, and sets the cactus down. She straightens up, and a manic expression quickly overcomes her face.
“What else can I do?”
She dashes into her room, and stamps her foot on the floor. An assortment of plants, none of them flowering, all of them wild and untamed, burst from the floor, rapidly spreading around the room.
“What if I grew what I was feeling at that moment?” Isabela wonders.
Seeing the chaos rapidly unfolding, Dolores can’t help but ask, “Do you know where you’re going - whoa!” Suddenly, a vine grabs her ankles and drags her further into the room.
“What if it didn’t need to be perfect?!” Isabela realises excitedly, rising up with the growing palm trees that sway with an invisible wind. The vine dragging Dolores around throws her up into the air, where she incidentally lands on the palm tree that Isabela is standing on.
“I want to feel something…new,” Isabela whispers to herself, before turning to her prima with a beseeching expression, hoping that she would understand, “I’m just so sick of pretty. I just want something true, don’t you?”
Dolores does understand, and she takes Isabela’s hands into her own, “It feels like a dream, everything that has happened before now. You’re wondering what to do, now that you have opened your eyes.”
Isabela nods.
“And to be honest, all I know are only the blossoms you used to grow,” Dolores continues, “But, still, I think it’s awesome to see how you are now rising up to the sky, through the roof and beyond. You are no longer chained down by others. You are embracing your own person. You are who you are. No one can take that away from you.”
“Really?” Isabela asks.
Dolores nods, “Really. After all, what else can you do?”
That is all that was needed for Isabela to just let go .
Within seconds, the entirety of Casita is covered in wild, exotic plants of all shapes and colours, and the untamed greenery rapidly spreads out towards the Encanto itself. The residents, who up until that moment had just been going about their daily business, suddenly find themselves overrun with new and unknown plants that grow indiscriminately. Many of these plants cause all manner of mishaps, knocking things over, tripping people, and in the case of one Mariano Guzmán, who was just going out shopping with his abuela, he has the grave misfortune of being pummelled in the nose by a plant bud.
Meanwhile, Isabela and Dolores are dancing and laughing across Casita ’s rooftops, frolicking among the hundreds of plants the former had conjured up. There had been a brief interruption when one of the plants had fired a blast of yellow pollen all over Isabela, staining her pristine lilac dress. Isabela had turned to Dolores for answers, but all Dolores did was give her an encouraging gesture. From there, a rainbow of colour bursts all over the rooftops as Isabela conjures up more of these plants. Both primas knock and kick these plants around, releasing the multi-coloured pollen all over themselves, becoming right messes but having untold, childish fun.
Carried away by the adrenaline and exhilaration, Isabela conjures up some vines which take her and Dolores through a ride across Casita ’s rooftops. They come to a stop, coincidentally, by Abuela’s windowsill where the magical candle stands. There, overcome with emotion, Isabela pulls Dolores into a tight hug.
“Dolores, muchas gracias . I owe this all to you! You helped me to open my eyes! ¡Muchas gracias! ”
Dolores returns the hug, when a sudden glow to her right catches her attention. The candle’s flame has burst into vibrant life, as if celebrating this momentous occasion. And, to her surprised delight, a series of cracks that have been inching up towards the windowsill close up and retreat, returning the wall to its previous pristine state.
Dolores can’t help the delighted laugh, especially when Isabela takes her for one last ride around the rooftops on the vines. Streams of coloured pollen shoot up in the background, as the vines throw both primas up into the air. Laughing and cheering, they fall back down into the courtyard, where a thick bed of flowers break their fall and provide a soft landing.
It takes several moments for both primas to calm down from their uproarious joy.
“Oh dios…can you imagine if Abuela saw us like this?” Isabela remarks, “She would think you are a bad influence or something!”
“I think she already sees me as one,” Dolores replies, sitting up and wiping some of the pollen off her arms.
A moment of silence passes, before Isabela speaks again, “But for real though, I now know what I need to do. I have to apologise to so many people, and I hope they will forgive me for where I went wrong.”
“So long as you are sincere in making things right, I’m sure everyone will forgive you,” Dolores squeezes her prima ’s hand, “And for the record, I have already forgiven you.”
Isabela gives a wobbly smile, and she hugs Dolores again. However, their moment of peace is broken by a sudden exclamation, “W-What is going on here?!”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Will I get bricked for incorporating "What Else Can I Do?" into this chapter?
Perhaps.
Do I regret it?
Absolutely not.
Also, I think we can all agree that Julieta at the beginning is a huge mood.
- Kai
Chapter 14: Proving Oneself
Summary:
Two people, in two completely different situations, prove themselves in doing the right thing.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
As far as Matías is concerned, he is on probation.
If he wants to earn Antonio’s complete trust and blessings to court Mirabel, Matías will need to prove to the young boy that his intentions are pure, that he merely wants to become a part of the world that Antonio shares with his Mamí. The two are a package deal, and he cannot have Mirabel without Antonio’s approval.
As he lies on his bed, staring up at the ceiling as the night passes around him, unable to sleep, Matías wonders what he can do to convince Antonio that he only has the best intentions towards Mirabel.
Groaning in frustration, Matías rolls over to his side and tries to get some sleep. Thinking endlessly about it is only giving him a headache. Plus, he is needed in the fields tomorrow, so he will need his sleep in order to work under the sweltering sun again.
The plus point is that Mirabel will be joining him tomorrow, along with Antonio. Perhaps, when he has had a good night’s sleep, the answer will be clearer then.
“W-What is going on here?!”
At this, Isabela and Dolores jump apart.
“Mamá! It’s okay, don’t be shocked!” Dolores quickly gets to her feet, as Pepa looks around in confusion. Behind her, Félix is stunned by what he is seeing, with Camilo by his side. The same could be said for Julieta and Agustín, whose shock is primarily directed towards the unbelievable sight of their prim and proper eldest hija all dirtied and a mess.
“Dolores, what is all this?” Pepa asks after a moment.
“I was helping Isabela,” Dolores quickly replies, “She understood where she went wrong, and how she needed to let go of all the expectations heaped onto her.”
Julieta steps forward, “Isabela…is this true?”
Isabela stops from subconsciously trying to wipe the pollen off her arms, “S-Sí, it’s true.”
“So you mean…all of the plants we saw in Casita and in the town…” Félix waves his hand about, “Are all from Isabela?”
“I just…let go,” Isabela rubs her arm, looking a little bashful, “I realised that Abuela…she was just forcing me to fit an image that I didn’t want to be. I just…did what I wanted to do - to grow anything and everything I wanted to grow, not roses or flor de mayo or anything pretty ! I just wanted to be my own person, not some kind…kind…of doll that Abuela wanted!”
Panting hard from the unplanned rant, Isabela failed to register Julieta coming up to her. She only snapped back into the present, when her madre pulled her into a hug, despite the pollen all over her.
“Mi vida…I’m so proud of you,” Julieta mutters, overcome with emotion, “I-I was so worried that I would lose another hija, I was so worried that I would lose you too.”
Isabela shakily returns the hug, “Mamá…I’m sorry. I’m sorry for all the hurt and harm I caused for everyone. There is no excuse for everything I did wrong. I should have been better, especially a better hermana for Mirabel.” Tears begin to fall from her eyes, catching the pollen on her cheeks, “I want to apologise to her, mamá. I want to apologise for being a horrible hermana to her. I-I…” an unladylike sniffle, “I want her back! I promise to do and be better! I want her back, mamá!”
Julieta comforts her weeping hija, Agustín joining in the embrace, not once caring about the pollen staining his clothes. To the side, Dolores watches silently, before turning to her immediate family, “I think we should give them space right now.”
Despite the surrealness of the present scene, Pepa and Félix get the memo, and quickly herd Camilo away from the courtyard. Dolores follows behind at a leisurely pace.
“So…Isabela has been fixed?”
“Camilo!” Pepa gasps, scandalised, “Your prima is not some machine!”
“Eh,” Dolores shrugs, “he’s about right.”
If only Mirabel was here to see this, perhaps the family could take the next step in healing the rest of the cracks.
Matías’ dilemma continues into the next day.
Not even getting a night’s sleep (which was not necessarily good , mind you) provided any clarity on the matter. He is still drawing blanks, and the lack of answers is slowly eating away at his sanity. Even if he doesn’t look like it on the outside, the tornado of indecision and uncertainty is driving him insane.
The only silver lining is that Mirabel is by his side, working with him to harvest the coffee crop. Although, the nearby presence of Antonio, who is eyeing him like a hawk about to swoop down on a rabbit, does put a damper on that.
Matías is, understandably, left conflicted when Mirabel leaves to work at Señora López’s shop in the afternoon, taking Antonio with her. On the one hand, he feels like he can breathe easier, knowing that the intense stare from a young boy who can sic a jaguar on him for the slightest infraction is no longer there. On the flipside, though, Mirabel is no longer with him. The reason for the burn in his heart and soul, why the days are brighter and the nights warmer, and the source of his hope for a future together, is not there right now. In an instant, everything returns to its original dullness. There is nothing left.
And, Matías decides, he hates it.
Which makes the urgency to find the answer to prove his worthiness to Antonio all the more pressing.
Matías is a lost soul trying to find the light. That light is Mirabel, but the path to salvation is fraught with obstacles which he must overcome. Matías, however, doesn’t know how to overcome the obstacles before him, and with the light so close, but so far out of reach, he is getting desperate.
Perhaps, at this point, he needs an act of divine intervention to help him.
Somehow, Matías gets through the afternoon, and leaves the fields come evening. As is routine by this point, he goes to Señora López’s shop to pick Mirabel and Antonio up.
He could never have expected divine intervention to happen right there and then.
All in all, it had been a productive day.
Working in the fields to harvest the coffee crop, and an afternoon creating beautiful clothes to fulfil customers’ orders, Mirabel felt that she had achieved a lot today, and her pockets somewhat weighed down a bag of pesos physical proof that validates her belief.
That being said, the day was not without its oddities.
For all intents and purposes, Matías was exactly as he had always been. But Mirabel is a master of reading the tiniest of cues and changes in a person’s body language, and she noticed that the towering hunk had been somewhat…distracted today.
While his work in the fields did not indicate that something was up, Mirabel had noticed moments where Matías acted a little lost, like he was deep in thought and not really paying attention to his surroundings. Multiple times during the morning, Matías would pause for a second, appearing not quite present, before resuming his harvesting. Such occurrences would have gone unnoticed by the ordinary layperson, but Mirabel picked up each time it happened with growing concern.
It also didn’t help that Antonio was being especially clingy today. Her primo stayed glued to her side, always trying to engage in conversation with her, and never once stepping away, only doing so when they arrived at Señora López’s shop and Mirabel went to work on orders.
While this would not have fazed Mirabel on any other day, the unexpected clinginess made her realise that something was up. When she tried to ask Antonio during a short break halfway through the afternoon, the young boy simply beamed at her and told her not to worry about it.
Which, of course, made Mirabel worry even more.
Still, she never got any answers out of her primo, and with the day coming to an end, Mirabel bade Señora López farewell, and left the shop with Antonio by her side.
As is routine, they wait for Matías to come by and pick them up. While Mirabel does know how to get back to the house from the shop, Matías insisted that he pick them up and escort them home. It was logically unnecessary, but Mirabel appreciates the gesture, especially since she always enjoyed being in Matías’ company.
Although this evening would ultimately prove to not be routine in the slightest bit.
“Hola, hermosa.”
Mirabel turns around. Standing before her is a young man that is definitely not Matías. For one, he is not as tall as Matías, and definitely skinnier. The man is dressed in a way that looks like an extremely bad attempt at being suave. And unlike Matías’ natural curls, the man’s hair is clearly done up with too much product and liberal use of a curling iron. Again, all in an attempt to look suave, but failing miserably.
“Yes?” her guard is already up, she has a bad feeling about this man, “How may I help you?”
Antonio clings to her side tightly.
“¿Te has perdido? Porque el cielo está bien lejos de aquí,” the man says with a laughable attempt at being smooth.
Mirabel doesn’t appreciate the sentiment, “Thank you for the compliment, but I’m not interested. Please leave us alone.”
“Why? A beautiful girl such as yourself shouldn’t be all alone,” the man continues regardless, inching closer towards Mirabel, “Come on, I can show you around. I can show you all the good places to have fun, just the two of us, together.”
He takes her hand, but Mirabel yanks it back. Outraged, she slaps the man hard across the face, “I already told you to leave us alone! What about that do you not understand?!”
Despite the blossoming handprint on his cheek, the man chuckles, “My, my, you are quite the feisty one, aren’t you? That turns me on so much. Oh how I imagine our first time will be like, you on my bed, and -”
He does not get to say anything else, as a shadow looms over him.
The first thing Matías notices is a man standing before Mirabel and Antonio.
He then hears the man’s words, and everything goes red.
Blood. Red.
Matías crosses the distance in two strides, looming over the man who is easily a head shorter than him. He grabs the fool by the collar, and lifts him off the ground. An unmanly shriek erupts from the damned soul, and Matías spins him around to glare down at him, face-to-face.
“Just what do you think you are doing?”
The man stammers, “W-W-What is it to you? I’m just chatting with her!”
“She wants nothing to do with you,” Matías growls, teeth bared, “She already told you twice that she is not interested in your pathetic attempts at flirting. She even slapped you for good measure, but you never listened. You even insinuated something that should never have been spoken in front of a five-year-old boy .”
The man is shaking like a leaf, the handprint coming into sharper focus from how pale his face has become. Matías is then hit by the acrid smell of ammonia. The subsequent trickling sound is all he needs to know that his victim had just embarrassed himself further.
“Get the hell out of here, and never bother her again,” Matías warns, deadly serious as his flinty eyes burn with black fire, “Otherwise, I will turn you into mincemeat and feed your remains to the boy’s jaguar. Am I clear?”
The man makes the mistake of not using his tongue fast enough.
“I said, am. I. clear ?”
“Yes! Yes! Crystal!”
Matías tosses the man onto the ground. Without a moment’s hesitation, the man scurries off, clutching his soaked crotch in a failed bid to not look anymore like the fool he already is.
Once the man is gone, Matías quickly goes to Mirabel, “Are you alright?”
One second ago, she was faced by a lecherous pervert who did not understand the simple meaning of the word “no”.
One second later, Mirabel is watching the pervert literally piss himself in terror as Matías plucks him off the ground like a carrot, dangling him in the air while glaring down at him with the most murderous bloodlust she had ever seen on a person.
And Mirabel knows that it could have ended in blood being spilt, but they are in a public place, and she didn’t want Matías caught up with the messy logistics of explaining a murder on his hands.
Having gotten the message, the pervert is let go, and he flees like the mouse he is, looking even more embarrassing as he clutches at his drenched pants from the involuntary release of his bladder.
The next thing Mirabel knows is Matías coming close, his murderous rage replaced with concerned worry. He asks, “Are you alright?”
It takes a moment for her to respond, “I’m fine. You came just in time.”
Matías seems to think for a split second. Mirabel suddenly finds herself pulled into a tight, desperate hug.
“When I saw that man proposition you, saying those vile words, I wanted to kill him,” Matías admits, “I really wanted to turn him into Parce’s next meal. But you were so scared, I didn’t want to scare you any more than you already were.”
Unlike the brief touch of the pervert’s hand, which had sickened Mirabel down to her very soul, the feeling of Matías’ strong, powerful arms wrapped around her, squeezing her tightly and bordering suffocating; the strong, unyielding wall of muscle pressed flush on her body, and the pounding of a heart still running on adrenaline, fear and protectiveness against her ear, fills Mirabel with so much warmth, like the rays of the sun appearing after a ferocious storm. She quickly returns the hug, squeezing Matías as tightly as he is with her.
“You came, and you dealt with that disgusting pervert,” Mirabel replies, trying to not sound as shaken as she still is, “I’m not scared anymore, because you are here.”
If it is even possible, Matías squeezes Mirabel tighter.
Watching the entire scene unfold before his eyes, Antonio reaches an epiphany.
He had challenged Matías to prove that he is worthy for his Mamí. To prove that he is genuine about his feelings for her, and not trying to hurt her any more than she has already been hurt by the family they left behind.
And in a space of a minute (although it felt much longer than that), Matías did not meet his expectations.
He fucking obliterated them.
Antonio has only seen Mirabel being so vulnerable through stolen glances, when he pretends to be sleeping and he sees how she is hurting inside, how she hides her tears and weeps until she believes that she is alone, and how she wishes to be loved and cherished for who she is.
And Matías is the one. He is the one who loves his Mamí for the beautiful, gifted girl she has always been. He is the one who is more than willing to threaten murder and pain to the bad man who made his Mamí scared and uncomfortable. Matías is the one whom Mirabel openly expresses her vulnerable side wholeheartedly to, without any false smiles or masks.
Antonio is now certain.
Matías is truly the one for his Mamí.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Did I just sacrifice a few hours of exam revision to finish a chapter that is exactly two months overdue?
Yes, yes I did.
Proceed to shame me for my insolence.
- Kai
Chapter 15: Progressing Forward
Summary:
The plot continues.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
They don’t tell Julia and Carlos about what happened when they arrive back at the house. There is no need for any extra drama when all Mirabel wants is a hot evening meal, a bath and then some sleep.
Well, she also wants Matías’ presence near her, preferably until further notice.
For his part, Matías is more than willing to stay close to Mirabel’s side at all times. At the dinner table, his chair is literally flush up next to Mirabel’s chair. Due to his broad frame, Matías slings an arm across the back of Mirabel’s chair to give her enough space to eat properly.
Nobody says anything about the intimate gesture, although Julia and Carlos do share a pleased look when the two teens are not looking. Antonio, for his part, waits for the moment where he can catch Matías alone. He gets his chance when the meal comes to an end, and Carlos ropes in Mirabel to help with the washing up. Julia still has to finish folding the laundry before bed, so Carlos had been relegated to the sink tonight.
Matías is about to offer his help when he is stopped.
“Señor Matías, I want to talk to you.”
Admittedly, Matías feels a spike of nervousness down his spine. However, he gathers his courage and follows Antonio out of the dining room, occasionally glancing back to make sure that Parce had not been summoned and was about to make a meal out of him.
They go into the living room. Antonio sits down on the sofa, and Matías moves to kneel before him, but the young boy stops him, “No, sit down next to me. You are not in trouble.”
Matías unconsciously releases the breath he had been holding in. He takes the seat next to Antonio, and waits for the young boy to talk.
“What happened just now, when you chased off that bad man that was scaring my Mamí, she showed her true self to you,” Antonio says, “My Mamí has always been strong. She is strong for me, and she hides her pain behind her smiles. She thought that I didn't know that she was hurting, but I know that she is in a lot of pain, especially while we were in the Encanto. I only know that she was in pain because we trust each other very much. Señor Matías,” Antonio regards the hunk with a serious, but incredibly meaningful gaze, “my Mamí trusts you very much. She showed her inside self to you. She only does that with people she trusts very much.”
Matías nods, “I can understand.”
“As such,” Antonio continues, “I’ve decided that you are telling the truth. Your feelings for my Mamí are real, and you love her very much. I believe you.”
For Matías, this is just as good an approval as it gets.
“I promise to never betray Mirabel. I swear on my life.”
“You better keep your promise,” Antonio’s eyes now have a deadly tint to them, “Otherwise, it won’t be that bad man who Parce will eat.”
At this, Matías slides off the sofa, and gets to his knees before the young boy, “I will always keep my promise. Pinkie swear?”
He offers his right pinkie to Antonio. With this gesture, the young boy finally smiles, and curls his left pinkie around the offered pinkie.
“If you break your promise, you will die, got it?”
“Sí, Antonio, I got it.”
Antonio pulls his hand back, “Does that make you my Papí now?”
Matías responds with a small smile, “I will be whatever you want me to be, Antonio.”
“Then, be my Papí!”
A soft chuckle, “Of course, Toñito.”
“So, let me get this straight, those vines and creepers that spread all across the walls came from Isabela?” Bruno double-checks.
“Sí, Tío Bruno, it all came from Isabela,” Dolores patiently replies.
“We’re talking about Isabela here, golden child, grower of roses and flor de mayo?”
“Sí, Tío Bruno.”
The bedraggled man leans back into his armchair, running a hand down his curls, “Forgive me for finding this hard to believe, sobrina.”
“I understand, it was a long time coming though,” Dolores replies, as one of the rats peeks over her shoulder, “If anything, it made the Miracle stronger, and it healed some of the cracks.”
“That’s good, that’s good,” Bruno nods, “But not all of them, though. While no new ones have appeared, the old ones are still there.”
“I mean, Mirabel and Antonio are still gone, and there is still Abuela to deal with,” Dolores sighs, “Honestly, if it weren’t for Casita always sending food and drink to Abuela’s room, I think we would have made much bigger progress on healing the cracks within our family.”
Bruno chuckles at what his sobrina was insinuating, “For all the faults my mamá has, there must still be some love somewhere, deep down. Otherwise, I think the Miracle would have died a long time ago, and Casita would be nothing more than rubble by now.”
“But what happened?” Dolores wonders, “How did Abuela become who she is now?”
“I really don’t know, kiddo,” Bruno replies with a shrug, “All I know is that it pertains to the Miracle, and possibly my papá’s sacrifice. Even as a child, your abuela never talked much about your abuelo. She always said that we should put our focus on keeping the Miracle strong. The slightest mention of your abuelo upsets her.”
Dolores purses her lips in consideration, “I don’t suppose you know what happened to Abuelo Pedro?”
“I was only a little baby when he sacrificed himself,” Bruno replies, “Even if I did see what happened, I wouldn’t have remembered it, let alone understand.”
Silence follows a short while, save for the squeaks and chitters of the rats.
“Tío Bruno, I want to ask you something.”
“What is it, sobrina?”
“Can I…show Tía Julieta and Tío Agustín the vision of Mirabel and the guy she is kissing?” Dolores asks.
Bruno sits up, “Why do you want to?”
Dolores takes the lack of instant refusal as a good sign, “I overheard Tía Julieta and Tío Agustín talking about receiving a letter from Mirabel. Antonio’s toucan had brought it over. They miss her a lot, and I thought that…showing them the vision might give them more hope for the future?”
Bruno considers this for a moment, “I will have to reveal myself to Julieta though.”
“True, but Tío Bruno, I think it's time that we take the next step towards healing the cracks,” Dolores replies, “And besides, Tía Julieta is not likely to kick up that big a storm by seeing you. Not like my mamá, at any rate.”
Bruno chuckles mirthlessly, “Yeah, I don’t think Pepa will want to see me any time soon. Is she still hung up about how I ruined her wedding day?”
“Actually, I talked to both mamá and papá about that,” Dolores reveals, which makes Bruno blink, “Turns out, the bad reputation and image fostered by the Encanto against you had warped my mamá’s perception of you somewhat.” At Bruno’s silent prompting, she continues, “Until I spoke to her, mamá believed that you told her that it was going to rain on her wedding day out of pure malice and spite. But when I got her to really think about it, and how she remembered seeing you growing up from childhood, I made her question whether you really attempted to sabotage her wedding, or was it simply a well-intentioned bid to help her relax, only for it backfire because of it simply being the wrong thing to say at the wrong time. That, and with the constant fear-mongering from the Encanto about how you are “bad-luck Bruno” because of your visions, how that terrible moment where she unleashed a hurricane during her own wedding became warped and clouded into a belief that you had sought out to ruin the biggest day of her life. It all fed into the never-ending, reinforcing cycle of this false reality where you are the villain, the monster that preys on the good. I think after I spoke to her, mamá is starting to realise how much she had previously believed was actually wrong.”
Bruno is left speechless for a good minute. Dolores says nothing, patiently waiting until her tío is able to speak again.
“I-Is this true? You’re not pulling my leg, are you?”
“You know I will never lie to you, Tío Bruno,” Dolores replies, “Although, I don’t think it is a good time to reveal yourself to my mamá yet. She…is still beginning to heal, and experiencing life where her emotions are not under the control of the townspeople, or Abuela for that matter. She is still feeling a lot of things, and after what happened with Antonio, she is not in the state to receive another shock.”
Bruno nods readily. It makes sense after all. Even if many things that his hermana believed about him were wrong and a result of being warped by external forces, the beef still exists between them both. Warped or not, the animosity and subsequent collapse of their relationship still happened. There is still unresolved trauma and pain that created the chasm between two of the three Madrigal triplets. And even if Pepa has realised that she unintentionally had a part to play in driving the wedge between them, healing the chasm is not going to happen overnight, especially not after everything that happened with Mirabel and Antonio.
“For now,” Dolores continues, “let’s work on having you and Tía Julieta meet, and show her the vision with Mirabel in it. I think…if there is one person who deserves an explanation about everything, it is Tía Julieta. Are you okay with that, Tío Bruno?”
Here, he pauses to consider. The instinctual part of him, fostered from years of being the outcast, the doomsayer of the Madrigals, the harbinger of pain and death, screamed at him to refuse, to kick Dolores out of his hideaway, and pretend that everything was still normal, that he has his rats and telenovelas and everything was still normal -
But he thought otherwise.
Because things are no longer normal. Things cannot be, or go back to, being normal anymore.
In a blink of an eye, two family members ran away from it all and started afresh outside. Once pristine pedestals came crashing down. Dynamics shifted and changed into something unrecognisable. Wrongs have been pointed out, and according to Dolores, are on the path to being set right. Everything that they once knew has been turned upside down on its head.
Like it or not, the family, and perhaps by extension the Encanto, are tumbling down a slope into the murky depths of the unknown. Everything his mamá had done and built up since the Miracle was born, to ensure certainty and stability, is being undone by the corruption of her original goal. And isn’t that ironic, his mamá strove to build a safe and stable home for her family and community, only for it to now be breaking apart at the seams, and hurt the very ones it was supposed to protect.
Bruno understands that the change is unstoppable at this point. That even as his instincts scream and beg for him to stop the avalanche in its tracks through some superhuman act of denial and refusal, he knows that nothing will stop the incoming tide of change until it sweeps everything away, leaving barren earth for a new status quo to be built on it.
“Just Julieta?”
“Only her,” Dolores promises.
Bruno takes a long, shaky breath, before nodding, “Alright.”
It doesn’t hit her until she is in the shower.
Perhaps her attention had been on food, her hunger overriding everything else.
But once her stomach has been filled, and Mirabel is in the shower to wash away the dirt and sweat of the day, it finally hits her.
A pervert had tried to make advances towards her. A man with impure intentions had tried to proposition her, repeatedly, despite her refusals. That pervert had even touched her.
Granted, he only touched her hand, but Mirabel remembers that moment with revulsion. It felt like poison was creeping into her veins, a thick, viscous liquid that stung and rotted. In that second of contact, Mirabel felt like throwing up, although the nausea had been quelled by the rage she had felt at the same time.
Now though, there was nothing to stop the nausea from returning, and the general feeling of dirtiness, uncleanliness, and disgust from crawling all over her nerves.
Mirabel spent far longer in the bathroom than ever before, scrubbing away at the phantom filth until her skin began to look raw. Even so, she still did not feel completely clean, an uneasiness within her that no amount of soap and water can wash away.
It unnerved her to no end. This is the first time she is feeling this. Not even living in the Encanto brought upon such an experience, despite the pain and sadness that overshadowed her life for the past ten years. It is completely foreign, alien, and Mirabel did not like it .
Finally, after forcing herself to leave the bathroom, Mirabel goes to change into her nightgown. She had just slipped into her sleepwear when someone knocks on the door.
“Mirabel? Can I come in?”
Recognising that voice, she immediately calls back, “I’m decent. You can come in.”
The door opens, and Matías enters. Mirabel notes that he too appears to be preparing for bed.
“I wanted to check on you. Is everything okay?”
Mirabel glances at the doorway, “Can you close it?”
Matías does as requested.
“Matías…I don’t know what’s happening to me.”
“Is something wrong?” his baritone voice takes on a concerned edge.
“I just feel…really dirty,” Mirabel confesses, hugging herself, “I didn’t think about it during dinner, but when I was in the bathroom, I remembered…that pervert from earlier. I kept remembering him taking my hand, and how it makes me feel so…so…”
“Violated,” Matías replies.
Mirabel looks up to his gaze, as the hunk goes closer. He asks, “Did this sort of thing ever happen in the Encanto?”
“...no, never. Everyone knows everyone in the Encanto, and we never had people like that.”
“I don’t blame you for feeling this way,” Matías replies, gently guiding Mirabel to sit down on the bed, “You have never experienced anything like what happened before. It’s to be expected that you don’t know how to describe what you are feeling.”
Mirabel considers her next question, “Does this…happen often here?”
“Thankfully no, but there have been a few cases in the past,” Matías replies, “Usually, the victim is the target of men who have too much to drink. They are completely innocent, just minding their own business. I sometimes hear the old folks talking about these incidents, how the victim feels so disgusted with herself, feeling dirty, unclean, and how no amount of washing or bathing makes it go away.”
The hunk glances down, and Mirabel can see the shame cloud his eyes, “I’m sorry, Mirabel. You shouldn’t have had to go through that. If only I got there sooner -”
“No!” she cries, grabbing his arm and making him turn to her, “No, please, don’t apologise. You got there before that pervert could do anything bad. You chased him off. You saved me and Antonio. I…I just want to focus on that. You saved me from a bad situation. You kept me safe.”
Mirabel sighs, looking down to Matías’ left hand, “And I feel safe with you. When you are close by, I feel like nothing can happen to me. I feel incredibly warm when you are next to me. And when you hugged me, I felt like everything will be okay. I continued to feel that when we had dinner earlier, and your arm was around my chair.”
Matías regards her with a soft look, “Can…I hold you?”
Mirabel nods, and lets herself be pulled into the hunk’s warmth.
“What would you like to do, Mirabel?”
She leans into his chest, “Can you…sleep with me tonight?”
“In the same bed?”
“Sí, I don’t know if I can sleep without you close by,” Mirabel admits.
“What about Antonio?” Matías has to ask, considering how the young boy has always slept in the same bed with Mirabel since arriving in the town.
“I can sleep with Parce.”
Both Mirabel and Matías whip towards the door. It is now open, and in the doorway, stands Antonio in his pyjamas, and Parce by his side.
“I heard everything,” the young boy admits, “It’s okay Mamí, you can sleep with Papí tonight. Parce can keep me warm. Buenas noches!”
With a wave, Antonio walks away, with the jaguar following behind him. Both Matías and Mirabel stare at the doorway for a second longer, before turning to each other.
“Well…that solves things.”
Mirabel, however, is focused on something else, “Did Toñito just call you…?”
“It’s a long story.”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
So I decided to save Julieta and Bruno's reunion for the next chapter, as we covered quite a lot today and I didn't want to cram too many things into one chapter.
Plus, I need a bit more time to figure out how the reunion should play out.
Now, I really need to get back to my studies. Until next time!
- Kai
Chapter 16: Righting The Wrongs
Summary:
Bruno reunites with his eldest sister, and a grave injustice is made right.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Bruno takes a deep breath, and releases it slowly.
This is the moment, everything has been building up to this. He slept over it, he woke up with it still in his mind, and he talked to himself, switching between his personas of Hernando and Jorge, to build up the courage to go through his promise to his sobrina.
The vision in question is sitting on a stool, with several of his rats peering at it curiously.
When he feels like he has built up enough courage, Bruno takes the vision, hides it inside his ruana. With a final release of breath, he leaves his tiny hideaway, his rats squeaking as he goes, almost as if they are wishing him luck on what he is about to.
Bruno snorts, he is going to need a lot of luck for this.
When he reaches the portrait, he taps against it three times. It opens, and it reveals Dolores standing on the other side.
“You ready, Tío Bruno?”
“As ready as I ever will be,” he replies honestly.
Dolores gives him an encouraging smile, and helps him out of the hole. There is no one else around in sight.
“Everyone is in their respective rooms,” Dolores whispers quietly, “Except Isabela. She’s currently out in the forest with Luisa.”
“What is she doing out there?” Bruno asks.
“Experimenting with her Gift,” Dolores replies, “Luisa is there with her to make sure that she doesn’t hurt herself as she goes wild. Also, I think it’s because Luisa needs to get some fresh air after being cooped up in her room for so long.”
Bruno nods, and before he knows it, they are standing outside Julieta’s room.
“Wait here, okay? I will go in first,” Dolores says.
“Alright.”
Dolores squeezes her tío’s hand, and goes to knock on the door, “Tía Julieta? It’s me, Dolores. Can I come in?”
She enters quickly to make sure that the people inside do not see him standing in the doorway. When the door clicks shut behind Dolores, Bruno fiddles with his ruana, glancing around in case anyone who is still in Casita suddenly comes out of their rooms.
He doesn’t know how long he spends waiting outside his hermana’s door. It could have been seconds, minutes, or even hours. All he does know, however, is that the moment of truth comes when the door opens, and Dolores reappears.
“You can come in now.”
Sucking in a deep breath, and subconsciously wishing he had brought along some salt to throw over his shoulder for good luck, Bruno makes the few steps into his hermana’s room, Dolores opening the door wider to let him inside.
The first thing he hears is a soft gasp. He looks up, and makes eye contact with Julieta and Agustín for the first time in ten years.
Julieta still looks almost like she did a decade prior, other than some greying hair and a few more wrinkles and laugh lines around her eyes. Those eyes, though, are now as wide as dinner plates. Her mouth is hanging open, though it is swiftly covered by her right hand. Standing beside her, Agustín is just as stunned, his own mouth hanging far lower than Julieta’s, and there was no attempt by him to cover it.
For a few long, awkward seconds, no words were said.
“B-Bruno?” Julieta then finds her tongue.
Mustering whatever courage he can find, Bruno puts on an awkward smile, “H-Hola, hermana.”
Let it be known that ever since she arrived in this town beyond the mountains, and especially ever since Antonio joined her, along with all of his animal friends, Mirabel has been enjoying much better sleep than in the nursery back in the Encanto.
But when she shared the bed with Matías, and during the night, he had somehow pulled her into his chest, with his arms wrapped tightly around her, Mirabel could say with absolute certainty that last night was the best night she had ever slept.
(Although it did prove a bit of a hassle to untangle herself from Matías’ iron grip, especially since, despite still being asleep, he was apparently quite determined to keep him within his warmth.)
After breakfast, where Carlos and Julia kept sneaking knowing looks at Mirabel and Matías, and Antonio who seemed merely content to eat his morning food to really contribute to the atmosphere hanging around the dining room, Mirabel and Matías headed out to the fields, with Antonio tagging along to once again act as pest control.
All in all, the day started out rather unremarkably.
That is, until it was time for Mirabel to head over to Señora López’s shop for the afternoon.
This time, surprisingly, Antonio insisted that Mirabel go alone, claiming that he wants to spend time with his new “Papí” (which only confuses Mirabel even more, although that eases somewhat when Matías promises to fill her in on what happened later in the evening), and to make sure that those “pesky mosquitoes leave Papí alone”.
As such, Mirabel makes her way to the shop alone, and gets stuck in on the orders of the day.
Apart from the usual business, there is one order that takes particular priority.
In a few days, a fifteen-year-old girl from the town will be celebrating her quinceañera. It will be a small, private affair with only close friends and family invited. However, just because the event will be small and simple, that doesn't mean that the dress for the lucky girl is just as simple.
The dress has got to be Mirabel’s greatest work thus far, even more so than the wedding gown which she helped fix some time back. Unlike the wedding gown, which was already mostly put together and Mirabel simply had to make a few alterations and additions to make it beautiful once more, the quinceañera dress had to be started from scratch, assembled piece by piece, and then ruffled up with the required accessories to complete the work.
In all honesty, making this dress is a bittersweet experience for Mirabel.
On the one hand, she feels honoured and proud to have a hand in helping a girl have what is arguably her most important day of her life. On the other hand, though, the dress is a tangible reminder of what Mirabel never got to experience. She is fifteen this year, but she never got to have a quinceañera, unlike her hermanas and prima. Abuela refused to let her have that quintessential milestone, dismissing it as nothing more than “frivolous”. Everything about Mirabel meant nothing to Abuela, no matter how much she tried, which was one of the main reasons why she chose to run away from the Encanto.
Still, Mirabel refuses to let the dark thoughts distract her from her work. She had been entrusted with this very important task to make a teenage girl (who sadly is not her, perhaps never her - ) have her happiest day in her adolescent life.
Mirabel is in the midst of sewing roses along the hem of the skirt, when the door to the workshop opens.
“Mirabel, I think you should take a break,” Señora López ambles in with a paper bag, “You’ve been working for hours non-stop.”
“I can’t afford to stop, Señora,” Mirabel replies absently, “I need to make sure the dress is ready in time to be delivered.”
Señora López huffs, “I get it, but a 10 minute break is not going to kill you,” she ambles over and physically stops Mirabel from continuing, “Plus, I could hear your stomach grumbling from the other side of the door. Señora Julia made sure to stop by earlier. She has some arepas for you to eat.”
Mirabel’s stomach chooses then to grumble again, which proves the old woman’s point. With a resigned sigh, Mirabel lets herself be led to a table and set down on a chair. The paper bag is opened, and an arepa is brought to her lips.
“Come, mi vida, eat.”
It is almost reminiscent of her mamá getting her (or her papá whenever he gets stung by bees) to eat, that Mirabel can’t stop the chuckle, and graciously accepts the arepa. She munches it in less than ten seconds, and then helps herself to more from the bag. Señora López watches the girl ravage the bag with a gentle smile, until everything has been consumed, and Mirabel leans back into the chair with a sigh, hand on her belly and a contented sigh leaving her lips.
“Feeling better?”
“Much better, gracias,” Mirabel replies.
“Do you often forget to eat when you are working on something?” Señora López asks.
“Sometimes…I often try to keep myself busy when I’m not taking care of Toñito,” Mirabel replies, “In doing so, I lose track of time.”
Señora López nods, turning to the almost-completed dress, “You’re doing a fine job thus far. I’m sure Laura will be over the moon once she receives her dress.”
“She deserves to be happy,” Mirabel replies, almost absently, not really registering what she is saying, “At least she got to experience something I didn’t.”
Mirabel only registers what she just said when Señora López’s voice, saturated with surprise and concern, reaches her ears, “You never had your quinceañera?”
Julieta and Agustín are still staring wide-eyed and slack-jawed, and the seconds are ticking past with no change or shift in their expressions. Bruno is growing increasingly uncomfortable and nervous at their continued silence, fidgeting under their intense gazes.
“U-Um…surprise?”
Finally, Julieta makes a sign that she is still alive, “B-Bruno? I-Is that really you?”
Torn between relief that he had not accidentally given his older hermana an aneurysm and fear of the explosion to come, Bruno hesitantly nods, “S-Sí, it’s me.”
A switch is flipped.
Julieta surges towards Bruno. But before he could even think of running away, Bruno is suddenly caught up in a tight, desperate hug.
“Y-You’re actually here,” Julieta shudders, as Bruno feels the telltale drops of tears splashing on his shoulder, “Y-You’re alive.”
“I-I never left, hermana,” Bruno shakily replies, still not comprehending how he hasn’t been torn to shreds by his eldest hermana yet, “I was in the walls.”
Julieta pulls away to meet his eyes, “The w-walls?”
“I could never abandon my family,” Bruno explains, “I love all of you too much to do so. I went into the walls, out of sight from everyone, but still within Casita.”
Julieta takes her hermano’s hands into her own, “Why did you disappear?”
Bruno sighs, “It’s a long story, but I disappeared for Mirabel’s sake.”
Julieta’s breath hitched, as did Agustín, “Mirabel?”
“See, when Mirabel’s door disappeared ten years ago, Abuela begged me to see what was causing the magic to falter. I had a vision…and it showed Mirabel, with Casita cracking in the background.”
Julieta gasps, a hand flying to her mouth.
“But the vision…it showed two possible futures,” Bruno continues quickly, “On one side, it showed Mirabel with an intact Casita, and the other side showed Casita cracking. I deduced that Mirabel was either the reason why the Miracle was in danger, or the reason it will be saved. B-But…I couldn’t reveal such information, not after what happened with Mirabel’s door. A-And…” he looks down, “...I knew what everyone would say, because I was “bad luck Bruno” who made terrible things happen. So I abandoned my room and went into hiding. It was all to protect Mirabel, to give her as normal a childhood as possible.”
Julieta is left speechless, as is Agustín, who had come up to support his wife.
“I could always hear him,” Dolores reveals, “I just never revealed his presence to anyone, because it was not my place to disclose such information. I did make sure that he was fed and watered though.”
A few seconds pass in silence, as Julieta and Agustín process the information laid before them.
“However,” Dolores suddenly says, “I believe that old vision is no longer in effect.”
“What do you mean?” Agustín asks.
“Ever since Mirabel ran away from the Encanto, Tío Bruno returned to his room to see the future once more,” Dolores explains, “Do you want to show them what you saw?”
Bruno slowly nods, and digs into his ruana, pulling out the vision plate he had been hiding inside up until that moment.
“This is what I saw.”
Julieta gasps a second time, the other hand flying to her mouth. Agustín’s jaw falls to the lowest it has ever been in his life, and his eyes very nearly pop out of their sockets, his glasses falling askew.
“M-Mi pequeña…”
Agustín forcibly shuts his jaw, before rounding on Bruno, “Who is that man?! Why is he kissing my hija?!”
Bruno very nearly throws the plate away, spooked by his brother-in-law’s outburst. Dolores decides to intervene then, “Tío Agustín, cálmate. Tío Bruno is only the messenger. This only means that Mirabel will find love in the future.”
“She’s too young!” Agustín very not calmly exclaims, “It’s too soon for her to be romanced!”
Dolores rolls her eyes, knowing that her tío is coming from a place of good intentions, but he is still spooking Bruno very badly, who looks a mere second away from fleeing back to his hideaway. She goes to Agustín, and grabs his shoulders, “Tío, por favor, cálmate. For real. I know this is a great shock to you, but surely, don’t you want Mirabel to be happy?”
“I-I - of course, I do!” Agustín splutters.
“Then have faith that what we see in Tío Bruno’s vision will turn out to be a good thing,” Dolores squeezes his shoulders, “We have to stop seeing Tío Bruno as some harbinger of doom. Every single vision is just a picture into a possible future. It is how we react to each vision that feeds into the cycle of negativity and fear that has been running for too long already. And besides, Antonio is with Mirabel right now. I’m very sure that whoever that man in the vision is, he will know never to get on Mirabel’s bad side, lest he wants to become the next meal for Antonio’s jaguar.”
That seems to mollify Agustín somewhat. Still… “I want to meet this man. I need to have a few words with him!”
“Maybe, one day,” Dolores pats her tío’s shoulders, before turning to Julieta, “How are you taking this, tía?”
“I…I think I need to sit down for a moment.”
Julieta heads to her bed, and sits down heavily. Dolores patiently sits down beside her, while Bruno hangs back, fiddling the vision plate a little nervously.
“I know this is a huge shock for you too…” Dolores starts.
“It is, I won’t deny it,” Julieta nods, before turning to her sobrina, “B-But…more importantly, does this mean that Mirabel, wherever she is, will be happier now?”
“I have no doubt she will be,” Dolores grins, “She made the right decision to leave the Encanto. And I have absolute faith that whoever that man is, he will give Mirabel all the happiness and joy she deserves.”
Julieta sighs, but there is a quiet acceptance to it, “Ay…mi vida is growing up so fast. I wish I could have been there to witness her find her first love.”
Dolores pats her tía’s back, “I know, tía. I know.”
It is a testament to how much Mirabel had accepted her lot in life when she doesn't flinch, even when Señora López asked her that touchy question.
“Sí, I never had a quinceañera. Was not allowed to have one.”
The elderly proprietress is now very concerned, “Why not?”
“My abuela did not allow me to have my quinceañera,” Mirabel explains, waving her hand nonchalantly, “She doesn’t like me much, because I was completely ordinary with no special gift. I was never enough for her, no matter how much I tried. My mamá tried to convince her to let me have a quinceañera, but she refused, saying that it was nothing but “frivolous” and a waste of time.”
Mirabel shrugs, “Oh well, it’s not like I’m living there anymore. I don’t need to think about it anymore. I’m much happier here, and I have everything I could ever ask for. So what if I didn’t have a quinceañera, anyways?”
Her tone suggests that she is done with the conversation. However, while she doesn’t say anything else, Señora López is not planning to let the topic go.
Far from it.
The day eventually comes to an end.
Mirabel bids Señora López farewell, and meets Antonio and Matías at the entrance of the shop. Together, they head home, freshen up, and prepare for dinner.
Julia and Carlos are already at the dining table when all three enter and take their places. The food has been laid out, but strangely, no one is allowed to eat yet.
“Everyone, before we speak the grace and eat, I have an announcement to make,” Julia stands up, bringing all attention to her, “This pertains to all of us, but especially you, Mirabel.”
Mirabel blinks in surprise, “Me?”
“Sí, you,” Julia continues, “It has come to my attention that you were denied a fundamental part of every young girl’s life. As such, it has been decided that next week, the entire town will hold a belated quinceañera just for you.”
The entire world screeches to a halt.
“W-What?”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Basically:
Mirabel: I was not given a quinceañera, because my abuela was a trick-ass bitch. But I'm over it. It doesn't matter anymore. I'm happy now, and I don't care about the past.
Señora López and Julia: I think the fuck not.
- Kai
Chapter 17: Preparations
Summary:
Preparations are underway for Mirabel's belated quinceañera, while three members of the Madrigal family make the journey across the mountains.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“L-Lo siento, you want to do what ?” Mirabel is sure she misheard.
“We are going to hold a belated quinceañera for you, Mirabel,” Julia replies patiently, “I was informed by Señora López earlier that you were denied one by that abuela of yours. This is an injustice that cannot be reconciled with. I have already informed the town council, and we will have your quinceañera after Laura has hers.”
Mirabel is left speechless. Beside her, Antonio cheers, “Yay! My Mamí will get to have her special day!”
Matías, on the other hand, looks torn between happiness for Mirabel, and dark vengeance towards her abuela, “You deserve to have one, Mirabel. Also, remind me to have a few words with that abuela of yours.”
Carlos turns to his hijo, “Matías, no murder.”
“Sí, papá. Just a few words.”
Mirabel, meanwhile, manages to find her tongue, “B-But…I -”
“No buts, Mirabel,” Julia cuts her off, “You are going to have your quinceañera, and you will have a spectacular time. Additionally, I think it is only right that you invite your padres to your big day.”
This renders Mirabel silent once more. Antonio brightens, “Oh! Can we also invite Lola too?”
“Who is Lola?” Carlos asks.
“My prima, Dolores,” Mirabel replies, “She…was there for me, more than my own hermanas. She was the only one I told that I was leaving.”
Julia nods, “She sounds like a trustworthy and dependable person. Additionally, I’m sure Antonio will be happy to see Dolores again.”
“I miss her a lot!” Antonio nods, “She comforted me when I learnt that my Mamí left without me! I do think about her from time to time, but of course, my Mamí is more important to me!”
Mirabel feels her heart warm up involuntarily, but a sobering thought crosses her mind, “Wait…if we invite my padres and Dolores, how will they get here? The mountain…”
“True, but you and Antonio arrived here by way of a magical, golden butterfly, no?” Julia points out, “I’m sure when your padres and prima reach the mountain, the same miraculous sign will grant them passage through.”
Somehow, Mirabel is comforted by the woman’s words. While there is no way to know for sure, Mirabel somehow feels confident that what Julia said will come true. If it worked for her and Antonio, surely it will work for the people she loves most dearly?
“Now, enough talking, let us say grace and tuck in,” Julia brings Mirabel back to the present, “You can write a letter to your padres afterwards.”
Pico is once again tasked with bringing the letter back to the Encanto. Knowing that it is an urgent request, the toucan flies as fast as he could above the rainforest and mountains, arriving in front of Julieta’s window by the next sunrise.
Pico taps his beak hard against the window shutter, loud enough to let the occupants know that he is there.
A few seconds later, the window shutter opens, and Julieta appears.
“Pico?”
The toucan chirps, and produces the letter he had been carrying.
Julieta gasps, taking the letter and disappearing back into her room, “Agustín! Mi amor! Wake up!”
Her husband, still asleep when Pico arrived, grunts and groans as he is rather rudely shaken from his sleep, “What is it?”
“We have a letter! And it’s from Mirabel!”
Suddenly, life springs into Agustín. He is out of bed in a flash, barely remembering to put his spectacles on, and goes to his wife’s side, “Quick! Open it!”
The letter is taken out, and both begin to read what their faraway hija has to say this time.
Dearest Mamá y Papá,
I hope this letter reaches you safely and quickly, because I have exciting news!
I’m going to have a quinceñera! Or rather, a belated one.
See, the woman whom I am living with, Señora Julia, said that the town will be holding one for me next week! She was appalled when she learnt that Abuela did not allow me to celebrate my quinceñera, so she immediately decided that I will have one, and you both are invited, along with Dolores too!
I really hope you can make it. Antonio instructed Pico to guide you to the town where we live right now. Although I was concerned about the mountains beyond the Encanto, Señora Julia is confident that you will be able to cross it somehow. I don’t know why, but I feel that she is right.
Anyways, I really hope to see you soon. It has been so long, and I miss you both dearly.
Your dearest hija,
Mirabel
Julieta’s hand covers her trembling mouth, as tears roll down her eyes. She is unable to say anything, too overwhelmed with emotion to utter a word. Agustín, on the other hand, lets his words burst out like a rampaging river, “This is amazing! We should go, mi amor! We can get to see our Miraboo again!”
“But what about the house? And our family?”
“I’m sure they can survive for a week or so without us around,” Agustín reassures her, “We can cook enough food for the family to last for as long as we are gone for.”
Julieta eventually nods, “And Dolores?”
“I’m sure she will be ecstatic to go,” Agustín replies, “Apart from Mirabel, Antonio was closest to Dolores. I’m sure Antonio will be over the moon to see his hermana again.”
“Right, right, shall we tell Dolores, then?” Julieta asks.
“No need to do that,” comes a familiar voice.
Speak of the devil, and he (or she, in this case) will come. Dolores lets herself into the room.
“I overheard the conversation. I’m more than willing to come along. I miss Toñito and Mirabel a lot too, and I would like to see them again.”
“That’s settled then! Let’s pack, so that we can make our move as soon as possible!” Agustín says excitedly.
“Hold on, what about my hermana?” Julieta suddenly puts on the breaks.
“I will talk to her and explain everything,” Dolores reassures her tía, “I know that my padres miss Toñito a great deal, but we can’t afford to have too many of us go at once. Plus…” she becomes a bit wistful, “I don’t think Toñito will recognise them as his actual birth padres. He still sees Mirabel as his mamí, and I don’t think my mamá’s heart is strong enough for any disappointment just yet.”
Both Julieta and Agustín share a look of understanding. It was not the ideal situation, but for all involved parties, it was probably for the best.
“Well, since that has all been settled, can we trouble you to let your padres know about the plan, Dolores?” Agustín brings the conversation back to the matter at hand, “Your tía and I will start packing and making enough food to cover the time that we are gone.”
“Sí, tío, I too will go pack a few things once I’m done,” Dolores nods, before leaving the room, mentally preparing herself for the difficult conversation ahead.
Preparations are in full swing.
Once Laura has had her quinceañera (she absolutely loved the dress that Mirabel made for her, and thanked Mirabel profusely for making her day the absolute best), the town shifted towards getting things ready for Mirabel’s own belated quinceañera.
Everyone got involved. The men and women worked in tandem to decorate the entire town from top to bottom, and prepare enough food for the entire population and then some. Everyone collectively agreed that Mirabel deserved to have the very best quinceañera possible, which effectively killed whatever remaining doubt and protest she had wanted to say.
Mirabel herself was whisked around in a flurry of activity to get herself ready for the big day.
She spent many hours with Señora López and Julia discussing what her quinceañera dress should look like. They floated many ideas and possibilities, before settling on a flounced dress with a bertha collar, which is teal in colour, and with white lace flowers embroidered on the skirt and bodice. Mirabel had reasoned that she wanted to honour her mamá’s typical colour palette, and she did not want something too extravagant.
Once the dress had been settled, Señora López set about to start putting the dress together, while Julia then ran Mirabel through on what kind of make-up will fit her best with the selected dress. Just like with her dress, Mirabel decided on a simple look with cosmetics, a bit of blue eyeshadow, a light dusting of rouge for the cheeks, and lipstick that is a blend of nude and red.
As for accessories, Carlos made Mirabel’s heart melt by offering her a glittering diamond necklace that once belonged to his late madre, a pair of matching diamond bracelets, and a pair of silver pearl earrings. While she did try to refuse at first, Carlos insisted that his madre would have wanted her jewellery, which he had kept ever since her passing, to be used for a special occasion, and not just left as memories that will fade with time.
With such a heartfelt explanation (read: plea), Mirabel has no choice but to graciously accept the offer.
The moment has come.
The entire Madrigal family, save for a certain matriarch who is still locked in her room and a tío inside the walls but peeking out from the portrait, has gathered in Casita’s courtyard.
Three of them are packed for what they expect to be a week-long journey. Pico the toucan is perched on Dolores’ shoulder, while her other shoulder has a bag slung on it. Julieta is carrying her own bags, as is Agustín. Outside Casita, a cart has been brought in by Luisa, and a horse graciously loaned by one of the farmers who remained in the good books with the family because he never went out of his way to take advantage of Pepa’s emotions to water his part of the town’s farms.
As it is, Pepa and her husband Félix are now seeing Dolores off. It is an emotionally difficult moment for her. First she had her world rocked to shambles when her youngest child ran away from the Encanto, and all of her wrongdoings were laid bare to see by her eldest. And now, she is seeing her eldest child off at the door.
She had unleashed a tropical storm when Dolores told her that she is leaving for a week with Julieta and Agustín to attend Mirabel’s belated quinceañera and to see Antonio. Pepa was devastated to learn that in order to keep Casita running, only Dolores will be going. Julieta has made enough food to last their absence, but that matters little, when the opportunity to see her youngest niño is out of her reach.
It was a tough time for Dolores and her padres. While everyone understood why such an arrangement had to be made (the fact that Antonio doesn’t even see his own blood relations as his actual padres went unsaid), it was still a crushing blow to Pepa, and to a smaller extent, Félix, that they could not join Dolores in seeing their youngest child. The thoughts of making amends to Antonio had always been on the forefront of Pepa’s mind, and it was understandable of her to think that not being allowed to follow Dolores along to see her youngest child was especially cruel.
But her rational mind, as well as a long conversation with Félix once Dolores had excused herself, allowed Pepa to see reason. Not only would Antonio be unlikely to recognise them as his actual padres, there is still Camilo to consider. While their second child has taken full advantage of not having to go down into the Encanto shapeshifting into different people, he did privately confess that the reason why he wholeheartedly jumped at the chance in the first place was because shapeshifting has grown exhausting for him. In another shocking surprise, Camilo confessed the reason why he eats more at breakfast is because if he doesn’t, by afternoon he would be too weak from exhaustion and hunger to shapeshift.
It was a huge shocking blow to Félix, who constantly berated Camilo for shapeshifting into Dolores in order to get more food at breakfast. This revelation further drove the message of how much Pepa and Félix have failed their children, and reinforced the pressing need to better support their children, starting in the present moment.
As such, it is with a heavy heart and brave face (although the cloud hovering over her head is still very much present) that Pepa hugs her eldest child, pleading her to be safe.
“I will, mamá,” Dolores replies, “I will also look out for Tía Julieta and Tío Agustín.”
Another member of the family who is also experiencing a storm of emotions is Isabela.
When she heard about her padres leaving for a week to see her missing hermana, Isabela had begged them to let her and Luisa come along too. However, her pleas were turned down. As her padres explained, they could not have too many people come along. Some will need to stay behind to keep Casita running. When Isabela was about to protest, her mamá made an important point.
“Mirabel doesn’t know about what happened here. She will not be happy to see you there.”
That effectively ended all arguments, because Isabela saw the logical reasoning.
As far as Mirabel is concerned, Isabela will be an unwelcome annoyance at her belated quinceañera. If anything, Mirabel will think that Isabela is just there to ruin her big day, especially since she never got to have one herself when she turned fifteen several months prior. Their relationship was already at rock-bottom when Mirabel left, and she was not present to see Isabela’s change of heart and acceptance of her wrongdoings. Since Mirabel is still of the perception that Isabela simply exists to be horrible towards her and to make life miserable, it is extremely unlikely that Isabela would have received a warm reception if she had showed up.
While the thought of going with her padres would be the best opportunity to apologise to Mirabel and try to make amends did cross her mind, Isabela knows that there is no point in pushing the matter further. After all, this is supposed to be Mirabel’s big day, however belated it is, and for once, Mirabel should have all the attention, and be allowed to have what has been denied to her for the longest time.
Isabela did have to console Luisa, who was also not going, and was devastated that she couldn’t see her younger hermana just yet. Although there were no promises given, their mamá was confident that Mirabel will return in the future, especially once she has learnt what has happened since she and Antonio left.
So just like her Tía Pepa, Isabela put on a brave face and bade farewell to her padres and Dolores, asking them to be safe. Luisa was shedding tears during this time, but the promises of staying safe and eventually returning helped prevent a complete emotional breakdown.
“Please help us take care of things while we are gone,” Julieta says, “Also, remember what we have discussed. You all are in no obligation to use your Gifts for the Encanto. If you wish or want to, you may. But it is also entirely okay to just laze about if you don’t feel like going out.”
“We will write back once we arrive,” Agustín adds, “Look out for Pico. We will tell you everything.”
With everything set, the family say their final goodbyes. Casita opens the doors, and the departing trio take their leave. Agustín helps Julieta and Dolores onto the cart, which has been loaded with the supplies for the journey. He then climbs onto the horse with a bit of effort, and taking the reins, they are off, with Pico flying ahead to act as the guide.
As they leave Casita behind, none of them notice a golden butterfly flutter out of the house’s wall, and trail behind them.
Meanwhile, Matías himself is also getting ready.
Until now, the towering hunk had never really bothered much about how he looked. Clothing-wise, his wardrobe only consisted of pieces that made working in the fields more bearable, especially during the worst of summer.
When faced with a quinceañera, especially one where the girl of his affections is the star of the show, Matías realised that he is in a bit of a predicament.
As he had seen in past quinceñeras, if the girl in question had a significant other or hermanos, she would dance with them after the first dance with her padre. As Matías is an only child, he never really had a major part in any quinceañera, other than in his closest friend, Javier’s, hermana’s quinceañera last year, where he was part of the girl’s court of honour as a chambelan. He remembered wearing a formal suit then, and feeling extremely uncomfortable with the unfamiliar material on his skin. The hot summer day and night then did not help matters, and Matías was more than ready to never wear formal suits ever again.
On top of that, he has to dance with Mirabel as his partner. Even though he has already received approval from Antonio to court his prima, to say that Matías is nervous is a severe understatement.
His imagination is having a field day conjuring up all kinds of horror and disaster scenarios, more than enough to make at least three telenovelas. It doesn’t help that Antonio excitedly told him and Mirabel that his hermana, Dolores, and her padres will be coming to attend the event.
Matías will admit that experiencing the talk with Antonio was scary enough already. But to meet the padres of the girl whom he is in love with (no longer having just feelings for, at this point), and who probably are aware of the current progression of their relationship, that is more than enough for Matías’ stomach to prepare for an emergency evacuation.
Perhaps, from an outsider perspective, one might suspect that given Matías’ physical attributes, it would be Mirabel’s padre who would be shitting bricks should they ever meet in-person. But then again, they would have never met Matías personally if they assumed such a scenario.
Despite Antonio’s reassurances that his Tío Agustín is a kind and gentle man who would rather be stung by bees than to kill them, Matías is not entirely convinced that he will escape from this inevitable first meeting with the skin of his behind intact.
Only time will tell.
With Pico providing the best route to take through the rainforest, they were able to make it through without much issue.
But now, they are faced with the obstacle that all three have been thinking since leaving the Encanto behind.
With towering, impenetrable mountains looming before them, the three Madrigals pause to take stock of their current situation.
“The horse will not be able to climb over the terrain,” Agustín says, “Not unless we want Señor Hernandez to come after us for making his horse lame.”
“Maybe Pico can fly around to see if there are any safer paths over the mountains?” Julieta suggests.
Meanwhile, Dolores is gazing at the mountain with a deep look, “Somehow…I can feel that something will happen.”
“What do you mean?” Julieta asks.
“Obviously, Mirabel and Antonio must have found a way to cut across or climb over the mountains if they made it to the other side,” Dolores explains, before turning to her tía, “Did Mirabel tell you in any of her letters how she made it over the mountains?”
“No…she didn’t,” Julieta shakes her head after a moment of thought.
Dolores hums, looking back towards the mountains, “Still, they were able to make it across. Something similar must have happened, possibly when they reached the mountains.”
Meanwhile, Agustín, while looking around for an easier path to take, just happened to look back. Something catches his eyes.
“What is that?”
Both Julieta and Dolores turn around in tandem.
To their bemused surprise, a golden butterfly flutters towards them from the rainforest. All three watch as it flutters past them, and lands on the mountain slope in front of them. Then, before any of them could react, the butterfly appears to burst into a supernova of golden light. The horse rears back, braying in surprise. Dolores, Agustín and Julieta are forced to shield their eyes from the blinding light, only daring to open them when the glow appears to lessen enough for them to see again.
They are greeted by the jaw-dropping sight of what appears to be a tunnel, bathed in glowing golden light.
“Dios mío…” Agustín puts it aptly.
For Julieta, however, that is not all.
For the briefest moment, she thought she saw a human figure standing by the tunnel, one that looked too uncannily like her deceased papá, who sacrificed his life so that she could live. The figure turned to her, and smiled warmly. When she blinked again, the figure was gone.
“Ah, I was right,” Dolores remarks.
Agustín snaps back to conscious thought. He turns to his esposa and sobrina, “Shall we continue on?”
If she was excited before, now she is practically vibrating with anticipation.
Mirabel had received the letter a few days before, and the house was rocked by a deafening scream of delight. She excitedly told everyone that her padres and Dolores will be coming to attend her quinceañera, and there were plenty of hugs and joyous cries to go around.
Now, as she waits near the edge of town with Antonio by her side, the anticipation that has been growing inside her for the better part of the past few days is reaching unbearable levels. She misses her padres, as well as Dolores, and finally being able to see them in-person after so long feels like she is coming home after a long trip away.
(Of course, in a metaphorical sense, she has no intention of returning to the Encanto just yet.)
Her eyes continuously fleet across the path leading into the town, waiting to catch a glimpse of the arriving party.
“I’m so excited, Mamí!” Antonio says, “I can get to see Lola again!”
“So am I, Toñito, I’m really excited too,” Mirabel nods with a warm smile.
Antonio turns his bright eyes to her, “How much longer, Mamí?”
“They shouldn’t take too long, I hope…”
She is eventually proven right.
Antonio’s eyes lighten up even further, “Look! Over there!”
Thanks to the mysterious butterfly and the tunnel it opened up, what was expected to be a week-long journey only lasted two days.
After spending the night at a river, and with Pico guiding the way, the travelling Madrigals finally emerge from the rainforest, the path leading down a gentle slope which overlooks the landscape before them.
Right away, they see a town, not unlike the one they departed from. The streets are bustling with people of all ages, although it was clear that they are all preparing for a celebration - i.e. Mirabel’s quinceañera.
“This must be the place,” Agustín remarks, with Pico chirping in assent.
“I hope we don’t catch Mirabel off-guard for arriving too early,” Dolores says, “We did state that it will take a week for us to get here.”
Either way, it appears that the all-hearing young woman’s concerns are unfounded.
As they get closer to the edge of the town, Julieta gasps, as does Dolores, albeit more quietly. Standing just a few yards ahead, are two children whom they have missed most dearly.
“Mirabel!”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
This should have been uploaded a long time ago, but alas, long gone are the days where I can finish writing a chapter in one sitting. I may still be only in my mid-twenties, but I'm already wizened and old mentally.
- Kai
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Chapter 18: Reunited
Summary:
Mirabel and Antonio are reunited with their family members, while Agustín is in for a roller coaster.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The moment she sees them, time seems to slow down, as unimaginable happiness rapidly fills her heart and soul.
Even though the time spent apart from them is small compared to the fifteen years she had grown up and lived together, the sight of her padres, in the flesh and blood, after not knowing if she would ever see them again, made such a fact redundant.
And her madre crying out her name, is the last straw.
“Mirabel!”
Mirabel chokes in a sob, as she cries out, “Mamá!”
In what has to be one of the most heartwarming sights possible, Mirabel runs up the path, as Julieta leaps off the cart and rushes towards her. Madre and hija meet in the middle, and hug each other desperately, almost squeezing the air out of each other’s lungs. Tears fall liberally, as they sink to the ground, clutching the other tightly.
“Oh, mija, mi preciosa mariposa, I missed you!”
“I missed you too, mamá. It’s so good to see you again.”
No other words are said. They just hug one another, feeling each other’s presence. For Julieta, it feels like the one piece of her heart and soul that remained missing, even after all of the changes in the Encanto and how their lives have improved through boundaries and self-care, has finally slotted back into place, making her feel complete and whole once again. And Mirabel feels the same way too. While she had left to seek out her own happiness, a piece of her was left behind in Casita, through the heartbreak of having to leave behind the people who loved her unconditionally, Gift or no Gift. And now, as she is embraced by her mamá, the missing piece has slotted back into place, completing the hole in her heart.
Mirabel feels another presence approach, and she looks up.
“Papá, it’s so good to see you again.”
Agustín nods, his smile shaky, but no less happy, “Likewise, mi vida. We missed you so much.” He too joins the hug, running a hand through his niña’s hair.
Off to the side, Dolores is hugging Antonio, “Are you doing alright, Toñito?”
“Si, Lola! Mamí took care of me really well! Plus, Papí helped a lot too!”
“Papí?” Dolores raises an eyebrow.
Antonio looks behind. Speak of the devil and he will appear.
Dolores looks to where her hermano is looking and is left…speechless, for lack of a better word.
Sure, she has seen the mysterious young man kissing her prima in Tío Bruno’s vision, but to see the towering hunk up close is something else altogether.
Evidently, Agustín had sensed an approaching presence, and looked up too. Immediately, the blood drains from his face, and his spectacles slip off from one ear as his jaw falls open. Mirabel notices the shift in expression, and looks back. Unlike her padre, her face lights up, “Oh! Matías, you’re here!” She breaks away from the embrace, and goes to him, “I wanted to introduce you to my papá and mamá.”
Seeing that her esposo has lost functional capability, Julieta takes it upon herself to lift Agustín with her as she gets to her feet.
“Matías, this is my mamá, the one who can heal injuries with her food, and my papá,” Mirabel grins from ear to ear, “He may be a little clumsy and prone to getting stung by bees, but he means well and is very kind-hearted.”
“Ah, I see,” Matías nods, and if anyone had noticed, Agustín’s already pale face loses even more colour. Things are not helped by Matías approaching both adults, completely towering over them and forcing both to strain their necks up in order to maintain eye contact, “It is nice to meet you both. Mirabel only had plenty of good things to say about you both.”
A beat of silence.
Followed by a piercing, girlish scream that came from none of the females.
Agustín jumps a metre into the air, and dives behind Julieta, shaking like a leaf and whimpering like a terrified chihuahua.
“Papá?” Mirabel raises an eyebrow in concern.
In truth, Julieta has no idea what has spooked her esposo like this. Despite his towering height, Matías has done nothing but be a perfect gentleman!
“Um…perdón Señora Madrigal, did I do something wrong?” Matías asks.
…
…
Ay dios…
“Please forgive my esposo, Matías, I don’t know what has gotten into him.”
“Ah…” the towering hunk rubs the back of his hand, “Are you sure? I’m pretty certain that I spooked him in some way.”
Despite the little…hiccup, Julieta has taken to Matías like a duck to water, especially when he offered to help bring the cart in, relieving the horse of his duty, allowing it to go up ahead with Antonio.
“Agustín has his…eccentricities. I wouldn’t worry too much about it,” Julieta reassures him.
On the other hand, the man in question has sought protection from Mirabel.
“Miraboo, just who is that?!”
“That is Matías, I wrote about him in our letters,” Mirabel replies, perplexed, “Seriously, why are you so scared of him?”
Agustín looks as if she is missing the obvious, “Why? Why?! He is a giant! He could kill someone with one punch!”
“Matías has never punched anyone before, let alone killed someone,” Mirabel replies, still confused, “Although, there was that one time where he nearly turned a pervert who didn’t understand the meaning of ‘no’ into Parce’s next meal, but he never actually inflicted violence on anyone.”
All sorts of horror stories begin flooding Agustín’s mind, even worse when he accidentally makes eye contact with Matías himself. Agustín squeaks, and hides behind Mirabel, which makes the scene even more comical since the teenage girl is easily a head shorter than her padre.
Up ahead, Antonio pauses in his conversation with the horse and turns to Dolores, “Lola? Can I ask you something?”
“What is it, Toñito?”
“Do you know why Tío Agustín looked so pale earlier? Is he sick? Does he need some of Tía Julieta’s food?”
Dolores chuckles, ruffling her hermano’s hair, “Don’t worry, Toñito. Your tío is just acting silly. After all, who else other than Luisa has he met before?”
Antonio takes a moment to think, “Oh! I see. Tío Agustín is scared by Papí because he has never seen someone as big as Papí before!”
“That’s right, Toñito, you’re so smart,” Dolores chuckles.
Nearby, a bit of colour returns to Agustín, although it was only on his ears, and it was a red colour to signify his embarrassment.
Soon, the party reaches Matías’ house. Standing outside, Julia and Carlos are waiting for their arrival. Upon seeing them approach, Julia brightens and goes up to meet them.
“Oh, hola! Hola! It’s so good to meet you all,” she embraces Julieta, “You must be Mirabel’s madre, no?”
“And you must be Señora Julia,” Julieta accepts the greeting, “You have my sincerest gratitude for taking care of my niña all of this time.”
“No thanks needed,” Julia smiles, “She is a wonderful child. It was our greatest honour to have met her and for her to live with us.”
Meanwhile, Carlos had spotted Agustín and strode over to the trembling man, “Ay, you must be Agustín! It’s so good to meet Mirabel’s padre in person!”
Seeing that Agustín has not moved despite the greeting, Mirabel nudges her papá firmly. Finally shaken out of his spooked stupor, the greeting registers in his head, “L-Likewise!”
Agustín shakes Carlos’ offered hand, leaning in to not be overheard, “Señor Carlos, may I ask, what have you been feeding your niño?”
“Eh? You mean Matías?”
“Sí! He’s a giant! And he scares the living crap out of me!”
Carlos, instead, laughs boisterously, “Oh come now! Matías is a gentle soul! He won’t hurt a fly!”
“Um…that’s what not I was told…” Agustín mutters.
Back to Julia, she calls everyone together, “Come, you must all be exhausted from your travels! Please, let’s eat, I’m sure you must be hungry!”
The meal set up by Julia and Carlos is as lively and noisy as it can get.
Stories are shared, Mirabel and Antonio catch up with their respective family members, and there are plenty of laughs to go around. Questions are also asked by Julieta and Dolores’ Gifts, and while no one is currently injured or ill, Dolores easily amazes Julia and Carlos by picking up Señora López adding the finishing touches to Mirabel’s quinceañera dress.
Meanwhile, Mirabel is busy talking to Agustín, who has taken the seat to her right. It was a pre-decided move by the bespectacled man, as Matías had taken the other seat by Mirabel’s side, and he absolutely did not want to be sitting next to a young man who could easily explode his head to smithereens with a single punch.
It also didn’t help that Matías, when he was not gazing at Mirabel with soft, warm eyes, kept glancing at Agustín with an unreadable look, which understandably caused the older man to break out in cold sweat and fear for his life. Mirabel, through it all, never once commented about how odd he was acting. Sure, she was a little concerned with how exaggerated her padre behaved when he first laid eyes on Matías, but she reasoned that anyone who has not met the towering hunk before would be a little freaked out at first.
After all, she was rather taken aback when she met Matías for the first time, so she figured she should cut her poor padre some slack.
Unfortunately for Agustín, this does nothing to alleviate the feeling of impending doom churning in his stomach every time Matías makes eye-contact. Even more so, when the meal finishes and everyone splits up to do their own things, Matías catches him before he can make a run for it.
“Señor Madrigal, may I have a word?”
To Agustín’s credit, he didn’t shriek like a little girl like he did outside of the town. However, in what appeared to be an act of betrayal by his family, everyone else vacated the dining room, leaving him all alone to face the towering hunk, with nothing feasible to defend himself with should things turn ugly.
“W-What do you wish to talk about?”
Matías stares down at him with that same unreadable look from earlier, “May I have your permission to court Mirabel?”
…
…
It takes a few seconds for the words to register.
“Perdón?”
“I wish to court your niña, Mirabel,” Matías repeats, his expression never wavering, “May I have your permission to do so?”
Another few seconds pass before Agustín is able to find his tongue, “W-Why do you ask?”
“Is it not expected for a suitor to seek the permission of the padre of the girl whom he wants to court?” Matías asks, “I apologise if this is not something the Madrigal family does, but I personally believe it is only right that I seek your permission to court Mirabel, as I have strong feelings of attraction and love towards her, and I wish to give her the life and happiness that she deserves.”
Admittedly, Agustín is left horribly stupefied.
While he did have strong emotions when he saw the image of Matías kissing his youngest hija in Bruno’s vision, the sight of just how gigantic Matías is in real life terrified him greatly, not just personally, but for his hija’s safety too. While Mirabel had insisted that Matías would never attack or hurt someone unprovoked, the instinctual desire of a padre to protect his hija from supposed horrors had come strongly, despite the evidence seemingly pointing to it being extremely unwarranted.
Now, such evidence is literally grabbing his face and screaming at him to see the truth. No supposed monster with the intent on hurting Mirabel would ever politely and sincerely ask Agustín for permission to court her.
And yes, there are all the accounts of two-faced villains who pretend to be upstanding gentlemen to the parents but are actually monsters who torture and brutalise the poor daughter behind closed doors. But he has witnessed too many rain storms from Pepa reading such stories, and Agustín prides himself in being better judges of character than those gullible parents, for that matter. Plus, in the rare occasion where Mirabel was not looking at him while at the dining table, she was looking at Matías with equal warmth and fondness, reciprocating the affectionate gazes that Matías had been giving her for most of the meal.
If that isn’t a sign of true love, then Agustín would go to the nearest beehive, allow himself to get stung and not have Julieta heal his welts for a week.
Agustín takes a moment to wipe all traces of uncertainty from his face, squash down any remaining embers of fear, and regards Matías with his most serious look, “Matías, yes, you have my permission to court my Miraboo. However, despite knowing that you could tear me to shreds with your bare hands, I don’t need to tell you what I would do if you were to ever break my hija’s heart, no?”
Agustín deliberately left it as open-ended as possible. Whether it is from petty vengeance after Matías indirectly made him think of unimaginable horrors when Mirabel tried to persuade him earlier that Matías would never hurt a soul…unless they happened to be perverts or other unsavoury examples of humankind, or a desire to instil a bit of fear into the towering young man, the reason goes unsaid.
However, what Agustín could never have expected was for Matías to spot a steak knife left on the dining table, grab it and hold the blade against his own throat.
“If I ever betray or hurt Mirabel, you have the right to slit my throat where I stand, Señor Madrigal.”
Left deathly pale at the sudden escalation of events, Agustín’s parental instincts kick into overdrive, “Matías, please, put down that knife! What if your padres walk in on that?!”
“They will understand,” Matías replies easily, though he does, thankfully, put the knife down and away from critical arteries, “Have I proven my sincerity to you?”
Regaining the ability to breathe, Agustín shakily nods, “Sí…sí…you have. Please, don’t give me a heart attack at such a young age!”
Matías, bless him, simply shrugs, “How else will I be able to show that I’m serious about my feelings towards Mirabel? And, for the record, Antonio promised to turn me into his jaguar’s next meal if I were to break his Mamí’s heart.”
Thankful for the moment of familiar information, Agustín nods, “I can see that, honestly. The way that boy acts…it makes me feel like an abuelo!”
Matías snorts, “I can see that too. He has also christened me as his papí, just so you know.”
The tension in the room seems to have finally broken, courtesy of Agustín letting out a chuckle, because that is just so Antonio .
“Señor Madrigal, do you have any other stories about Mirabel?”
A warm smile graces Agustín’s lips, “Matías, mijo, do I have a library for you!”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Seriously, where I can find a man like Matías?
- Kai
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Chapter 19: Quinceañera
Summary:
Mirabel celebrates her belated quinceañera, and the first of Bruno's visions come true.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“Mirabel! It’s time!”
The day has arrived.
The big moment is about to begin.
Mirabel can literally feel the excitement course through her nerves and soul. Here she stands in her bedroom, as her mamá, Julia and Señora López work together to get her ready for her quinceañera, a day once dismissed as something unworthy of celebration, but now granted to her, as it rightfully should.
Never mind that it was several months after the actual day. Everyone is determined to give Mirabel the rite of passage that every girl her age goes through. Just like how the family fretted over Antonio’s Gift ceremony in the Encanto, the three women flitted about, making sure that Mirabel’s hair is done just right, the best colour of eyeshadow and lipstick are prepared, and most importantly, the accessories and Mirabel’s dress are ready.
As a touching tribute to Julieta, Mirabel requested that her hair be done up in a style similar to her mamá. To complement the colour of her dress, teal eyeshadow with a hint of silver along the edges are applied, as well as the deep red lipstick that Mirabel has seen Julieta put on before. Then, with the help of all three women, Mirabel puts on her dress.
“Ay, you look just like a princesa, mi vida,” Julieta dabs her eyes, as Mirabel looks at her reflection in the mirror, her hands trailing along the skirt.
“She is truly beautiful,” Julia nods.
Last to go on are the diamond necklace, bracelets and earrings, completing the look. Mirabel flushes lightly under the gushing and praise of the three women, before they leave the room to go and check that the preparations downstairs are ready. Left all by herself, Mirabel turns back to the mirror, taking a moment to reflect on the coming proceedings. In the eyes of her familia and community, she will be a young woman after this. It is incredibly poignant, as Mirabel feels like she has long moved on from the childlike innocence from years past. Her childhood ended when her door faded away, and when Antonio was born, she took on the role as his parental figure because no one else was available to do so.
This day has allowed her, for a brief moment, to experience a life that could have been, had she gotten a Gift all those years ago. Even if belated, Mirabel is grateful for the chance, and so far, it has been the best day of her life.
Can it get any better than it already has been?
…
Then, out of the corner of her eye, Mirabel spots a flash of gold.
She turns around, as a golden butterfly flutters through the open window.
Mirabel blinks in surprise. It looks identical to the one that opened a tunnel for her when she reached the mountains.
The butterfly circles around her, before going to a spot near the bed. Then, to Mirabel’s shock, it begins to glow, growing brighter by the second. Shielding her eyes, Mirabel hesitates to look, lest she go blind. However, the sight before her convinces her to open her eyes, despite the blinding light. The butterfly has lost its shape, taking on an appearance more akin to a pulsating orb of light. The orb grows in size, becoming more elongated, then shifting into something more humanoid.
Mirabel’s jaw falls open, when the orb takes the form of a man, and with a final burst of light, a person whom she has only heard from Abuela’s stories and seen from the portrait that hangs along the staircase stands before her, bathed in golden light, and with butterflies fluttering around him.
She scarcely believes her eyes, “A-Abuelo Pedro?”
The otherworldly image of Pedro Madrigal smiles warmly, “Mirabel, mi hermosa nieta, oh how I have longed to see you.”
Mirabel stumbles forward, hands reaching out. She needs to know if this is real, that her abuelo, who sacrificed his life so that her familia could live, is actually standing before her. Pedro opens his arms, and Mirabel falls into his embrace, his warmth solid and very much real .
“H-How are you here? A-Aren’t you…?”
“My mortal life may be over, but I never left, mi nieta,” Pedro runs a hand through Mirabel’s hair, “I have always been watching over mi familia, protecting them, giving them a home.”
Mirabel puts two and two together. She gasps, stepping back, “You’re Casita?!”
Pedro nods, “The house which you call Casita is my physical form, while the Miracle is heaven’s blessing bestowed upon the family I sacrificed my life for.”
At the mention of the magical candle, Mirabel’s lips dip down involuntarily, “Abuelo…why wasn’t I given a Gift? Why am I not special?”
“Because you already are, mi vida,” Pedro gently strokes her cheek, “You are already special, more so than anyone else. The reason why your door faded away was not because you don’t already have a Gift. Casita, or the Miracle, was supposed to be your Gift. You, Mirabel, are destined to lead the next generation of our familia into the future. Just like how your abuela watches over the Miracle, someday, it will be your turn.”
Mirabel is left speechless for a long moment. In all of her life, she had never considered that she would take over from Abuela someday.
But…come to think of it, doesn’t Abuela also not have a Gift, too?
“Abuelo…I need to know, why does Abuela hate me so much? Did she not see what you are telling me?”
At this, Pedro’s eyes become wistful, and he sighs forlornly, “Mi amor Alma, she never truly recovered from my untimely demise. Years of grief and trauma, along with raising mi niños and building a community from scratch, has warped her belief about heaven’s blessing. In fear of losing her home a second time, she clung onto the misguided assumption that she has to protect the Miracle at all costs. She assumed that in order to keep the magic strong and alive, our family had to work in service to the Encanto, using their bestowed Gifts to create an easy, sheltered life for the survivors and their descendants. And when your door disappeared, her fears blinded her from the truth. To my greatest pain, she saw you as the reason why the life she built for the Encanto and our familia is starting to crack. You were never supposed to endure the hardship and suffering you experienced, but alas, I could do nothing as your abuela dug herself deeper and deeper, pushing you away and alienating you from the rest of our familia. I deeply mourned the night you decided to leave, Mirabel, but you had every right to do so.”
“And…it was you who opened the mountain for me?”
“Sí, Mirabel. The least I could do was ensure a safe passage for you to find your happiness elsewhere. I did the same for Antonio, as well as Dolores and your padres. And now,” Pedro’s smile becomes warm again, “I have the chance to see you grow into the young woman that stands before me. You have found your happiness, your paradise. I could never be happier to see you blossom like the beautiful flower you are.”
Mirabel’s lips quiver, and she hugs Pedro again, “Gracias, abuelo.”
Pedro returns the hug, before stepping back, “Mirabel, I believe it is time for your big day. Everyone is waiting for you downstairs.”
Mirabel nods, “Will you watch over me?”
“I will, mi vida. I will always be with you.”
With a final nod, Mirabel curtsies to Pedro, and makes her way out of the room. She descends the stairs, still feeling the warmth of her abuelo’s spirit around her. Her padres are waiting for her at the landing, and Agustín lights up, “Miraboo, are you ready?”
“Sí, papá, I’m ready.”
Agustín takes Mirabel’s hand, and guides her to the backyard, where Antonio, Dolores, Matías and his padres have already gathered. With them, a man stands with a camera.
“This is Señor José,” Julieta tells Mirabel, “He will be taking the photographs.”
“Ah, is this Mirabel?” the man gives a beaming smile, and shakes her hand warmly, “Wonderful to meet you. You must be excited for today, no?”
“Very much so, señor,” Mirabel grins.
The next minute or two is spent arranging everyone into ideal positions for the camera. For Mirabel, this moment is both special and poignant. Memories of not being included in family photographs back in Casita, and with the latest being Antonio’s Gift ceremony, come to the forefront, but the joy of the occasion helps to quell any lingering sadness and give way to happiness and warmth. Mirabel is with her familia, blood and bond, and this is her special day. New memories are being created, which she will cherish forever.
Señor José takes several photographs - one group photo, a few with just Mirabel and her padres, a couple with Antonio and Dolores, one with Matías, and one with both Julia and Carlos. Once everything is completed, Señor José takes his leave, wishing Mirabel a joyful quinceañera. Then, with her court of honour, comprised of Antonio, Dolores, Matías, and all of Antonio’s animal friends, behind her, Mirabel is escorted out of the house by Agustín and down the street towards the centre of the town, where the main celebration is to be held. Tables and chairs have been set up all over the square, streamers and lanterns hang from lamp posts, and a sumptuous spread of food and drink has been laid out. A mariachi band plays music, and come the procession’s arrival, the gathered townspeople cheer and applaud the star of the show.
Mirabel is guided to a table, where Agustín leans close, “Miraboo, it is time to change your shoes.”
This is the most symbolic moment of the entire event, where Mirabel will transition into womanhood in the eyes of the community. Mirabel nods, and sits down on a chair. One of the men brings forth a box, and opens it for Agustín. Inside, are a pair of sparkling silver high heels. Agustín takes them out of the box, and kneels down before Mirabel. She slips out of the flats that she had worn on the way here, and Agustín slides her feet into her new high heels.
The watching crowds applaud and cheer once more, and from there, the party really gets into full swing. The food and drink are consumed with plenty more to go around. With the alcohol flowing like nobody’s business, things get kicked upwards into a raucous celebration of singing and dancing. Some of the tables are hastily cleared away to provide enough space for an impromptu dance floor. And with the band going along with fast, upbeat music, the revellers, whom many are varying degrees between a little tipsy and outright drunk, have a smashing good time spinning each around and tripping over their own feet in a bid to catch up with the music.
Of course, Mirabel joins in on the merrymaking. As the band plays a slower waltz to calm things down after the raucous hullabaloo, Mirabel has her first dance with Agustín, followed by Antonio, a rather hilarious and heartwarming sight given their noticeable differences in height. After sharing a dance with Julieta and Dolores, she then dances with Carlos, Julia, and finally, Matías.
This particular dance has her torn between feelings of excitement and anticipation. While she has shared many moments of close contact with the towering hunk before, the symbolism of the event and how dashingly handsome Matías looks in formal wear and hair artfully done up with some gel has Mirabel’s heart racing much faster than the marathon of dances she had shared with everyone else prior.
The romantic vibe of swaying along to a waltz with her crush holding her close is not lost on Mirabel, but she is never going to give up on another moment of physical closeness with Matías. No way in hell.
The moment comes when Matías approaches her, and kisses her hand.
“May I have this dance?”
Mirabel nods, not needing to say anything.
Matías brings her close, touch gentle, but no less grounding and strong. One of his hands goes to her waist, and he leads Mirabel along with the music. The dance is slow and graceful at first, but Mirabel pays little attention to the music in the air. She focuses entirely on Matías’ touch, and his gentle, guiding steps. His heartbeat is audible to her ears, and the warmth from his solid chest fills Mirabel with a breathtaking glow of charged emotion.
Then, when the music picks up, Matías does so in tandem. Mirabel can’t help the laughs from escaping as she is spun and twirled around in dizzying tango. Occasionally, she catches glimpses of Dolores dancing with Antonio, her padres joining in on the revelry, and even Antonio’s animals running around and having a great time. But for the most part, her sight is only on Matías, who returns her joyous, gleeful gaze with his own warm, adoring eyes.
On the final chord of the song, Matías dips Mirabel down, and the dance comes to an end. Applause breaks out from the watching guests, before the next song starts, and the revelry resumes once more. Mirabel is honestly quite knackered, but is more than willing to go for another dance if anyone requested one. However, to her surprise, Matías whispers, “Come with me,” and takes her away from the town square and the main hub of the celebrations. In fact, they leave the town entirely, going up a dirt path into the surrounding rainforest.
While this would seem highly suspicious and incredibly concerning in any other context, Mirabel trusts Matías enough to not say anything and simply let him take her to whatever destination he has in mind.
Finally, after a few minutes of trekking, the trees part into a small clearing. Mirabel is awestruck by the sight before her. Away from the lights of the town, the stars of the night are out in full clarity and glory. Constellations and patterns fill the dark sky like sparkling droplets of glowing paint, and the moon hangs proudly, shining its lunar light over the clearing. A soft breeze blows through, swaying the surrounding trees and the grass underfoot.
“What is this place?” Mirabel asks.
“Somewhere I go to for some quiet time for myself,” Matías replies, leading her towards the centre of the clearing, “I particularly like coming here whenever the night is clear.”
“I can tell,” Mirabel gazes in wonder at the stars above, “I’ve never seen this many stars before. Even at night, the Encanto has quite a few lamps and lanterns on. Plus, I’m often too tired by the end of the day to really take a moment to stargaze.”
“Mm,” Matías continues, “sometimes, life gets too much. Being by myself with nothing but the stars and moon helps to soothe things inside.”
“Don’t you ever feel lonely at times, though?” Mirabel asks.
“Some might say so, but when I was younger, I saw the stars as my friends,” Matías replies, “They never spoke ill of me. They stayed with me throughout. Even now, when I’m older, seeing the stars is a comfort for me.”
Mirabel recognises the difference in perspective here, and how their vastly different lives until her arrival in his town have shaped their worldviews. Still, she is no less convinced that what Matías was saying is genuine, and she can see where he was coming from.
Perhaps, if her childhood had been different, maybe she would have seen the stars of the night as the friends she would have had when things got too lonely and sad.
“But, now that I’ve met you, Mirabel,” Matías’ eyes are now on her, as he takes her hands into his much bigger ones, “The stars fail to shine as brightly as you do.”
Mirabel is left speechless for a moment, as her cheeks flush a healthy red.
“Y-You can’t really mean that.”
“I mean it, deadly so,” Matías gently lifts her chin, their eyes connecting with each other’s gaze, “I mean every good thing I say about you. In fact, I also mean it when I say, right now, that you, Mirabel Madrigal, are what I have been missing my entire life.”
This time, Mirabel is truly rendered speechless.
Unbeknownst to the pair, golden butterflies begin to flutter around them.
Matías’ eyes appear to glow with heated emotion, “Ever since I first met you at the dining table, there has been an unknown feeling in my heart. As I got to know you more, and the more time I spent with you, this feeling continued to grow, until I, as clueless as a person could be, knew what it was beyond any possible doubt. As such, I spoke to Antonio and your padre, asking for their permission to court you.”
“M-Matías…?” Mirabel’s heart begins to thunder. Surely not…right?
“Mirabel, will you be my eternal love?”
Time slows to a crawl.
Mirabel momentarily loses the ability to think, let alone utter a word or sound. Is this all an elaborate dream? Is Matías really asking to go steady with her? Surely, this can’t be real, right?
No, her heart screams at her, this is very real. Her feelings towards Matías are reciprocated. Matías loves her, just as she loves him. And he wants to be with her, just as much as she wants to be with him for the rest of their mortal lives.
Her heart refuses to let any self-doubt or worries get in the way. Go for it, it screams. This moment is hers. What she has been seeking for her entire life is now being given to her at this very moment.
And Mirabel, as emotions overwhelm her and tears slip from her eyes, does just that.
“S-Sí.”
The entire clearing seems to light up around them. Mirabel sees what has got to be the happiest smile Matías has ever made in the time that she knows him. He hugs her tightly, burying his nose into her curls.
“Te amo, Mirabel,” Matías whispers, although she hears him loud and clear, “Te quiero tanto.”
Too overwhelmed with emotion, Mirabel is unable to respond, but Matías knows what her heart cries anyway. As the butterflies celebrate around them with a rapturous dance, Matías pulls away slightly, eyes glimmering with so much love and desire, that Mirabel’s breath is stolen away, “May I kiss you?”
Unable to say a word, she simply nods.
Matías leans in, and Mirabel feels her heart race upwards to the precipice. And when their lips meet, an explosion of heat erupts from her heart and soul. The kiss, if anything, is nothing more than sweet and chaste, but for Mirabel, it feels like the world is finally right, that everything is in its correct place, and the shadows of her past are well and truly gone.
As she feels one of Matías’ hands travel up to her curls to deepen the kiss, Mirabel decides, conclusively, that this is truly the best moment in her entire life, and nothing in the world could destroy it.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
We did it, everyone! The big moment!
But, I hate to burst the bubble, but remember how I said at the top that the first of Bruno's visions has come true?
Well...
- Kai
--------------------------
Chapter 20: No Return
Summary:
Several breaking points are crossed.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
She doesn’t understand.
She doesn’t understand why all of this is happening.
Never mind that she has been locked inside her room by the very house that was created by her Pedro’s sacrifice to be a sanctuary for her and her family, although that in itself was a contributing factor to her current state. Over the past several days, Alma has been wracked by confusion, and outright fear , of how badly things seem to be spiralling all around her.
First, Mirabel (
the cursed one, the one who will doom them all
) ran away the night Antonio was blessed with his Gift, and then shortly after that, Antonio himself ran away in an apparent effort to look for Mirabel. Dolores then accused her of destroying the family, and everyone appearing to go along with her accusations. How dare she? How dare Dolores accuse her of destroying and hurting the family she swore to protect? All Alma wanted to do was to keep them safe, to keep the Miracle strong, and to ensure the survival of the community she had worked so hard to build up from scratch.
Even worse, the rest of her family, her own flesh and blood, did not only go along with Dolores’ absurd accusations, they also started accusing her of treating them as nothing more than tools, overworking them to the bone, and never once lifting a finger to ease their so-called “burdens”! Preposterous!
How could nobody see that by using the Gifts bestowed upon them by the Miracle, they were strengthening the magic and keeping the flame burning? How could her own family, whom she single-handedly raised through much tears, sweat and toil, bite the hand that nurtured and loved them for so long? Throwing everything she did for them back into her face and spewing all of this nonsensical rubbish?
How dare they?!
And to add insult to injury, Casita had the nerve to lock her in her own room, never letting her out despite her demands and constant pounding against the door. For the past several days, she was a prisoner within her own home, food and drink being passed through a flap in her door. Nobody came to her rescue, demanding that Casita release her at once and stop this nonsense immediately. In fact, everyone seemed to just be doing whatever they damn pleased! Despite never being allowed out of her room, Alma could hear the confusion and complaining from disgruntled townspeople, of how none of her family were using their Gifts to help resolve their problems, that her family are doing nothing for anyone but themselves.
On top of that, she even overheard that the Guzmáns had called off the marriage proposal between Mariano and Isabela!
Everything she had worked for was crashing down all around her. The beautiful sanctuary that she built from scratch is in danger of being destroyed. She couldn’t just sit here and let everything she did to keep Pedro’s sacrifice alive go down the drain!
But no matter what she did, no matter how much she pounded on the door, demanded to be let out, screamed for someone to come to their senses and to release her immediately, she remained stuck, a prisoner, a hostage within her own home, powerless to do anything.
Powerless, to stop the raiders from killing her husband in cold blood, right in front of her eyes.
Alma tried to reach out to Pedro in the great beyond, praying and begging him to give her a sign, a way forward to resolve the crisis befalling her. But Pedro remained silent, not a single tangible sign, hint or clue was delivered to her. Every night, Alma would fall asleep, hoping that Pedro would appear in her dreams to guide her through this crisis. But she would wake up with the rising sun, having received nothing.
Nothing, except for her continued presence in her room, prevented from leaving, as everyone else strayed further away.
On top of being a prisoner in her own house, Alma was completely cut off from any interaction with anyone. Sometimes, she would hear footsteps walk past her door, and she would bang on the wood, demanding to be released. But the footsteps would simply pass on, sometimes even hastening as soon as she started pounding against the door. Even Casita refused to interact with her, only delivering food and drink through the flap, but nothing more. Her room was completely silent, save for background noise from the outside, and her own muttering whenever she wasn’t pounding her fists against the door.
Several days of no social interaction, no face-to-face contact with anyone. It all started to take an immense mental toll on Alma. Within a few days of being locked up in her room, and the reality of her situation sinking in, Alma started experiencing troubling symptoms. Every sound became much louder, and the slightest unexpected noise would startle her greatly. She began to have difficulty discerning what was real and fake. Noises would drift in and out, losing clarity and merging together into a confusing, never-ending orchestra of twisted sounds and words. Then, as time progresses, Alma starts seeing things, images that she couldn’t tell if they were actually there, or all a conjuration of a mind that was wearing down from prolonged isolation and emotional collapse.
Just like with the noises, what she saw was a confusing display of images, constantly going in and out of focus, a dizzying array of shapes and colours that seem to bear all meaning and none at all at the same time. Alma saw her younger self, crying for Pedro while clutching her newborn triplets, but then she would see her triplets all grown up, but worn down and weary. Pedro appears occasionally, sometimes smiling, sometimes glaring. Each time, Alma tried to reach for him, but he would disappear before she could even take a step. Her nietos and nietas, all shifting between young children and their current ages, but one appeared the most out of all of them.
Mirabel.
The source of the madness. The reason why everything was falling apart around her.
Alma had no idea why Mirabel’s door disappeared that night ten years ago. All she remembered was her begging Bruno to have a vision to see what could have caused it. Only…for Bruno to disappear, and his door going dark. There were no further answers, no explanations. All Alma knew then that something was going wrong, and somehow, it involved Mirabel.
She tried to keep things together, to keep the magic strong, but Mirabel (
the monster, the cursed one
) kept getting in the way. While admirable at first, Mirabel had no Gift, she only made things more difficult, complicated (
worse
). Alma tried to tell Mirabel to not get involved, that it was better for her to step to one side. But no, Mirabel never understood. The silly little girl (the
monster, the cursed one
) kept trying to “help”, kept saying that she is of use to the family (the monster,
the cursed one
), but only got in the way (
the
monster, the
cursed one
).
Alma tried her best, and for a moment, courtesy of Antonio being blessed with a Gift, her efforts seemed to work. But Mirabel (
the monster,
the cursed
one
) threw everything into a mess by running away without so much as a word or reason. They searched for her, but she was well and truly gone (
the monster, the
cursed one). Then Antonio ran away, his door dead and dark (like Bruno), and Dolores having the sheer
nerve
to accuse her of driving Mirabel and Antonio away, and even
slapping
her across the face!
It was all downhill from there. The entire family went against her, and Dolores even ordered Casita to lock Alma in her own room, where she has been kept for the past several days, away from her duties, away from being able to fix things as the world collapsed around her.
Despite the constant storms of confusion, conflicting emotions and the deterioration of her mind, one factor remained constant throughout it all.
Mirabel.
Everything started because of her ( the monster, the cursed one). This whole mess was due to Mirabel not getting a Gift, made worse by her incessant need to be disruptive and an inconvenience to everyone ( the monster, the cursed one ). The very existence of Alma’s world is on the brink of destruction, and it is all because of Mirabel (the monster, the cursed one!) . Mirabel is the cause of all of Alma’s problems, and now, despite not even being around, she has poisoned all of her family, and is tearing down everything that Alma had worked for her family and community (The Monster, The Cursed One!).
No.
No, this cannot happen!
Alma will not stand for this!
Then, without warning, the sound of clicking open reaches her ears, suddenly snapping her back into the present moment.
Her door, which had remained steadfastly locked despite her best efforts, is now inexplicably open, hanging ajar.
Alma’s eyes seize with slightly manic energy. This is her chance!
Maybe, Pedro has finally heard her fervent prayers!
Not wasting a second, Alma rushes to her door, pushes it open, and runs out.
Unfortunately, it was not because Pedro heard Alma’s desperate, bordering manic pleas to be released in order to “fix” the state of affairs around her.
While the cracks that had plagued the magical house have begun to heal and retreat after members of the family started laying down boundaries, addressing issues between them and reconciling with one another, the core source of the cracks had continued to be sidelined.
Initially, Casita had locked Alma up in her own room so that she did not intrude or disrupt the rest of the family’s attempts to close the rifts between them. And while the rest of the family has had made great strides in healing old wounds and re-establishing newer, healthier relationships, Alma continued to fester away within her room, the isolation wreaking havoc with her mind and subconsciously prompting her to dig deeper into what she thought had served her well in the past. Unfortunately, all this did was weaken the Miracle’s magic further, undoing all of the progress made by the other family members. Alma was the guardian of the Miracle, and when the guardian deteriorates, the magic becomes unstable. The deeper Alma digs herself, the weaker Casita becomes. And at a critical moment, the house’s control on Alma’s door falters, undoing the lock and opening the door.
Weakened by Alma’s deterioration, Casita is unable to do anything as the delusional old woman makes her escape, and upon seeing Isabela and Luisa in the courtyard, she beelines down the staircase, her speed knocking the portrait of Pedro askew.
The day had started completely ordinarily.
There was no indication or warning that what would eventually happen will happen.
As night fell, after dinner had concluded, Isabela and Luisa headed to the courtyard. Casita had pushed a bench over for them to sit down. Throughout the day, neither of them had gone out. Instead, they were catching up with each other and making up for lost time, so to speak.
Isabela had previously confided to Luisa, shortly after their padres and Dolores left to attend Mirabel’s belated quinceañera, that she feels guilty for neglecting her duties as the eldest hermana, for both Luisa and Mirabel. Isabela acknowledged that part of the reason was not to lose Abuela’s approval, but that was still not any excuse for not looking out for her two younger hermanitas. Luisa tried to interject, saying that she too was at fault for not looking out for Mirabel more, but Isabela insisted that she was more at fault since she is older than Luisa, and therefore should’ve looked out for them both.
Either way, the argument could have gone on forever, before both hermanas decided that both were at fault. And since Mirabel was currently not with them, both Isabela and Luisa sought to repair the bridge that had fallen into disrepair over the years. There was plenty to catch up on, a lot of tension and awkwardness to smooth over, but both were making good progress, courtesy of the time they spent exclusively together.
Not once did they use their Gifts. Each moment was spent in each other’s company. And tonight, the conversation turned towards their absent hermana.
“I miss Mira,” Luisa sighs, “I’m sure she must be having a great time right now.”
“You’re not the only one,” Isabela leans into her younger hermana’s arm, “I really want to see her again. I need to apologise to her for…well, everything, really.”
“Same,” Luisa nods, “I know we talked about not blaming just ourselves, but…I really should’ve spent more time with Mira, but I just couldn’t let anyone down, you know?”
“We both let Mirabel down,” Isabela states, and Luisa nods in agreement, “I just hope we can see her again soon…”
There is a short lull in the conversation. Luisa opens her mouth to say something, when suddenly, thundering footsteps reach their ears.
“What…are you two doing?”
Both hermanas whip around. Abuela is standing before them, eyes disconcertingly wide and lips drawn so thin they almost vanished into the line that is her mouth.
“Abuela…” Isabela stands up, “How did you get out?”
“What do you think you two are doing?” the old woman seemingly ignored the question, advancing upon them. It takes a lot out of Isabela to not step back or run away. Something is very wrong, but she can’t figure out what, “And what happened to your dress?!”
Ever since her cathartic confession to Dolores, Isabela had gotten rid of all of her dresses, replacing them with dresses that were not lilac or pink. In fact, they are a complete eyesore.
Not the dresses, mind you. Just the colours.
As both catharsis and a means of experimenting with her Gift, Isabela had put up her new dresses on mannequins made from leaves, and bombarded them mult-coloured pollen from various pollinating plants and flowers. There was nothing congruent, beautiful, or perfect about the choice of colour palettes. Anyone who saw Isabela in her dresses had to temporarily look away because of the colour-vomit on every dress she wore. Camilo even swore that one of the farmers who caught a glimpse of Isabela’s dress actually vomited at the sight of it.
“I made it better,” Isabela stands firm as best as she could. She would not be cowed.
“Better?!” Abuela screeches, “It’s a mess! It’s completely ruined! Isabela, I expected better of you!”
Isabela’s eye starts twitching slightly, and she crosses her arms, “Well too bad, Abuela, I saw where I went wrong. After you started pushing Mirabel away, I feared that you would stop loving me too. So I went with everything you said, but all you did was push me away from my own hermanita!”
The sudden raise in voice made Luisa flinch, although that was mostly to do with the present situation. In truth, Luisa loves her abuela, but the whole debacle since Mirabel ran away has made her second-guess everything she thought about the old woman. Still, she sees an erupting conflict when one is about to explode, so she says nothing, trying to make herself as small as possible, despite her towering height.
“I was doing it for the family - !”
“No you weren’t!” Isabela screams, as wormwood plants begin erupting all around her feet, “You were doing it for your own selfish wants! You controlled everything about me, my appearance, my Gift, my very life! You tried to marry me off to a man whom I don’t even love! All because you wanted to keep your stupid Miracle alive!”
Rage flashes across Abuela’s eyes, and her hand raises menacingly. However, vines shoot up from the ground and wrap around her arm, immobilising her.
“I don’t know how you managed to escape, but I can see why Mirabel ran away,” Isabela sneers with contemptuous disgust, “You don’t care about any of us. You only see us as slaves to order around on a whim! We are not family to you. You don’t even know what a family is!”
“How dare you - !”
“What is going on here?!”
A flash of lightning and a clap of thunder signal Pepa’s arrival, flanked by Félix and Camilo.
“Pepa - !”
“How in heaven’s bloody name did you get out, mamá?!” Pepa growls, as the thundercloud over her head flashes ominously, “And just what were you planning to do to Isabela?!”
“I was trying to fix things!” Abuela screeches, yanking at her immobilised arm to free herself, “Isabela has gone completely out of control! This whole family is out of control!”
“You are the one who is out of control!” Félix booms, in tandem with the thunder, “You pushed mi esposa beyond what her heart can handle! You pushed Camilo to the brink of starvation because you never let him eat enough to handle all of the townspeople’s demands!”
“It was to keep the magic strong!” Abuela screeches back, as the entire house trembles and groans. Luisa starts to notice cracks beginning to form across the walls, “We must protect the Miracle! Our Encanto! We cannot lose our home!”
“Cut the bullshit, mamá.”
All eyes whip towards the new voice, one none of them ever expected to hear at this moment.
A flash of lightning lights up the courtyard, reflecting a hooded figure standing before them all. They raise their hand, and pull the hood down, revealing their face for all to see.
“B-Bruno?!” Pepa gasps.
The missing Madrigal triplet steps forward, eyes hard and stony, never once looking away from the stricken, pale-faced matriarch, “You claim to protect the Miracle, to keep the magic strong and protect our home. Take a good, deep look at yourself, mamá.” A flash of green makes his eyes glow menacingly for a brief moment, “Take a good look around, are you really protecting our home? Or are you destroying it as we speak?”
“B-Bruno, what are you - ?”
“Shut the hell up, Alma Madrigal,” Bruno snaps, making everyone present flinch at how frigidly cold his voice sounds, “You claim to protect our home, but you drove away my sobrina because of your obsession with the Miracle. You made my sobrina’s life a miserable hell, cutting her off from her hermanas, made her feel worthless and unwanted, when all she wanted to do was make you proud!”
Abuela looks ready to retort, but Bruno cuts her off, “Do you know why I left? It was for Mirabel. I had a vision, on your demands, which involved Mirabel. However, I knew what you and everyone in this Dios-damned town would do if I revealed it, so I went into hiding to protect my innocent sobrina from the life of hell you subjected me to for all these years! I had no control over what I saw, but you set the townspeople on me and made me suffer their abuse when they saw something they didn’t like! I could never let my sobrina endure the hell I went, but you went ahead and did it anyway! You drove a wedge between Mirabel and our family! You saw her as the monster who would destroy the magic and the Encanto! All she wanted was to make you proud, to see you smile at her again, to hug her and to love her! She was never the monster. No,” his eyes flash with deadly rage, “ you are the monster.”
Reaching into his ruana, Bruno produces his second vision.
Whatever colour that Abuela had left on her face completely drains away, “W-What is this? What - ?!”
“Take a good look at yourself. This is what will happen. This is what your obsession will cause! This is what your cruelty will result in! We will lose everything. Our home, our Gifts, everything will be lost, because of you!”
Out on the main street of the Encanto, a massive fissure shatters the cobblestone, terrifying residents and sending them running in a panic.
“You are the reason why our family has broken!”, Bruno declares, his eyes glowing a sickly green, “You don’t care about or love us! The Miracle will die because of you !”
Abuela gasps, clutching at her heart in horror.
“Papá would be so ashamed, dying for a monster like you,” Bruno growls.
An almighty blast of thunder rocks the courtyard, just as a massive crack splinters the floor between him and Abuela.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
This is it. The other shoe has dropped.
Initially, I was planning of showing Casita's collapse in this chapter, but I figured, this chapter has already been dramatic, and what better than to leave things off the moment we go off the point of no return? >:3
But on a serious note, I've been bogged down by assignments lately, and I didn't get good sleep last night because for some inexplicable reason, I kept burping and passing gas (TMI, I know) throughout the night, which kept me awake until the unholy hours of the morning. Please excuse if this chapter is somewhat all over the place, you can blame my ongoing coursework and lack of sleep for that.
- Kai
---------------------
Chapter 21: Crashing Down
Summary:
Casita collapses, creating shockwaves that hit far beyond the Encanto and the mountains.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Mirabel just barely pulls away from Matías when, suddenly, the ground lurches underneath them.
Had it not been for Matías holding her securely, she would have lost her footing.
Still, the sudden tremor makes her shriek.
“Mirabel!”
As Matías’ grip tightens, she looks around. The entire clearing is shaking, the surrounding trees rocking wildly. It was as if an earthquake was rolling through. The wind howls ominously, and the sky flashes with light not unlike lightning.
“We need to get out of here!” she yells over the din.
Matías is on the same wavelength. Effortlessly lifting Mirabel into a bridal carry, he braves the shifting ground as he runs out of the clearing and back towards the town.
As he goes, neither he nor Mirabel notice a lone golden butterfly, the only one remaining after the rest of the swarm died with the sudden tremors, fluttering into Mirabel’s hair.
“Oh no! No! No! No!” Pepa screams.
Bruno and Abuela look around in horror, as cracks form all over the courtyard, and race up the walls towards Abuela’s windowsill.
“The candle!” Félix points upwards.
The cracks fracture the windowsill, knocking the candle off its holder.
A massive lurch nearly throws everyone off their feet. Luisa immediately grabs Isabela when the latter nearly stumbles over, but she quickly breaks out of her hermanita’s hold, and conjures a vine to reach the windowsill.
“Isabela! No!” Bruno screams.
Just then, her door, which had started flickering along with the others, is the first to go dark. Isabela is still in the air when her vine suddenly disintegrates. With a scream, she falls, but Casita juts out some wooden beams that break her fall and deposits her safely onto the courtyard.
At the same time, Camilo had rushed up to the second floor, braving a shower of dust and crumbling stone, shifting into different people in an attempt to reach the windowsill too. He makes the leap, but at that precise, unfortunate moment, his door is the next to go dead, and he shifts back into his original body for the final time, just shy of the roof. With a yell, Camilo falls, but like before, Casita saves him by pushing out a railing for him to catch.
“Camilo!” Félix screams, rushing over with his arms outstretched. Camilo lets go of the railing, and falls into his padre’s hands, “We have to get out of here!”
Meanwhile, in the town beyond the mountains, the celebrations come to an abrupt halt when out of nowhere, the ground underneath begins to tremble and lurch.
Guests stop dancing, the mariachi band stops playing, and very quickly, confusion gives way to panic as the tremors intensify with terrifying force. Anything that isn’t secured or nailed down falls. Chairs and tables are overturned, plates, glasses and anything fragile meet their untimely end in pieces, and the surrounding houses groan and creak under the power of the earth.
Meanwhile, the attending Madrigals are suddenly stricken where they stand. Dolores screams, crumpling to the floor as her ears ring horribly with a high-pitched wail. Julieta feels her hands go numb, losing all sensation and mobility. And Antonio watches in a mix of confusion and horror as his animal friends start panicking, stampeding all over the place and adding to the chaos.
And yet, despite the troubling deterioration in her hands, Julieta realises something much more terrifying, “Mirabel! Mirabel, where is she?!”
Mirabel clings to Matías for dear life, as he runs down the path as quickly as he can. The ground lurches and rolls, as does the forest around them. She screams when a tree suddenly topples over, but thankfully, it falls in front of them. Matías effortlessly jumps over the fallen trunk, never stopping, even when a branch tears at his blazer.
All the while, she prays to Abuelo Pedro and the heavens, pleading for her and Matías’ safety, and to get out of this calamity alive.
Instead, she hears a loud explosion in the distance.
Alma looks around in terror, frozen, unable to move, as her home crumbles all around her. The ceilings are cracking, caving in, coming down in showers of dust and debris. Roof tiles are falling and splintering on the ground. Doors and furniture fly everywhere, crashing into each other.
The roars of an impending structural collapse and hellish cacophony of screams triggers memories of a time she forced herself to forget. Los guerrilas attacking, destroying everything in their path, homes and people alike. Being forced to run, unable to take anything with her. The fires burning out of control, the sight of people trampling and stumbling over one another as they try to flee the attackers and their machetes -
But no, this is not the time of Guerra de los Mil Días, this was Casita, her Encanto, crumbling as the Miracle shudders in its death throes.
Alma remains frozen, unable to move. But she is moved, not by her own volition.
While the rest of her family flees, Casita moves things along faster. The house pushes everyone out by rolling the courtyard floor, throwing them through the front door, just as the ceiling of the entrance hall collapses, blocking the entryway.
The roar grows louder, as the cracks cause Bruno’s tower to collapse in a deluge of rubble. It smashes into Alma’s room, and within, the cascading rubble crush the melting candle underneath its weight. Then, from the crumbling room, a beam of golden light bursts out. It streams around towards the front of the house, and lands before the Madrigals, who are trying to get to their feet. They are all taken by surprise, even more so when the golden light changes shape, becoming human-like.
Then, before their very eyes, Pedro Madrigal appears, standing in front of the collapsing house.
“M-Mi amor…?” Alma croaks.
Pedro doesn’t respond, his expression distraught. From his eyes, tears roll down like melting wax on a candle, before he closes them, as the roar reaches its climax, and a cloud of dust bursts forth, enveloping him and overwhelming the witnessing family members. There is coughing and spluttering abound, and it takes several long moments for the dust to settle.
When anyone can see again, they are met with the world-ending sight of rubble, of a house that no longer stands, reduced to ruins as the magic sustaining it dies, flame extinguished and gone.
In the stupor, which eventually gives way to dazed, yet manic cries of despair, no one notices three golden butterflies fluttering away from the ruins of Casita, disappearing into the night.
Thankfully, after what seems like an eternity, the tremors subside. Everything stabilises again, and the deafening noise quietens down.
Matías makes it back to a town in disarray. Evidently, it too was caught in the earthquake. Several of the buildings have cracks or other structural damage like missing roof tiles, and the streets are littered with overturned tables and chairs, broken plates and glasses among other debris. People are helping each other up, checking one another over, but overall confused and worried.
Matías carefully sets Mirabel down on the ground, just as Julieta’s voice reaches their ears.
“Mirabel! Mirabel, where are you?!”
“Mamá!” Mirabel cries back, immediately rushing to where her madre might be. Matías follows suit, and eventually, after a bit of searching, they find the frazzled woman amidst the crowds.
“Mirabel!”
Madre and hija are quickly reunited, hugging each other tightly and shedding tears of relief.
“Oh, mi vida, we were so worried. We couldn’t find you!”
“I was with Matías, mamá,” Mirabel replies, pulling away, “We were sharing a moment together. He kept me safe.”
Julieta turns to the towering young man, relieved and grateful, “Muchas gracias, Matías. We are indebted to you. Are you both hurt?”
“No, Señora Madrigal. At least, Mirabel isn’t,” Matías shakes his head, “Where is everyone else?”
“Julieta! Did you find her?!”
From the crowds, Agustín, Dolores and Antonio appear, along with Matías’ padres and all of Antonio’s animal friends. The Madrigals immediately crumple with relief, and quickly envelope Mirabel with their own hugs. Julia and Carlos also check on Matías, both fretting when they see how torn up Matías’ suit has become, and the cuts that graze his cheeks.
“What happened? Did an earthquake roll through?” Mirabel asks.
“I don’t know, it felt like it, but…” Dolores winces, “My ears started ringing like crazy, and Toñito’s animals went berserk, as if he couldn’t control them.”
Mirabel puts two and two together, “Your Gifts…” She turns to Dolores and Antonio, “Can you still hear everything? Are your animal friends…?”
Dolores, much to Mirabel’s relief, nods, “The ringing has stopped, and I can still hear everything.”
“Parce and the others have calmed down, Mamí!” Antonio pipes up, “It was scary. For a while, I couldn’t understand what they were saying. But when the shaking stopped, I could understand them again!”
Nearby, Agustín turns to his esposa, “Juli, how are your hands?”
“The numbness is gone,” Julieta replies, flexing her fingers for emphasis.
Mirabel gets to her feet, “Something must have happened, back in the Encanto.” Everyone is now paying attention, including Matías and his padres, “Antonio, can you summon Pico?”
Antonio raises a hand, and whistles. The toucan in question flaps down, perching on his outstretched arm.
“Pico, I need you to fly back to the Encanto and see if everything is okay,” Mirabel instructs, and Antonio translates, “Come straight back immediately after, okay?”
The toucan nods, and takes off from Antonio’s arm. Both families watch until the bird has disappeared from sight.
“Mamí? Is there something wrong with the magic?” Antonio asks worriedly.
“I don’t know, Toñito,” Mirabel sighs, carding a hand through his hair, “But something definitely happened.” She looks around the ruined festivities, “Something really big, if it managed to get all the way here.”
Julia steps forward, “Until Pico returns, I think we better go back to the house. I will get the tea brewing. Does anyone want a cup or two?”
Hardly anyone got any sleep that night.
The suddenness of the earthquake which rattled the town, three magical Gifts going haywire, it was all too unexpected, too troubling, and it kept everyone awake, huddled together for comfort, support and solidarity.
Several pots of tea are brewed, and many cups tipped back. Mirabel never left Matías’ side, not that she could even if she wanted to. Matías never once let go of her, and by extension, Antonio, who clung onto them both like his life depended on it. Dolores stayed nearby, mainly keeping an ear out for Pico’s return. Meanwhile, Julieta and Agustín found solace in each other, being the other’s pillar during the waiting game that commenced as soon as they returned to the house.
All thoughts and memories of the quinceañera have been tossed out of the window. Uncertainty and worries about what could have happened back in the Encanto, specifically the Miracle, weighed heavy on everyone’s minds. There was no point in speculating or discussing. Not knowing the truth was the name of the game, until Pico returned with news about what happened.
Finally, after about two hours of waiting, Dolores perks up, “Pico! He’s back!”
Immediately, everyone springs back to rapt attention. Antonio jumps down from the sofa, going to the window where his hermana is standing. He stretches out a hand, and the toucan lands on it with a flap of wings. Antonio brings Pico inside, as everyone gathers around.
“Pico, what did you see?”
The toucan squawks, and Antonio nods. Those around quickly notice him growing paler by the second, as Pico recounts what he saw back at the Encanto.
“Casita…gone? The street…cracked?”
An ominous sense of doom falls upon the room. Mirabel gasps, as does Julieta, at the implications.
“What about Abuela?” Antonio presses, “And everyone else?”
Pico, unfortunately, is unable to respond in what Mirabel thinks is the best description of what happened to the rest of the family left behind in the Encanto.
“We have to go back,” she declares, trying desperately to keep a lid on her growing panic, “We have to make sure everyone is okay!”
Julieta, as much as she is on the verge of panicking too, forces herself to be the voice of reason, “It’s too dark. Even with torches, there are so many of us. The horse and cart will have a hard time.”
Mirabel wanted to protest, but Carlos also steps in with his two pesos, “It’s too dangerous right now. We will leave in the morning.”
“You’re coming too?”
“We are,” Julia nods, “Matías may be more than capable of looking out for you and your familia, but as his padres, we want to make sure that he is safe too.”
Antonio goes to hug Mirabel, putting on a valiant attempt at being brave. Matías also puts an arm around her, squeezing her shoulder.
A plan is set, and all anyone can do now is wait for the sun to rise.
Morning couldn’t come fast enough.
As soon as the first light begins to rise over the horizon, both families are already up after a restless night and getting ready for the journey back.
The cart is brought out, as is the horse. Julieta and Julia had gotten up slightly earlier to prepare the food and drink the party will need for the journey. Once the supplies had been loaded onto the cart, the two families prepared to make their move. Mirabel, Julieta, Julia and Dolores climb into the cart, while Antonio, with the help of Matías, gets on the back of the horse. Matías takes his position by the side of the cart right where Mirabel is sitting, while both Agustín and Carlos lead the horse out. All of Antonio’s animal friends act as a sort of protective barrier around the cart and horse, while Pico flies ahead to act as the navigator and guide.
The sight is, rather understandably, unusual. Some early risers ask questions, to which both families try to answer as best as they could.
They will be going away for some time, though no one is sure for exactly how long. Yes, Matías and his padres will eventually return. They just need to help Mirabel and the Madrigals sort out issues in their home town, which they say, with the utmost seriousness, was the epicentre of the earthquake which rattled the town the night before.
Eventually, with the sun rising into the sky, the party sets off.
The journey is uneventful for the most part. Travelling through the forest would have been a daunting task, had it not been for Pico leading the way and Antonio acting as the translator to the human members of the party. Plus, the horde of animals provided an additional layer of safety against any would-be attackers, human or animal. Still, the mood is sombre, with a foreboding knowing that what they will see at the end of their journey back would be unpleasant.
Perhaps the most shocking thing the party experienced during their trip, which took about two days and required the party to spend the night in the same river Mirabel had stumbled into during her departure from the Encanto, was when they reached the mountains.
“What in the world…” Julieta utters.
Every Madrigal who made the journey out of the Encanto remembers the towering mountain that blocked their path, until a golden butterfly appeared and opened a tunnel that cut through the mountain, allowing them to reach the other side. Now, that same mountain has been split in two from the summit right down to the base, as if someone had taken a giant hammer and chisel, and struck the mountain with enough force to completely cleave it in half down the middle.
“What could have caused this…” Carlos wonders, totally amazed.
Mirabel, for her part, is silent. While she hadn’t fully registered it then, she vaguely remembers hearing what sounded like an explosion or loud noise in the distance. It had not come from the town. Instead, it was deeper in the forest.
Could this be it?
“Mirabel?” Matías runs a gentle hand through her hair, “What’s wrong?”
“Matías, remember when you were carrying me back to the town…?”
Mirabel explains what she heard, with everyone else listening in with quiet attention.
“If what you’re saying is correct, that would be at the same time the earthquake hit,” Julia surmises, “And around the same time that your primos and your madre’s Gifts started going haywire.”
The implications are as clear as day. The only way that what everyone was thinking can be conclusively proven, though, is to see the aftermath itself.
Thankfully, with the mountain completely split from top to bottom, cutting through it was extremely easy. There had been concerns that the rocky terrain would have made it difficult for the horse and cart to traverse through, but with the opening reaching the ground, the concerns were quickly settled.
From there, the journey resumed being completely uneventful. Eventually, the forest begins to thin out, eventually opening up to the outer boundaries of the Encanto.
Instantly, Mirabel is hit by an overpowering sense of nostalgia. She had been here all of those many days ago, except in the opposite direction. And much like the night she left, the street is completely empty, despite it still being light out. There is an aura of forlornness in the air, which the animals could evidently sense, if their whines and distressed noises are any indication.
For all intents and purposes, the Encanto had become a ghost town, which no doubt, troubled everyone within the party.
“What happened here?” Antonio asks quietly.
As they go deeper into the town, the next troubling sight greets them. The main street has been torn apart by a massive fissure, and further up…
Julieta gasps in horror, and before anyone can stop her, she leaps out of the cart and rushes up the cracked cobbled street.
“Julieta!” Agustín cries out, rushing after her.
Despite that, she didn’t stop, until what she had seen came into clearer view.
Agustín catches up with Julieta, about to ask what had gotten her so spooked, until he also sees what she saw only moments earlier.
The collapsed ruins of their home. Casita, the house where they lived for so many years and raised their hijas, is gone, completely destroyed.
And speaking of their hijas, Isabela and Luisa sit amidst the ruins, appearing dazed and deep in shock, not yet aware of their arrival.
Julieta’s eyelid promptly begins twitching uncontrollably.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Why not commemorate the first day of a new month with Mirabel finally returning to the Encanto?
Keep in mind, we've just come out of the earthquake. The flood will hit in the next chapter 😉
- Kai
--------------------------
Chapter 22: A Family Reunited
Summary:
Mirabel reunites with her sisters.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Julieta throws her hands into the air.
“We were gone for less than a week! A week ! How did you all destroy our home in less than a week?!”
Both Isabela and Luisa jump at Julieta’s outburst. After a second of shock and another second of calming down from the fright, both young women jump to their feet and rush to their padres.
Despite her exasperation and outrage still bubbling in her veins, Julieta quickly embraces her two eldest hijas, as does Agustín.
“Mamá, what are you doing back here?” Luisa asks in a trembling voice, “I thought you and papá were - ?”
“Not now, mija,” Julieta struggles to maintain a level tone, “Are any of you hurt?”
“N-No, Casita pushed us all out before it collapsed,” Isabela replies shakily, “B-But our Gifts…”
“None of that now, we’ll deal with it later,” Julieta interrupts, “What happened? What caused Casita to collapse?”
“It was Abuela,” Luisa sniffles, “She somehow escaped from her room, and tried to force things back to what they were. We were all arguing, shouting at her, and t-then…T-Tío…”
“Tío Bruno appeared, and produced a vision,” Isabela continues on her hermanita’s behalf, “It showed Abuela before a collapsed Casita. H-He declared that Abuela is the reason why the Miracle will die. T-Then, Casita started to crumble…”
With her exasperation rapidly rising, Julieta quickly switches focus, “Where is everyone else?”
“Camilo is with the Guzmáns. Tía Pepa and Tío Félix are looking for Abuela and Tío Bruno,” Luisa replies, “T-They disappeared after Casita collapsed, and they went in search of them.”
If she had her hermana’s Gift, a thundercloud would now be rumbling over Julieta’s head.
“Where have you two been staying since?” Agustín asks.
“In the church, I’m…not exactly welcome at the Guzmáns right now,” Isabela explains, “Luisa refused to leave my side, despite easily being allowed to stay with them.”
Julieta takes a long, shuddering breath. She turns to Agustín, who nods.
“Stay with your papá. I’m going to see Padre Flores and let them know that there are more people in need of his church.”
Once she gets her hijas’ affirmations, Julieta stalks off, muttering darkly to herself, “One week. Just one week…”
Isabela turns back to Agustín, “More people? You mean…”
“Isa? Luisa?”
Both young women jump at the sound of a voice they never expected to hear again so soon.
Staring in shock, both at the collapsed remains of Casita and them too, is Mirabel.
Luisa’s lips promptly start trembling, before she lets out a cry torn between joy and anguish. Breaking away from Agustín, she rushes towards Mirabel and sweeps her younger hermana up into a bone-creaking, suffocating hug. Mirabel’s eyes bug out from all of the air being pushed out of her lungs in an instant, and she wonders if her spine would ever recover from this.
“Mira…Mirabel,” Luisa weeps, tears streaming down her cheeks, “I-Is this real? Are you really here?”
“L-Luisa…” Mirabel wheezes, trying to get some much-needed air before her lungs shrivel up from oxygen deprivation, “Easy, e-easy there! C-Can’t breathe…!”
In her emotional state, Luisa only hugs her tighter, fearing that Mirabel would disappear again as soon as she lets go. Her feet dangling in the air, Mirabel starts to get progressively light-headed, as the lack of oxygen very quickly becomes a very possible threat to her mortal existence.
“Hola, I presume you are Mirabel’s hermana, right?”
Luisa pauses at the deep, unfamiliar voice. Glancing up, her eyes meet the dark, unreadable ones of a young man just slightly taller, and with broader musculature than her.
“I understand that you’re overjoyed to see her, but Mirabel is about to die from asphyxiation, so could you please let her breathe? I would rather have mi novia to be alive.”
Her eyes wide, and mouth falling open, Luisa’s grip slowly loosens, allowing Mirabel to take a much-needed gasp of air before her vision goes dark.
“Gracias, Matías,” she wheezes, slipping down to the ground.
“No es nada, amor,” Matías ruffles Mirabel’s hair. He then spots Isabela with Agustín, and the warmth in his eyes recedes back into his usual, unreadable stoniness. Matías goes past Luisa, her stunned eyes following his every move, as he approaches Isabela, easily towering over her.
“You must be Isabela, no? Mirabel has talked a lot about you.”
Forced to strain her neck in order to maintain eye contact, Isabela warily replies, “Sí…and you are?”
“Matías Ramirez, Mirabel’s novio,” his unreadable eyes bear down on her, and Isabela would be lying if she said she didn’t feel an uneasy shiver run down her spine, “You’re La Señorita Perfecta, the one who apparently has roses coming out of her flat, nonexistent ass cheeks.”
Everything screeches to a halt.
Agustín’s jaw falls open, his glasses falling off one ear and hanging askew. Luisa has a scandalised expression, and Mirabel is stunned silent, unable to comprehend the sight of her boyfriend just going up to Isabela and roasting her, completely unprovoked.
For a long, tense moment, everyone wonders what Isabela would do to this towering, muscular young man who just strode up to her and did the equivalent of slapping her across the face with a dead fish.
Nobody could have expected the snort, which rapidly escalates into full-blown laughter.
Perhaps no one is more shocked by the sight than Mirabel.
For sure, she has seen her eldest hermana laugh before. But it was always controlled, dainty and delicate, like the demure princesa Mirabel knew her to be. This laughter is uncontrolled, unhinged, bordering on manic, as if Isabela had just lost her marbles.
After several moments of completely losing it, Isabela manages to get things under control before she passes out from the lack of oxygen, “Ay dios, I feel like I deserved that, somehow. Did Mirabel tell you to say that?”
Matías, for his part, merely shrugs, “I’m just repeating what she ranted to me about you.”
Isabela snorts again, before her expression warms into something akin to approval, “I like you. Mirabel has chosen well.”
As for the girl in question, her confusion only grows, “Um…am I missing something here?”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Poor Mirabel...
But anyways.
I know I promised a flood in the previous chapter, and we are indeed building up to one. I just thought it would be hilarious to see Luisa and Isabela's reactions to Matías. Also, does anyone remember Mirabel roasting Isabela many chapters ago? It has come full-circle now 😋
But on a serious note, things will get heavy in the next chapter, courtesy of a certain matriarch and the rest of the family being reunited. I hope you guys have your life-vests and boats ready, because we can expect a tsunami in the coming future.
- Kai
---------------------------
Chapter 23: Overdue Conversations
Summary:
Conversations, long overdue, are finally held.
Notes:
This is it. Prepare your boats, lifejackets, or floatation devices.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
She doesn’t know where she is going.
Her feet are mechanically doing the work. One foot in front of the other. One step, followed by another, and then another, so on and so forth.
She is on auto-pilot, as she walks off to god-knows-where.
She doesn’t register her surroundings. Her eyes stare distantly, and blankly, forward. Never moving, lifeless and dark like a statue.
Because her mind is in turmoil.
“You were doing it for your own selfish wants!...All because you wanted to keep your stupid Miracle alive!”
“You don’t care about any of us. You only see us as slaves to order around on a whim! We are not family to you. You don’t even know what a family is!”
“You are the one who is out of control!”
“... you drove away my sobrina because of your obsession with the Miracle. You made my sobrina’s life a miserable hell, cutting her off from her hermanas, made her feel worthless and unwanted, when all she wanted to do was make you proud!”
“Papá would be so ashamed, dying for a monster like you.”
Somehow, she managed to cross the rainforest, through a mountain that had split in two down the middle, and then crossed through more rainforest.
Before the world opens up.
And Alma finds herself at a river.
Just like that, clarity comes back to her. The hurricane of accusing voices, flashing emotions, and the onset of new trauma of seeing her home collapsing into a pile of rubble clears away, leaving behind an empty, but conscious void.
That void, though, doesn’t remain empty for long.
Upon seeing the river, memories that she had long suppressed and buried returned with a vengeance. However, Alma doesn’t break down like how she did when she saw the ruins of her home. Instead, she stumbles to the edge of the river, and shakily sits down on a large rock.
The calm serenity of water flowing down into the horizon is a complete contrast to her spiralling emotions. Tears begin to spill from her aged eyelids, as her heart bleeds from flashes of seeing her Pedro be brutally cut down by the raiders’ machetes, her crying out for his dying soul, and seeing his blood mixing with the river currents.
This was where it all started. Where the Miracle was born.
And now, fifty years later, she is back, where her happy life was cruelly snatched away from her, where she was forced to rebuild everything for herself, her niños, and the survivors. Where she was forced to bury her trauma for the sake of others.
The flow of tears speeds up. Her voice cracking, she whispers, “Pedro…where did I go wrong? How could this have happened? Please…” she shudders, “open my eyes. Help me see the truth.”
“The fact that you still can’t see it…you are truly the worst.”
She looks up, startled. She didn’t expect someone to have followed her. And she recognises the voice.
Still, she doesn’t look or turn around. Not even when Bruno climbs off the horse he hastily borrowed (read: stole) from the stables once he realised that she had wandered away from the Encanto and into the rainforest.
“Even after everything, losing our home, and our gifts, you still can’t see it?” Bruno sneers, advancing on her, “You still can’t see that you’re the one at fault? That you caused all of this?” He spits out his venom, “You were awful to my sobrina. You were awful to all of us. Why did you treat us like this, huh? Tell me, Alma, why ?”
Silence follows after that loaded question. Bruno waits, not once looking away, not until he gets an explanation, a reason why his own madre had become an unrecognisable monster.
Eventually, she does reply, but not in the way he expected, “I’ve…never been able to come back here.”
Bruno’s eyebrows dip further, and he opens his mouth, but she continues, “T-This river…is where-,” her voice cracks, “where we were given our Miracle.”
Suddenly, the still air becomes deathly cold.
“Where…papá…he…?”
Quite against his will, Bruno goes to sit down next to her.
“I…had a normal life,” she begins, “I had my padres, my amigas, a peaceful town, and everything was perfect.” She swallows, “But we heard news…of raiders, of men on horseback, burning villages to the ground and indiscriminately killing people. My padre said…he reassured us that…it would not happen to us.”
“For a while, it seemed that way. I met your papá, we fell in love, and we got married. We promised each other happiness, and when I gave birth to you and your hermanas, it was perfect. Everything was perfect.”
“B-But…they came.”
Bruno feels his blood run cold.
Word spread quickly that the Madrigals had returned.
Curious onlookers came out of their houses to see for themselves. Many were surprised to see Mirabel and Antonio, but more were gawking (and perhaps ogling) Matías, having never seen anyone taller or broader than Luisa in their lives.
That said, any questions the townspeople might have went unanswered.
The returning Madrigals and their guests were ushered into the church, and anyone else was barred from entering. Despite their demands, nobody was allowed to enter, not even Padre Flores. The sudden presence of Antonio’s jaguar, snarling and baring his teeth, forced everyone to withdraw, giving the returning family the peace they desired.
The air inside the church was tense and awkward. Despite the levity that came from Matías’ unprovoked roasting of Isabela, now the time came for Isabela and Mirabel to finally meet again.
In truth, Mirabel knows something happened, but once the shock from the mind-boggling sight of Isabela devolving into uncontrolled, manic laughter had subsided, awkwardness took over. After all, one doesn’t forget years of bullying from one’s eldest sibling just from seeing said sibling act completely out-of-character.
Additionally, Isabela herself seems unsure of how to approach the situation. Her eyes kept glancing at Mirabel, and quite a few times, she opened her mouth, as if to say something, but nothing would come out, and her lips would close again.
Deep down, though, both knew that they would have to address the situation between them sooner rather than later. Like it or not, Mirabel is back in the Encanto, and it doesn’t seem like she would leave anytime soon, what with the whole issue of Casita in collapsed ruins.
And the others thought so too. Even Antonio and Matías, who would most likely be the ones to get Mirabel out of a tight, awkward spot, kept a respectable distance, something which Mirabel understood with compassion.
Still, as time passed, the air continued to thicken with awkward tension. Eventually, something had to give, and feeling like she can’t stand the oppressive atmosphere any longer, Mirabel opens her mouth, “Isa -”
“I’m sorry.”
“It was the night I had given birth. Suddenly, screams filled the air. My neighbour’s house was torched. People I knew were being killed left, right and centre. They even burnt the church down to the ground, ransacking anything of worth from within.”
Tears once again fall, “The raiders did unimaginable, unholy things. Blinded by the desire for power, and fuelled by their sadistic thirst for spilt blood, they stole, burnt, and killed everything and everyone in their paths.”
“I couldn’t take anything with me. Pedro just got me to run. I was still exhausted, still aching from giving birth. But I forced myself to run. Hundreds of us fled into the rainforest. We just wanted to get away, to save ourselves. But they pursued us, right up to the river.”
“The people were trampling over one another, screaming and crying. I was too exhausted to take another step, and…Pedro, he…he tried to buy us more time. He kissed me, you, and your hermanas one last time, and tried to plead the raiders to spare us all. I tried to stop him, that they won’t listen to reason. He still tried, and…a-and…”
Bruno instinctively knows what happened next.
But, he was still unprepared.
Whatever Mirabel wanted to say dies in her mouth.
Isabela is now looking at her.
Her eyes shimmer with unshed tears. Her lips are trembling uncontrollably.
Mirabel knows. It is guilt.
“I-I’m so, so sorry.”
Mirabel knows better than to interrupt. She remains silent.
“I was a terrible hermana to you,” Isabela blurts out, as the tears begin to pool on her eyelids, “T-There is no excuse for what I did. Even if I was afraid of losing Abuela’s love, that is still no excuse for being a right puta to you. I should have focused on you and Luisa. I should have stood up to Abuela. I was a coward, and I took it out on you. I’m sorry, for everything.”
This time, there is no stopping the tears from trickling down her cheeks. Isabela quietly weeps, “I-I don’t deserve your forgiveness. I-I have to prove that I will be better. T-To be a better hermana for you and Luisa. I n-need to show that I will change.”
Isabela quickly wipes her tears away, “Please excuse me. I need to calm down.”
Mirabel makes no move to stop her, as Isabela gets up from the bench and retreats to a quiet corner of the church to sort herself out. She vaguely registers a presence sitting down next to her.
“She is right, you know.”
Mirabel slowly turns to Matías.
“You don’t have to forgive her and forget everything she did to you, just because she apologised.”
Mirabel glances down at her hands, “I…really don’t know. A part of me wants to just brush her off, just like how she did to me for so long. There’s…another part that wants me to scream at Isa, to slap and kick her for every horrible thing she did to me. But…I really want us to be hermanas again.”
“It’s okay to be conflicted,” Matías reassures, leaning down to kiss her temple, “Take however long you need to process it through. I’m sure the answer will come with time.”
And that is one of the things Mirabel loves about her boyfriend. He is so understanding, empathetic and compassionate. While her gut instinct is screaming at her to make up with Isabela, to accept her apology and forgive her for the years of dismissal and bullying, so much has happened in a short span of time, and time is what Mirabel needs right now to unravel the tangled yarn of emotions and thoughts.
Make no mistake, Mirabel would ultimately want to mend things with her hermanas, both Isabela and Luisa. But right now, she herself is the main focus.
She had put others before herself for most of her life. Now, just like the time spent with Matías and his padres, this time is purely for herself.
“They cut him down where he stood. I saw my Pedro be stabbed and sliced apart by their machetes. His pleas fell on deaf ears, just as his mutilated body fell into the river, staining the water red. I thought they would come for us next. And I prayed to God that he would deliver us from this hell. To save us all. And then…I was given a Miracle.”
“Our marriage candle was blessed, and its flame blew the raiders away. The Miracle created our Encanto, our home, a sanctuary for myself, you, your hermanas, and the survivors. It created the mountains which kept our Encanto safe. And, when you and your hermanas turned five, it blessed you three with your Gifts.”
Bruno remains silent.
“But…I was scared. I was given a second chance, and I was so scared of losing it all again, that…I…”
“You failed to see the true miracle.”
Bruno’s voice was devoid of emotion, and as his madre turns to him, he continues, “The Miracle was never about the Gifts. The Miracle was our second chance of life. We were supposed to die with papá that night, but heaven granted us a miracle to live when we were supposed to die. You lost sight of what the Miracle was truly about, and who it was for.”
When his madre fails to stop him, he carries on, “You thought that you had to keep the Miracle strong, to protect the Encanto, to make sure what happened to you would never happen again. But in the process, you turned us, your own niños and nietos, into mere tools to reinforce your delusions. You let the town loose on us, never mind the fact that we are humans, not machines, who require rest, and most importantly, boundaries.”
It is honestly amazing that Bruno’s voice never once raised in volume, that he didn’t start screaming at his madre as, perhaps, he rightly should.
But he was tired. After 45 years, Bruno was exhausted.
“You forced us beyond what we could take. For me, you forced me to have endless visions to see into the future, even when the townspeople were not satisfied with what I had to give. You let the townspeople curse me, vilify me, demonise me. You turned me into a harbinger of doom in the eyes of the Encanto. And for what? Because I look too much like papá?”
At this, his mamá swerves towards him, mouth opening in a possible attempt to refute what he just said.
“Every time I passed papá’s portrait on the staircase, especially after I became a teenager and then a young adult,” Bruno cuts off whatever protest she might have had, “I always thought I looked like papá. I didn’t think much about it then, but when I think about it now, whenever you looked at me, there was always a flash of nostalgia, a brief flicker of sadness, and a hidden longing. After I went into hiding in the walls,” he ignored the soft gasp, “I processed everything I went through, and now, I come to the realisation. You were hoping that I would become like papá, strong, confident, everything I wasn’t. And the more I failed to live up to your expectations, the more you let the townspeople come at me for seemingly dooming them to terrible fates. Never mind the fact that more often, what I saw were inconsequential things that were entirely their own doing. That lady with her precious goldfish,” he snorts derisively, “she was keeping it in a freakin’ bowl. It was going to kill the fish, driving it insane, and I tried to tell her to put it into something more suitable. But did she listen? No, and the goldfish died from stress the next day. And she still blames me for it till this day! And not to mention Osvaldo and Padre Flores. That fatso never once did a day of exercise in his life, and he was always pigging out on whatever food he got his hands on. Of course he was going to grow a huge, fat gut. And Padre Flores’ hair was going to go anyway, because it is fucking genetics!”
He sighs, the slight raise in his voice draining even more energy from him, “I don’t blame you for being affected by what happened to papá. But your refusal to let go of the past caused unimaginable suffering for me, my hermanas, and my sobrinos. Especially Mirabel. She never did anything to hurt you, but you hurt her to no end. You drove a wedge between her and the rest of us. You hurt her so much that she did what I intended to do, and actually ran away from the Encanto. The only reason I didn't was because I have the courage of a mouse and the rainforest spooked me enough to come running back.”
His eyes were exhausted, but were no less accusatory, “The Miracle was supposed to keep us safe and happy. Instead, you used it to tear our familia apart. We are all broken, because of you.”
Silence follows, save for the sounds of the rainforest and the river.
Abuela dips her head, “I know. I have failed everyone. You, Mirabel, everyone. Even Pedro,” she wipes her eyes with a hand, “I failed him. He died in vain, because of me.”
Bruno is silent, before shaking his head, “No, papá did not die in vain.”
Abuela slowly turns to him.
“If he died in vain, we would all be dead. My sobrinos would not have been born. The town would not have existed. The people living with us today would not be alive now, nor would their descendants be born. Papá died in order for us to live, and we are continuing to honour him by being alive. The Gifts,” Bruno glances down at his own hands, “they were simply that. Just gifts. The fact that we are all alive, right now, is the greatest miracle, I think. Papá wanted you, me, my hermanas, and everyone else, to live. However…” despite the exhaustion in his eyes, they remain firmly resolute, “...he would not have wanted us to be reduced to mere tools for a town that has grown lazy, entitled and spoiled. He would not have wanted to see you, his eternal love, turn into a cold, unfeeling monster who drove away her own nieta, who did nothing wrong and only wanted you to smile and hug her again, and most importantly, he would not have wanted to see generations of his own familia crack and break under pressure from your misguided attempt to honour his sacrifice. I’m sure,” Bruno looks up to the sombre sky, “he still loves you, and eagerly awaits his reunion with you. But I know that he is severely disappointed with you, with what you have become, and how you have broken us all. And right now, he would want you to set things right.”
There is a moment of silence.
“How…do I set things right?”
Bruno turns to meet his madre’s eyes.
“How do I make it up to everyone? To you, Mirabel, everyone else?”
Bruno slowly takes her hands, “We start…by going home.”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
...
...
*breaks through the surface of the water*
Is everyone okay? Good? Let's wrap up then.
So the reason why Bruno's conversation with Abuela is much longer and more in-depth than Mirabel's conversations with both Isabela and Matías stems from their differences in age and life experience. Plus, I figured that since Bruno was in the walls for a decade and only had his rats and occasionally Dolores for company, he spent a lot of time thinking about the family situation.
But that's just my opinion. Feel free to drown me if necessary.
On a different note, we will see Abuela apologising to Mirabel and everyone she has wronged. But it won't be a smooth road ahead.
- Kai
Chapter 24: A New Foundation
Summary:
A home starts to be rebuilt, as do several family relationships.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
After about a day, Mirabel can’t take it anymore.
The awkwardness and tension in the air has not only refused to abate, it just got much worse.
Her mamá had returned to the church with Tía Pepa, Tío Félix and Camilo in tow. Despite all three reacting with shock at seeing Dolores and Antonio back in the Encanto, only Camilo went forward to hug his siblings. Tía Pepa and Tío Félix hung back, as if unsure whether to approach Antonio or not.
While she understands why, since they were effectively absent for the first years of their youngest hijo’s life, and the fact that Antonio repeatedly called her and Matías “mamí” and “papí” respectively, often within earshot from his biological parents, these only served to thicken the awkwardness wafting throughout the church.
And eventually, Mirabel could not tolerate it any longer.
On the second day since her return to the Encanto, Mirabel suddenly gets up from the bench, and strides to the front of the church, near where Padre Flores delivers his sermons and conducts mass every Sunday.
“Alright, everyone, gather around!” she claps her hands, “Quickly, everyone!”
Startled by her sudden proclamation, the Madrigals, Matías and his padres come forward, gathering before her, confusion and bemusement evident on their faces.
“This has gone on for long enough,” Mirabel begins, “We’re all back together again, and I know things won’t go back to what they were with a snap of fingers, but don’t think it’s time that we start rebuilding?”
“Rebuilding? What exactly?” Luisa asks.
“Casita, duh! We need a house to live in,” Mirabel points out, “We can’t stay in the church forever.”
“But…where do we even start?” Camilo asks, “I mean, it’s all just rubble.”
“Well, we start by clearing that mess, and salvaging anything that can be saved,” Mirabel replies easily, before clapping her hands again, “Alright, everyone, let’s move out!”
Admittedly, it was a rather bemusing sight to see two families, one larger than the other, being herded out of the church by a teenage girl who is only taller than one member of both families. That said, no one disagreed with Mirabel’s reasoning that living in the church cannot be the long-term option.
They spend the next three days combing the collapsed ruins, clearing out the rubble and looking for anything that can be salvaged.
With both families hard at work, clearing out the rubble was relatively easy for the most part. A combination of many hands, Matías and Luisa’s combined strength, despite the latter losing her gift; and Antonio directing his animals to help out where additional assistance was needed, ensured that the ruins were cleared without much trouble.
Additionally, they were able to unearth several items that, miraculously, survived the collapse. Things like small pieces of furniture, Mirabel’s sewing machine, a few bottles and boxes from where the kitchen used to be, and even the stuffed jaguar that Mirabel gave to Antonio on his birthday, which despite being covered in dust, was entirely intact.
But perhaps the greatest find came from where the staircase which went up to the second floor used to be.
“Dios mío, everyone, look what we found!”
Those nearby rush over to where Mirabel and Camilo are huddled together. With a bit of effort, they pull up the portrait of Abuelo Pedro, which used to hang on the wall next to the staircase. It had fallen off when the cracks destroyed the wall, but it had mostly survived the collapse. While the wooden frame was gone, the canvas itself only had a few small scratches.
Julieta and Pepa both gasp, stepping forward to get closer to the portrait. Matías and his padres move backwards to give the Madrigals a private moment together.
Pepa turns to Mirabel, and immediately wraps her sobrina in a tight hug.
“Gracias, Mirabel, muchas gracias…”
And speaking of Pepa, and Félix, for that matter, Mirabel decided that she ought to have a conversation with them about Antonio.
While the cleaning operation pauses for a much-needed lunch break, Mirabel approaches them both, “Tía Pepa? Tío Félix? Can we talk for a moment?”
“Of course, of course,” Félix nods, “What do you need?”
“Listen, I know it hurts you both whenever Antonio calls me “mamí” and Matías “papí”,” Mirabel goes straight for the jugular, “And I know that you both are his rightful padres, so I’m hoping that we can work together to slowly reintegrate Antonio back to you both. You shouldn’t have to see your youngest child disavow you as his padres.”
The sentiment was clear, but this is where Pepa surprises Mirabel, “Mi vida, you don’t have to force things to change just because. Yes, it hurts to see Toñito not acknowledge us as his birth padres, but both your tío and I have accepted that it was because you, Mirabel, picked up the ball when we dropped it, and raised Toñito to become the wonderful boy he is right now.”
“But, you two are his padres…”
“And that will never change,” Félix interjects, “but as you said, we can slowly adapt and move things along. We understood where we both went wrong, and we’re going to work to make things right. And even if Antonio doesn’t completely come around to the fact that we are both his blood padres, the fact that you both are back with us is more than enough for us both.”
“Are…are you sure?” Mirabel asks.
“Positive, now you go back and eat properly, we still have quite a lot to do.”
Knowing that the conversation was over for now, Mirabel thanks her tía and tío for their time, and heads back to where Matías is.
“Mamí?”
Mirabel looks down, Antonio having appeared from somewhere.
“I…I couldn’t help but hear what you were saying,” the small boy admits, “They…they are my padres? I thought you were my mamí?”
Seeing that things have come to this, Mirabel crouches down to his level, “They are, indeed, your padres. But, you can still call me “mamí”, if you wish.”
Antonio glances over to Pepa and Félix, “I’m…confused.”
“You don’t have to worry too much about it,” Mirabel reassures her primo, remembering what Tío Félix said to her, “I think…it ultimately doesn’t matter.”
“What do you mean?”
“I think, you know how Señora Julia and Señor Carlos took care of us while we were staying in their home? They were like our mamá and papá, but they are not our actual padres. I know for certain that Tía Julieta and Tío Agustín are my blood padres, but Señora Julia and Señor Carlos treated us like we were their niños too, despite not actually being related to them. I think, in the end, it doesn’t really matter. So long as everyone loves one another, titles and labels mean little. Love is stronger than that.”
“I…think I get it,” Antonio replies after a moment, “You’re my mamí, but they are my padres. But it doesn’t matter in the end, because we all love each other like a family?”
“That’s right, Toñito,” Mirabel beams, ruffling her primo’s hair, earning a bright smile from him, “You’re so smart.”
At the same time, Mirabel also had similar conversations with her two older hermanas, while the clean-up operation continues.
Her conversation with Luisa was shorter, as her relationship with her second hermana was less strained than with Isabela. Mirabel remembered Luisa always being dependable and ready to flash her an assuring thumbs-up or tidbit of encouragement, but with the townspeople constantly piling more and more work on Luisa’s shoulders, these moments were few and far between.
Now, though, with no such demands weighing Luisa down, she and Mirabel were able to reconnect and promise to look out for one another so that neither took on too many heavy loads.
(The fact that Luisa never once let go of Mirabel from a suffocating hug during that conversation didn’t need to be mentioned.)
That said, Mirabel knew that sorting things out with Isabela will be harder.
Despite Isabela’s apology in the church, after thinking about it further and consulting her padres on the matter, Mirabel decides to address the issue that still lingered between them both. While Isabela said that she didn’t need to forgive her instantly, Mirabel personally felt that the awkwardness between them had gone on for long enough.
For sure, they will need to address and confront the years of mistreatment she endured, but if Mirabel is going to bring her family back together again, they will need to tackle the issue head-on and not dance around in awkward tension.
As such, it was during the break for the evening meal that Mirabel decided to confront the issue.
She spies Isabela eating by herself, perched on a piece of stone that they hadn’t cleared yet. Once her eldest hermana had set her plate to one side, Mirabel quietly goes over to her, “Isa?”
Isabela turns around, “Mirabel?”
“Isa…um…can we…like, talk?”
Mirabel can see a myriad of emotions flash in her hermana’s eyes, but Isabela, bless her, nods, “Sure…if you like.”
She sits down next to Isabela, and for a moment, silence follows. Mirabel gathers her thoughts, and opens her mouth to begin the conversation, “Isa, I…I remember what you told me at the church. You apologised to me, for everything, and you can’t imagine how much joy I felt, hearing you apologise for everything bad that you’d done to me.” To Isabela’s credit, she doesn’t interrupt, letting Mirabel continue on, “I always looked up to you, the golden child, the one whom everyone loved, including Abuela. And, in truth, I was envious. You had everything, beauty, the perfect gift, being praised by everybody. I just wanted a sliver of what you had, but…you made things difficult for me, even when all I wanted was to be like you.”
Isabela glances down, her eyes sad, “I know. I was horrible to you. Partly because I was afraid of losing Abuela’s love and approval. I saw what she did to you, and I was afraid. It didn’t excuse what I did to you, even if I was afraid. But also…” she suddenly snorts sardonically, “you said you were envious of me. Well, I was envious of you as well.”
Mirabel turns to Isabela, surprised, “Come again?”
“You are right that everyone saw me as the golden child. But…I was stuck in a golden cage. Everything about me was controlled, my looks, how I acted, even how I used my gift,” Isabela flexes her hands, “Abuela controlled everything. It was all pink, roses and flor de mayo. I couldn’t do anything I truly wanted to do. I was never allowed to use my gift how I wanted. Hell, I was even forced into a marriage proposal that I wanted no part of! I didn’t even love Mariano in the first place. I just went with it because of Abuela, and I was afraid of going against her and losing her favour. And then, every time I saw you, how you could do whatever you wanted, and not having to worry about what others thought of you, I was envious of you. And…I took out my frustrations on you, because I saw you as everything I really wanted to be, but was not allowed to. For all of that, I’m so sorry, Mira.”
Mirabel is left speechless for a good minute, before she too lets out a sardonic snort, “Ay dios mío, we’re truly messed up, aren’t we? I thought you were always rubbing it in my face, but you were actually envious of me? Oh, the irony…”
“Yeah…when you say it that way, we were truly messed up,” Isabela agrees wistfully.
Silence takes over for a moment.
“Isa…I know you told me that I need not forgive you straight away, despite your apology, which I accept, for that matter,” Mirabel clarifies, “And maybe…if I was anybody else, I wouldn’t be so quick to forgive and forget. But…you are still my hermana, and, quite frankly, I really want us to get along again. I don’t want this awkward tension hanging over us every time we make eye-contact. Of course, I probably would never forget all the times you whipped your hair into my face, or said some really mean things to me, but…I can see where it all started. Abuela…she really messed us both up really badly. I probably would have a much easier time not forgiving her for what she did. Even though what you did to me was wrong, I can see you were really afraid of losing Abuela’s love. And, I think, that is what is allowing me to not only accept your apology, but also to forgive you.”
Isabela nods after a moment, and she meets Mirabel’s eyes. One can easily see the palpable relief in them, but also, a strong resolution.
“I promise, Mira, that I will do better. I will be the hermana you should have had. I won’t betray this second chance you’ve given me.”
“I know you won’t,” Mirabel smiles, “Plus, I’m certain that even if you do, which I highly doubt, Matías will set you straight.”
Partially grateful for the change in topic, “That Matías, he is your novio, no?”
“Sí, I’m so sorry for him insulting you that day -”
“No, I deserved it. Plus, he sounds like a great guy,” Isabela waves off easily, “But, dios mío, he is so tall , and huge! What did his padres feed him?”
“I’m sure they feed him like any other person,” Mirabel chuckles, “But yeah, he is unlike anyone I’ve ever seen, and that includes Luisa.”
This incites a laugh from Isabela, and that simple sound further cements her promise to Mirabel. It may not be the unhinged, manic laughter Isabela devolved into when Matías metaphorically slapped her with a dead fish, but it was no less genuine.
And that gives Mirabel the hope that really, things will begin to get better for everyone.
Once the rubble has been cleared, and anything that can be salvaged safely stored away, now comes the process of actually rebuilding their home.
This is the harder part, as none of the Madrigals have ever built an entire house from scratch before. Thankfully, Carlos is a carpenter by trade, and he is able to get the ball rolling by leading everyone to laying the new foundation for the house.
During this time, a few individuals join in on the reconstruction efforts.
When the Guzmáns learn that the Madrigals are rebuilding Casita, they eagerly volunteer their help. Mirabel can see that there is still some tension between them and Isabela, but as work progresses and the foundation is laid down, the lingering tension begins to clear up, especially when Mirabel spies Isabela having a frank and honest conversation with both Mariano and his abuela. Apologies are included, as well as promises to be an overall better person.
Also, Mariano and his abuela learn that Mirabel had returned, and the former had gone to welcome her back with a friendly hug. Rather expectedly, Matías notices his novia being hugged by an unfamiliar man, and goes over to see what is going on.
When Mariano first notices Matías looming over him, all colour drains away from his face. Then, in a repeat of history, Mariano screams like a little girl, jumps a full foot into the air, and dives behind his abuela, using her as a veritable human shield against the monster looming over them.
In retrospect, it was a funny sight, seeing someone like Mariano cowering and shaking like a leaf when faced against the presumed threat that was Matías. Still, the poor man seemed genuinely spooked, so Mirabel quickly cleared up any possible misunderstandings, partly to reassure Mariano that he wasn’t going to be unalived at that moment, and mainly to convince Matías that nothing untoward was going on. It was just a friendly, “welcome home” hug, nothing else.
To his credit, Matías readily accepted the reasoning, but Mariano remained visibly wary about him for some time after. Mirabel even came across Mariano seeking refuge with Dolores, and often overheard the man freaking out to her prima about Matías, mainly his disbelief that someone could be taller and bigger than Luisa.
Mariano aside, it warmed Mirabel’s heart to see Dolores getting closer to the man whom she loves but, perhaps until recently, was just out of reach and betrothed to another.
But anyways.
Once the foundation has been laid down, work begins on rebuilding the ground floor. However, the operation comes to a sudden, abrupt halt when, out of nowhere, Bruno returns, and with him, Abuela.
Immediately, things that had been going smoothly rapidly soured.
Once again, a myriad of emotions flood Mirabel’s insides. Partly because her missing tío, who disappeared shortly after her failed gift ceremony, is now back, in the flesh, but mainly because of Abuela, the one who started it all, and the one who made her life so miserable, that she decided to run away in the first place.
Her conflicting emotions are shared by the rest of her family. There is no huge welcome, no tears of worry shed and relief that Abuela had returned. In fact, hardly anyone spoke to Abuela, and if they did, it was in clipped, curt tones. Luisa, who had been steadily regaining her confidence since Mirabel’s return, regressed back into awkward anxiousness whenever Abuela was nearby, always making excuses to get as far away from the old woman as possible. Isabela and Camilo always made their anger and distrust for Abuela clear to her in explosive terms, linguistically and physically, while the rest remained frigidly cold to her, never initiating conversation unless they had to, and mostly ignoring her while they worked on rebuilding the ground floor.
Perhaps the only one who didn’t fit into either of these camps was Antonio, who is too young to really know about the damage and pain done to the family by Abuela. But his animals, ever the instinctive beings, always kept the little boy away from Abuela, their wariness and distrust evident to anyone who witnessed the spectacle.
The tension grows with each passing day. Upon learning who she really is, Matías had to be stopped and talked down by Mirabel from storming over and tearing the old woman a new one for what she did to his novia. She reasoned that if anything, she should get the first shot at Abuela, which Matías eventually conceded.
But in truth, Mirabel has no idea how to approach this.
For sure, there is resentment within her. Resentment towards Abuela for making her life miserable for ten years, for tearing her hermanas away from her, for making her feel worthless and unwanted, and for making her believe that she is never good enough for anybody.
But did she hate Abuela?
Hate is such a strong word, and in truth, Mirabel doesn’t know.
She had always desired affection and love from Abuela, especially in the years after her failed gift ceremony. She just wanted a genuine smile of approval from Abuela. And even after everything, Mirabel still wants things between her and Abuela to be good again.
But, she remembered what Matías told her in the church. She had every right to not forgive Abuela for what she did to her. She didn’t need to immediately try to set things right again. There was no need to rush, and she has the right to think through her emotions and thoughts before coming to a decision.
In the end, several days passed, with Mirabel working through her thoughts as she finished the ground floor with the others, reconnected with her Tío Bruno, and sought comfort from Matías whenever things inside her head began to get too overwhelming.
Then, just as the families sat down for lunch after a morning of hard work, Mirabel comes to her decision.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
I apologise if the quality is not up to par, but I think these few days, my creative juices are just not what they used to be.
Anyways, we're going into the penultimate conversation in the next chapter!
- Kai
------------------------
Chapter 25: Where It All Began
Summary:
Mirabel confronts the person who started it all.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Abuela had not joined them for lunch.
Instead, Mirabel finds her sitting before the partially-constructed house, on a piece of stone that someone evidently forgot to clear away.
She cautiously approaches her, steadying her breathing so as to not let the courage she mustered up for this moment suddenly abandon her.
“Abuela.”
The old woman turns around. Mirabel has to force herself to not choke.
She has never seen the once-formidable and unwavering matriarch look so small, so vulnerable . Even in the lowest moments of her years spent in Casita, Mirabel had always retained some respect for Abuela. Yes, Abuela might have dismissed her constantly, pushed her away and made her feel worthless within her own familia, but the respect she had for the matriarch, who led the Encanto and built it up to what it is today, remained unbroken.
In a way, Abuela had been an untouchable figure, reigning from above, where Mirabel could only have dreamed of being before. Now, though…
“We need to talk.”
Mirabel hoped that her voice did not waver or crack in that statement.
When Abuela does not respond, Mirabel sees the chance to plough straight through, “Why? Why was I not good enough for you? Why did you see me as some kind of curse? Just because I didn’t have a gift?”
Again, the old woman is silent, but her head does dip down, and Mirabel can clearly see the distraught look in her eyes.
“I only wanted to make the family proud. I just wanted to see you smile at me again, a real smile. All I wanted was for you to hug me, to say that I was good enough, that even without a gift, I am just as good and special as the rest of the family. Why, Abuela? Why couldn’t you love me for who I was?”
Mirabel feels a heaviness behind her eyes, even when her chest feels significantly lighter than before. She refuses to break down in front of Abuela.
“I…I was afraid.”
Mirabel remains silent, waiting to hear whatever explanation, whatever excuse , Abuela had to say.
“I was so afraid, of losing everything again, that I failed to see the true purpose of the Miracle.” Abuela looks up, meeting Mirabel’s eyes, “There…is no excuse for what I had done to you. I should never have taken my fears out on you, or Bruno, or anyone else. I…should have cherished our familia more. I…made so many mistakes. And…I am so sorry, Mirabel. Y-You were never the reason why our familia is broken. It…it is all because of me.”
Tears begin to roll down Abuela’s cheeks. Mirabel’s unreadable expression softens a little, “At least…you are able to see where you went wrong. I can appreciate your apology, but…I don’t know if I can forgive you just yet. You…caused me so much pain, ever since my door disappeared. You caused… everyone so much pain. And,” she sighs, “I think some of us won’t be so accepting of your apologies, not right now at least. I think…” Mirabel regards the old woman seriously, “you need to show us that you mean it. You need to prove to us that you are serious about making amends. You have taken so much from all of us. If you want to be forgiven, you need to give it back. I don’t know how, but you have to earn your forgiveness.”
Abuela doesn’t say any more. Knowing that the conversation is over for now, Mirabel heads back to where the rest of the family is, eager to continue with her lunch.
Left by herself, Abuela doesn’t register someone else approaching her.
“She is right, you know.”
Abuela looks up. Matías looms over her, his own expression unreadable.
“You were the reason she ran away. Perhaps, I should thank you for causing Mirabel to enter my life.” The irony is not lost on either of them, “If you hadn’t mistreated her, I wouldn’t have met the sweet, caring, and beautiful girl who is now my novia. How you could see her as some kind of curse, I haven’t the faintest idea. You were supposed to love her, gift or no gift. You should never have treated her so badly that the only option she had was to run away. Furthermore,” his eyes darken with contempt, “if Antonio hadn’t been smart enough to run away, I can’t begin to imagine what you would have done to him. No doubt, you would have ruined his life. You would have done so in a heartbeat, had his door disappeared like what happened with Mirabel. How you could call yourself an abuela, only the heavens know.”
Abuela says nothing, nothing that could be used against Matías’ accusations. Both of them are well aware of how true they are.
“Mirabel might have the heart to accept your apology, but I’m not so gracious. Even though it was because of you, that Mirabel entered my life, I can never forget what you did to her. She is the most beautiful, caring and kind girl I ever had the honour of meeting and loving. How you could never see any of that, and only saw her as some sort of curse, that only shows how much of a monster you truly are.”
Without a further word, Matías stalks off, leaving the old woman left to stew over what he said. He joins the others at the table for lunch, right next to Mirabel, of course.
“I saw you talking to Abuela,” she remarks, “What did you say to her?”
“I will never forgive her, for what she did to you,” Matías replies, leaning over to kiss her temple, “I made it very clear to her, where she went wrong.”
Mirabel sighs, leaning closer to her novio, “She messed up. She made a lot of mistakes. She will need to prove to everyone that she truly wants to make it up to all of us.”
Matías squeezes her hand, “Are you really going to forgive her?”
Mirabel squeezes back, “We’ll see.”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
I heard everyone's comments about how Mirabel shouldn't forgive Abuela straight away loud and clear, and I agree with the sentiment too.
Also, I apologise for how short this chapter was. I wanted to purely focus on Mirabel confronting Abuela for what she did to her, and Matías getting his swing at her. Don't worry, the next chapter will be longer, and just a head's up, we're approaching the tail end of this fic!
- Kai
------------------------------
Chapter 26: Rebuilding Bridges
Summary:
As rebuilding gets underway, bridges that were burnt are also rebuilt.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Rebuilding Casita takes up the better part of the subsequent month. Perhaps, it would’ve been a lot faster if, say, the entire Encanto had volunteered to help out. But no. Despite the majority of the Madrigal family losing their gifts, when it became clear that Julieta, Dolores and Antonio, for some inexplicable reason, still had their gifts, the inevitable wave of entitlement came rushing towards them, demanding that these three particular members of the family help them with whatever need or want they desired.
Julieta, incensed that even after everything, the townspeople had not learned their fucking lesson, put her foot down firmly and put a stop to the nonsense immediately, courtesy of a litany of pearl-clutching vulgarities that forced Mirabel to cover Antonio’s ears to protect his innocence from such crass language. The fact that Parce eagerly joined in to pose as a veritable threat to a person’s life helped to send the townspeople running off with their tails in between their legs.
That said, with Bruno back, several residents saw it as open season to pin the blame on him for causing Casita’s collapse and the loss of the gifts. In a clear sign of uncharacteristic behaviour, Bruno stated to his family that he was more than willing to confront these individuals and tear them a new one for daring to use him as a scapegoat, only he was spared the effort by Matías, who used his height and musculature to terrify the accusers with severe bodily harm should they dare to blame Bruno for what was clearly Abuela’s fault.
Nobody dared to approach the Madrigals again after that.
(Mirabel fell even more in love with her novio in response.)
And speaking of Mirabel, as the house is slowly but surely rebuilt, she made use of every possible moment to be with Matías, something he also did whenever he got the chance.
Usually taking place during mandated breaks, mealtimes, and even when they are about to fall asleep, Mirabel and Matías would always be seen in close proximity to each other. Of course, when other family members are nearby, such contact is kept innocent and chaste. The last thing either of them wanted was to be caught in a potentially compromising position by either of their families.
As such, romantic tension began to build up between the couple. Their emotions and feelings for the other began to accumulate each and every time the possibility for carnal acts of love was just within reach, but they were unable to act upon their growing desire because either or both of their families were nearby or within earshot.
Eventually, the lid was going to pop right off.
And it did, on one innocuous afternoon.
It was lunchtime, but Mirabel and Matías were nowhere to be found. Julieta asked Dolores to see if she can listen out to where they might be. Dolores listened out, and very nearly squeaked in second-hand embarrassment. Thankfully, she was able to catch the incriminating sound before it left her lips, along with the embarrassed flush. Forcing herself back into a false state of calm, she replied that Mirabel and Matías were in the nearby forest behind the half-rebuilt Casita, spending a private moment together.
Thinking nothing of it, Julieta asked Isabela and Luisa to go and fetch their hermana and her novio, and tell them both that lunch was ready. Also thinking nothing of it then, and not realising that Dolores was withholding important contextual information, Isabela and Luisa went to where Mirabel and Matías supposedly were, intending to bring them back so that they didn’t miss lunch.
Instead, they arrived at a scene that can only be described as…scandalous.
To be clear, neither Mirabel nor Matías were in any state of undress or engaged in any acts of sexual intimacy.
Still, Isabela and Luisa were unable to look away, as they spied Mirabel being held close by Matías, with her perched on his lap.
Mirabel clings onto the back of Matías’ tank-top tightly, as one of his hands gently grips her curly locks, and the other squeezes her waist. Their kiss is decidedly steamy, but thankfully not barrelling obscene territory. It is clearly an act of love, passionate emotion bursting forth from their hearts and souls.
Still, as neither Isabela nor Luisa have any experience in romantic relationships, both are left stupefied, their jaws hanging open and cheeks flushed, as they hide behind a bush, out of sight from the couple.
“W-We…shouldn’t be watching this,” Isabela eventually whispers, “Luisa, stop looking.”
“No, you stop looking,” Luisa shoots back, nudging her hermana for emphasis.
Completely oblivious to the quiet bickering coming from the nearby bush, Matías pulls away from Mirabel, surprising the latter for a moment.
“Mirabel, you are so beautiful. Eres mi todo. Te amo desde el fondo de mi corazón.”
Such simple declarations of love, but Matías’ baritone voice sends shivers down Mirabel’s spine. She is unable to utter a word in response, as Matías leans in again, pressing soft kisses on her face, slowly trailing down to her chin, and then to her neck. Her breath hitches, and her cheeks flush a deep red.
“Did you like that?” Matías checks in.
“Sí…” Mirabel whispers.
Matías leans down again, pressing more kisses along Mirabel’s neck. She grips his tank-top harder, unable to stop a choked gasp from escaping when Matías gently sinks his teeth into a particularly sensitive spot.
Behind the bush, both Isabela and Luisa grow increasingly red from the love flowing out in waves several metres in front of them. Metaphorical steam begins whistling out of Luisa’s ears, as she rapidly becomes overwhelmed with morbid curiosity and second-hand embarrassment.
Almost nothing could have snapped Mirabel and Matías out of their passionate tryst. Emphasis on almost .
That one thing was Luisa fainting from emotion overload, and Isabela crying out in a panic.
Suffice to say, once the ensuing confusion and chaos had died down, Mirabel and Matías would spend the rest of the day flushed red, embarrassed and not speaking a word to anyone about what happened.
Though that didn’t stop them having private moments together, albeit with far more caution and discretion, depending on the situation.
As the rebuilding continues, changes begin to take place within the Madrigal family and the Encanto.
Mirabel notes with no uncertain levels of relief that Abuela is, indeed, making a concerted effort to make amends for the pain she caused to the rest of the family, and seeking to earn everyone’s forgiveness. While the process was not without its bumps, the Madrigals gradually came to acknowledge that Abuela was genuine in her regret and seeking to rebuild the bridges that she had burnt.
Even Isabela and Luisa, arguably the two family members whom Abuela had aggrieved the worst, gradually came around and accepted Abuela’s apologies, although it would take longer for the tension between them to ease, let alone for the two hermanas to forgive their abuela for what she had done to them.
Things also remained tense between Abuela and Julieta, Pepa and Bruno for a while longer. The latter two, especially, found it hard to forgive their madre, despite Bruno telling Julieta and Pepa about what he and Abuela talked about at the river. Mirabel understood why, of course, as Bruno was the most aggrieved out of the triplets, and Abuela’s meddling had deprived Pepa and Félix a chance to have a normal relationship with their youngest hijo.
Regardless, both Bruno and Pepa eventually came around and accepted Abuela’s apologies, although forgiveness was, expectedly, not instantaneous, and would depend on how sincerely Abuela proved herself to be with wanting to rebuild the bridges she had burnt.
On the flipside, Bruno and Pepa’s relationship was also on the mend. Mirabel remembers vividly about how her tía had been one of the strictest enforcers of the “we don’t talk about Bruno” rule, supposedly because he caused her to unleash a hurricane on her wedding day. That said, it seemed it was simply all a huge misunderstanding. Mirabel came across Bruno and Pepa sitting together during one of their mandated breaks, quietly talking about the incident that started it all. Apparently, it was simply a well-intentioned joke in order to help Pepa lighten up, but it was taken out of context, and caused Pepa to spiral further, thereby unleashing the hurricane during her wedding.
As one might have expected, Bruno’s apology was stilted and awkward, so not in any way out of character. But evidently, Pepa did learn something while Mirabel was away, and their reconciliation was rapid and smooth.
So there’s that.
And speaking of Bruno, while the townspeople largely remained wary about his return, there were a few exceptions.
Padre Flores got the ball rolling by approaching Bruno during a lunch break. Everyone had paused in their meals, waiting to see if the priest was going to cause trouble for Bruno supposedly cursing his hair away. Instead, to everyone’s pleasant surprise, Padre Flores apologised to Bruno for blaming him for his baldness, and offered to help with the reconstruction.
Bruno was, understandably, taken aback that someone actually apologised to him, and was left speechless and unable to respond. That said, Padre Flores’ apology was good practice for when Señor Osvaldo came by the next day, and became the second person to apologise to Bruno, again for supposedly cursing him to grow his noticeable gut.
Osvaldo acknowledged that it was his own sedentary lifestyle and uncontrollable eating habits that caused him to put on weight, and Bruno was merely trying to encourage him to adopt a more healthy way of living. And like Padre Flores before him, Osvaldo volunteered his time to help with rebuilding the house.
The man also took the time to apologise to Mirabel for indirecting insulting her and her lack of gift via his “non-special” special hamper prior to Antonio’s gift ceremony, which Mirabel appreciated and accepted. However, having heard about the event, Matías was understandably less gracious. Osvaldo became the third man to become horribly spooked by the towering hunk when he loomed over the overweight man and accused him of insulting his novia’s honour. In another repeat of history, Osvaldo screamed like a little girl, jumped a full foot into the air, and dove behind his esposa to seek protection from the monster that seemingly wanted to unalive him at that very moment.
All of that aside, rebuilding continued on as per course. And while no other villager stepped forward to offer their help or to apologise to Bruno, the Madrigals cared little. The townspeople in general might be beyond any hope, but it meant little when right now, when the focus was rebuilding their home so that they can carry on with their lives.
And so, after more than a month of hard work, the last brick is laid, and the final roof tile set in place.
The house is finished.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Just a few more chapters to go!
- Kai
------------------------
Chapter 27: The Return of the Magic
Summary:
The magic returns, and with it, Mirabel gets the door she was supposed to have.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
It is around early evening, with the sun on its way towards slumber beneath the horizon, when the Madrigals and Ramírezes stand before the completed house.
Joined by Padre Flores, Señor Osvaldo and his esposa, the Guzmáns, and Antonio’s animals, both families admire the rebuilt structure. All of the construction tools, scaffolding and leftover materials have been cleared away. The house is complete, ready to be moved in at any time.
However, the house is just that. A house.
Even though they had rebuilt it to the exact measurements and appearance as before, it is not Casita. Casita was alive, responsive, and very much a part of the Madrigals’ lives. This, however, is merely a house. Not alive, unresponsive. Just a place where its residents live. That is it.
Nonetheless, the Madrigals are proud.
“We did it,” Mirabel grins.
“Sí, we did,” Matías agrees, squeezing her shoulder.
“Home sweet home,” Julieta adds, coming to her hija’s side.
“It may not be perfect,” Isabela remarks.
“But neither are we,” Luisa continues, earning an agreeing nod from her older hermana.
Behind them, Abuela looks upon the house, not saying anything, but possibly feeling the lightest she has ever been since Bruno talked to her at the river.
“Just one more thing, before we move in,” Agustín says, coming forward. He goes to Mirabel, and presents to her a golden doorknob. If one looked closely, they would notice that the front doors lacked a doorknob.
Mirabel takes it, completely speechless.
“We made this one for you, mamí,” Antonio says proudly.
She runs a finger on the doorknob, tracing over the stylised, engraved ‘M’, centred within the outline of a butterfly.
“You’re the real gift, mi sobrina,” Bruno says, “Let us in.”
Mirabel feels her arm being gently tugged. Antonio is by her side, urging her forward.
The moment is not lost on her. This feels like that night, so long ago, when she led her nervous primo to his own door. But this time, the roles have been reversed. And, Matías flanks her other side, mirroring the same encouraging smile that Antonio has.
Taking a deep breath, Mirabel nods.
And so, with both Antonio and Matías by her sides, she goes up to the door. She stops, looking at where the knob will go, and then to the knob itself.
“You ready, mamí?”
Mirabel nods, “Sí, I’m ready.”
It seems everyone is collectively holding their breaths, at least subconsciously, as Mirabel reaches forward, and slides the doorknob into place.
As soon as she does so, the world lights up in gold.
Everyone present gasps in awe as golden light blossoms out from the doorknob, and rapidly spreads all over the newly-rebuilt house. Every nook and cranny is enveloped in swirling golden light, as magic fills the house once more, returning the colours that once graced the walls and floors. Then, on the front door, an image appears - that of both the Madrigal and Ramírez families all together. The image of Mirabel is at the front, flanked by both Antonio and Matías. Even images of Agustín, Félix, Julia and Carlos are included in the large combined portrait.
The rattling of roof tiles causes Mirabel to look up. The windows on what should be Abuela’s room flap back and forth, as if waving to the people below.
Immense joy fills Mirabel’s heart, as she waves back, “Hola, Casita.”
But that is not the most shocking sight. Not by a long shot.
The doors suddenly open by their own accord.
“I am so proud of you, mi mariposa.”
Shocked gasps ring out, as the spirit of Pedro Madrigal appears in the doorway.
“A-Abuelo?”
Pedro nods, stepping forward and taking his nieta’s hands, “You have helped our family to heal, and to rebuild afresh. The future is bright, because of you, Mirabel. You are the light, who will lead our family into the beyond. Our family will grow, with you leading us all.”
He turns to Matías, whose jaw is hanging open, “Matías, I cannot stress how grateful I am to you for being by my nieta’s side. Please, take care of her for me.”
“I will, Señor Madrigal,” the towering hunk promises solemnly, his voice cracking a little, “I swear on my life.”
Pedro gives him a grateful smile, before turning his gaze towards the back. His expression takes on a sad note, “Alma, mi amor.”
Mirabel, Matías and Antonio quickly step to one side. Abuela, frozen from a mix of emotion, denial and the slightest sliver of hope, is unable to move. Pedro, nonetheless, offers a hand out to the old woman, beckoning for her to come forward.
Eventually, with a bit of nudging from Julieta, Abuela goes towards Pedro. Her shaking hand grasps his glowing one, and for the first time in fifty years, Abuela feels her esposo.
“P-Pedro, I…I-I’m sorry…”
His expression, while sad, is also mixed with relief and compassion, “I know. You made mistakes, you hurt our family. But, you have proven that you want to set things right. You have done what needs to be done, so that our family can be happy, and for the true miracle to flourish. I know that all you wanted was to protect our family, our home, so that what happened would never happen again. But, now, you have opened your eyes. You have seen what truly matters, for you, and for all of us. As such, I forgive you, and I look forward to the day where we are reunited in the clouds above.”
Tears begin trickling down Abuela’s cheeks, “Gracias, amor.”
Pedro squeezes her hand one last time, before pulling away. He turns to look upon the rest of the family.
“The time has come for all of us to begin anew. Our home is rebuilt, and with it, the magic is now complete.”
Pedro releases a swarm of golden butterflies, which proceed to flutter towards not only the Madrigals who had lost their gifts previously, but to Agustín, Félix and even Matías too. The butterflies settle on each of them, and fill them with magic. Gasps fill the air, as those who had lost their gifts feel their powers return, and those who did not have gifts before are granted powers of their own.
Pedro smiles, “Everyone, it is time to come home.”
He turns on his heel, and disappears from sight. Casita then lifts the path underneath Mirabel’s feet, and pulls her inside. With a laugh, she calls back, “C’mon everyone!”
Those still outside quickly follow suit, and the doors close shut behind them, preventing any unwanted intruders from entering after them. The courtyard is positively bursting with life and magic, and up on the second floor, several golden doors glow brightly.
“It’s good to be home,” Mirabel sighs.
Antonio does a count, “I think there is an extra door!”
Everyone looks to where he is pointing.
“Fuck yeah!” Agustín cheers, forcing Dolores to quickly cover Antonio’s ears, “Mi hija finally has her own door!”
Julieta is too overwhelmed with joy to smack her esposo for cursing in the presence of a young child.
Everyone goes up to the second floor to see this newest door for themselves. True enough, Mirabel’s name is glowing with luminous golden light on the door. But not only hers, Matías’ name is also on the door too.
Mirabel can’t look away from it. After 10 years, she now has her own door. 10 years of living in the nursery, and having to leave her home to seek her happiness elsewhere, it has now come to an end.
“Mamí, quick! Open it!” Antonio urges her.
She turns to Matías, who nods with barely-contained excitement.
Mirabel releases a breath, and reaches for the doorknob. She pushes the door open, and a whole world opens up.
The door leads into a rainforest not unlike the one that filled Antonio’s room prior to his departure from the Encanto to go after Mirabel. There is even a massive tree growing in the middle of the room, complete with a waterfall cascading into a crystal-clear moat surrounding the tree. That said, there are also noticeable differences too. Flowers of all kinds grow freely in abundance, some on the tree and others dotted all across the rainforest. Boulders and rocks add a touch of earthly terrain to the landscape, and as a finishing touch, golden butterflies flutter around the room without a care in the world.
“It’s beautiful…” Mirabel breathes in awe.
She goes to the massive central tree, crossing the moat courtesy of a stone bridge. As the others explore the rest of the room, Matías and Antonio follow close behind her. As Mirabel reaches the base of the tree, she notices something interesting.
“There’s another door here!”
Her realisation catches everyone’s attention, and they quickly gather around to see it for themselves. On the door, a series of mountains glow with golden light.
Mirabel has an inkling, but she isn’t entirely sure. She turns to Matías, who gives her an encouraging nod. Mirabel goes up to the door, and pushes it open.
When the light clears up, she gasps.
“Ay dios mío…”
Julia and Carlos step through to see it for themselves.
“This is Mirabel’s room, in our town!”
The rest come through, looking around in amazement.
“This is where you stayed?” Isabela asks.
“Sí,” Mirabel is still breathless with shock, “Our homes…they are now connected. The magic has bridged the two towns together!”
Then, she remembers something crucial.
“Abuela, you need to come with me!”
The elderly woman blinks in surprise, but at her nieta’s insistence, she lets Mirabel take her hand and bring her through, in her eyes, an unfamiliar house. Mirabel, not once letting go, drags Abuela through the front door and onto the street. Those who are still milling around react with bemusement and surprise at seeing Mirabel completely unexpectedly, but perhaps even more so for the old woman she was dragging through the street.
Ignoring all the stares, Mirabel brings Abuela to the town square, right where the monument memorialising the Thousand Days’ War stands.
“Abuela, you need to see this.”
The old woman looks to where her hand is hovering over, and gasps.
“This…this can’t be…”
“It is,” Mirabel nods, “This is your former home, where you met and fell in love with Abuelo Pedro. Where it all started.”
Abuela’s shaking hand brushes over her name, as well as Pedro’s, and the names of her three niños.
“Abuela, you are home.”
Tears begin to spill from the elderly woman’s eyes. With a choked, but no less genuine smile, she hugs Mirabel tightly.
“Gracias, Mirabel. Muchas gracias. You…you are truly the light, the future of our familia.”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Does anyone remember that moment where Mirabel discovered that her family used to live in Matías' town prior to being forced to flee because of the raiders?
Well, it has come full-circle now.
Also, we're approaching the end of the story. Just two more chapters to go!
- Kai
-------------------------
Chapter 28: The Future Is Bright
Summary:
The magic has strengthened through the bonds of love.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
With the magic restored and Casita brought back to life, it could have been so easy to say that things have gone back to normal.
No.
Things are not back to normal.
Things can no longer be what they used to be.
Their home might be rebuilt, the magic restored, and gifts returned or granted, but healing is still an ongoing process.
Habits take time to break, especially if they have been deeply entrenched over years. It is not immediate for relationships that were broken and being mended to become whole again.
However, the restored magic and Casita had instrumental parts to play in helping the family to take the next steps forward.
Whenever either the magic or the house believed it was time for a Madrigal to take a break, the Madrigal in question would find their magic receding back into their body, and unable to use their gift until Casita deemed them sufficiently rested.
This proved especially handy whenever the family were faced with an entitled townsperson, who believed that with the return of the magic, they had the right to boss the Madrigals around like old times.
Bad habits, after all.
Those who did attempt such foolishness, though, found themselves on the wrong side of the Madrigals’ wrath, especially if they targeted more vulnerable members of the family.
There is no one single person who made sure that the new normal was respected and upheld. While Julieta used to be one to go ham on the townspeople before the collapse, there is now a rotating roster of who had the responsibility that day to chase off any entitled townsperson and make sure that the family member being hounded was brought back to Casita for some enforced rest and relaxation. Sometimes, it was Mirabel, other times it may be Isabela, who notably struck one unlucky bastard who tried to take advantage of Luisa’s super strength with cacti, which Julieta pointedly refused to heal once all was said and done.
Even Antonio and Matías got in on the action, which proved understandably effective.
After all, between either choosing life or being faced with a man-eating jaguar or a towering giant who now is immune to any injury because of the magic, pretty much every heckler wisely chose the former.
With more time on their hands, from both Casita-enforced and individual boundaries, the Madrigals are able to live their lives how they want to live them. And for those who either previously lost their gifts or did not have one in the beginning, the extra time they now enjoyed enabled them to experiment and go wild with their powers.
Pepa no longer created weather based solely on how she was feeling at that particular moment. Regardless of what she was feeling at that moment, she creates weather however she wants it to be. If she desired sunlight and rainbows, one can expect Casita or the spot where she is to be filled with light and beautiful colours. If she felt that it had been too hot lately, rain or snow would soon follow. And, if she saw that any of her family members, especially Bruno, were being harassed in any way, the Encanto would be rocked by a thunderstorm that left the heckler charred and smoking.
Félix, as ever, continued to be his esposa’s main pillar of support. However, with the other members of his family becoming additional pillars, he now has some time to reconnect with his youngest hijo, as well as to fool around with his new power. Now being able to grow and shrink his height however he will, Félix embraces a more cheeky side to him that he had to suppress when he became Pepa’s sole emotional caregiver. More than a few times, those within Casita would hear a loud shriek of surprise, usually the victim of Félix’s prank of suddenly appearing behind them, courtesy of being as small as a mouse while creeping up and then suddenly growing to give them a good shock.
Yes, he may have had cacti thrown at him or gotten struck by lightning more than a few times, but it was all in good fun.
And people wonder where Camilo got his dramatics and cheeky humour from.
On the flipside, Agustín never has to worry about getting hurt anymore. The magic he now possesses ensures that his skin has the strength and durability of stone. While he is no stone golem or statue in appearance, anything that could pose a threat to his physical safety has been rendered useless.
Literally.
Bee stings? Can’t even pierce through. Flying or falling projectiles? They just bounce right off. Getting struck by lightning? Agustín walks it off completely fine.
Basically, nothing can harm Agustín physically, which also has the added benefit of enabling him to be a literal whipping post if anyone needed someone to rant to or use him to let out their anger and frustrations.
Which is just as well. The magic might be stronger than ever, and their home growing larger with the years, but the Madrigals and Ramirezes are not perfect families.
There are low periods, conflicts, and heightened emotions from time to time, as any family would experience. But still, each time, things will improve and get better, courtesy of communication, boundaries, understanding and compassion, and forgiveness.
Abuela herself, knowing that she was the centre of the conflicts that broke her family and home the last time round, stepped back from her role as the matriarch, and let her family grow and learn without being stifled or controlled.
She had learnt her lesson, even more so when Julia and Carlos sat down with her and basically gave her many pieces of their minds for what she did to Mirabel. While not being directly involved in the years-long conflict that culminated in Mirabel running away from the Encanto, the Ramirezes continued their hijo’s dressing-down, especially Julia, who especially took issue with Abuela denying Mirabel her quinceañera.
When she would have become defensive and angry at being told down in the past, now Abuela easily accepts that she had made many mistakes and harmed the people she was supposed to love unconditionally. She is not perfect, and will make mistakes again on occasion, but she is learning, and for the sake of her family, she will continue to learn.
And that is all anyone can really ask for. Life may not be perfect, and there will be bad time. But on the flip side, there sure will be moments and occasions of joy to be shared with everyone.
Such as cementing the bonds of love.
“Oh, you’re so beautiful, Mira!”
“Señora López has outdone herself, truly.”
On this day, a special life moment is being held.
It all started when, about a year prior, Mariano Guzmán, who had been dating Dolores for two years, proposed marriage to her.
He wanted to get married straight away when he and Dolores just started their relationship, but Dolores wisely told him to slow down and take it easy. And so he waited, for two and a half years, to pop the question, and this time, Dolores said “yes”.
The wedding came six months later. Under a bright, luminous sun, Dolores and Mariano tied the knot, and this time, there was no hurricane to whip things up into a chaotic frenzy.
Watching the wedding, Matías was evidently inspired to do the same too. Dating Mirabel for three years up until that point had made his love for her blossom like a beautiful, everlasting rose. While marriage is something not to be taken lightly, as one will be tied to their spouse for the rest of their mortal lives, Matías was more than confident in taking the next step of their relationship.
And so, barely a week after Dolores and Mariano’s wedding (and Mariano was granted a gift of his own by the magic, which turned whatever he wrote on paper into reality), Matías found a private moment with Mirabel, and, under the light of the full moon and stars, he went down on one knee, and popped the question himself.
Overcome with shock and emotion, Mirabel was only able to nod, too overwhelmed to express her erupting happiness in words.
As one could expect, Dolores overheard the proposal. She too was startled, and dropped her evening cup of tea. When her esposo asked what was wrong, she slowly turned to him and said one word.
“Proposal.”
Knowing that only one other member of the family is in a relationship, Mariano dropped his pen, and immediately ran out of the room to spread the news.
Let’s just say, despite it being night time, Casita lit up with sunlight and rainbows, and flowers exploded indiscriminately. The entire family was waiting at the front door when Mirabel and Matías returned, and both were swept up in the excited celebrations that lasted through the night.
And with that, preparations for the second wedding got underway, leading to the present moment.
Señora López, the seamstress, had been commissioned to make Mirabel’s wedding dress for the occasion. With a bit of help from Isabela, a dress of pearly white satin embroidered with live morning glories along the bertha collar, which is made from ruffled fabric to give it a cloud-like appearance. As a finishing touch, golden butterflies were provided by the magic within Casita, a gift from Abuelo Pedro, which landed on each morning glory to add a glimmering flourish to complete the dress.
For Mirabel, the bride-to-be, and the one in the dress, it is truly a work of art. She agreed wholeheartedly that the seamstress had gone far and beyond to create this masterpiece, especially considering that Señora López had actually retired the year before and specifically came back just this once to help create her dress for her big day.
But it was not just the dress she is now in that was adding to her excitement.
Over the past few days, Casita, and the Encanto to some extent, had been whipped up in a frenzy of activity.
As was tradition, Mirabel had been given a bridal shower where she received presents from her familia, blood and bond. More poignantly, she had been given a diamond necklace by Julia, her soon-to-be mother in law, which belonged to her own madre. Mirabel now wears that necklace as part of her wedding get-up, the diamonds sparkling under the light.
Meanwhile, the church had been prepped for the second wedding in a year, and is awaiting the arrival of the bride so that the ceremony can commence.
Julieta wipes a tear from her eyes, “Come, mija, it is time.”
Mirabel turns to her madre, nodding, “Sí, mamá.”
Together, Mirabel is escorted out of Casita by Julieta, followed closely by Isabela and Julia, and taken to the church, where the rest of the family is waiting. There, Agustín smiles wetly, as his youngest hija appears, decked up and ready to proceed with the biggest day of her life.
“Ay, mi mariposa, you are so beautiful. A true princesa.”
“Gracias, papá, are you ready?”
“Always, mi vida.”
Mirabel reaches up to wipe away the tear that trails down Agustín’s cheek. Before they are to appear in the main chapel, he puts the mantilla over Mirabel’s head, a veil that beautifully frames her face and is so long that it falls to the floor and adds a rather dramatic appearance to Mirabel’s beauty.
“There, all perfect,” Agustín smiles, his lips trembling with joyful emotion.
“Gracias, papá.”
With that, it is time.
With her padre by her side, Mirabel enters the chapel, as organ music fills the air. She sees her familia, all seated in the pews, as Agustín walks her down the aisle.
Tía Pepa and Luisa are visibly overwhelmed with emotion, leaking tears even with a rainbow glowing brightly over the former’s head. Toñito, Dolores and Camilo are looking on with pride, as with all of the animals. Tío Félix is with Tío Bruno and Abuela, the last of whom is perhaps the cause of Mirabel’s heart swelling with warmth. The old woman is smiling, relaxed and proud, the very kind that, so many years ago, Mirabel wished she would receive, even when her door disappeared the first time around, and she remained giftless.
And there, at the altar, stands Matías, her soon-to-be esposo, flanked by his padres. Dressed in a smart, three-piece white suit, Matías stands as a stunning pillar of sophistication. His expression brightens as he watches Mirabel come down the aisle, and as she takes her place opposite him at the altar, the organ music comes to an end.
Padre Flores, the priest, officiates the ceremony, “Friends, family, we have gathered today in the presence of the Lord to witness the tying of the eternal bond between two beautiful souls. Mirabel Madrigal, and Matías Ramirez, you stand before your families as you make the solemn oath before our Lord to love each other unconditionally, through good and bad, sickness and in health, until death do you part. Do you, Matías Ramirez, take Mirabel Madrigal as your wife?”
“I do,” he says solemnly, but no less brimming with joy.
“And do you, Mirabel Madrigal, take Matías Ramirez as your husband?”
“I do.”
Padre Flores nods, “You may exchange rings.”
Isabela steps forward, bearing two golden wedding bands. Matías and Mirabel take the rings, and slide them into each other’s left fourth finger.
Then, comes the most important ritual of the entire ceremony.
The lighting of the marriage candle.
More than fifty years ago, it was such a candle that was lit when Abuela married Abuelo Pedro, and subsequently became the vessel of the magic. While the candle used in today’s ceremony would not carry such significance, the symbolism of the entire event is poignant enough for everyone watching, human and animal, to understand.
As with tradition, both Mirabel and Matías light a candle that is presented to them by their respective madres. Then, both candles are extinguished, and a third, larger candle is brought forth. Together, hands clasped, the newly-wed couple light the third candle.
With the flame burning bright, Padre Flores declares, “Friends and family, I declare to you all, the everlasting bond and marriage of the new husband and wife!”
The church organ plays again, as those in attendance celebrate the newest union. With their marriage candle in their clasped hands, Matías leans down to kiss Mirabel, something she reciprocates immediately with equal fervour.
The family has grown, and the magic has strengthened with this bond of love.
Even with the uncertainty of time yet to come, everyone in the church, Mirabel especially, knows with confidence that the future truly is bright.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Well folks, we're just one chapter away from conclusion!
Also, I don't claim to be an expert on Colombian weddings, especially since I don't adhere to Catholicism. I did research on the wedding rituals and traditions in Colombia, but that's as far as it goes.
Colombian readers, let me know if this is within the realm of believability.
- Kai
--------------------------------
Chapter 29: Epilogue
Summary:
Mirabel oversees the new generation of her family.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“Abre los ojos, mi vida…”
Slowly, a young boy, no older than five years of age, opens his eyes. He gasps in awe, as the room that he had been sleeping in is now filled with golden butterflies, each leaving behind a trail of golden sparkles as they flutter around the room.
“Is this…the magic? The Miracle?”
A bespectacled woman, 30 years of age, of whom the boy is sitting on her lap, nods, “Sí, mijo, this is the magic, our Miracle.”
The young boy turns to her, “Mamá, can you tell me how the magic came to be?”
The woman, Mirabel, nods again, “Of course, mijo. It all started, when your bisabuela met your bisabuelo, whom you are named after, Pedro.”
The boy, Pedro, nods, prompting her to continue.
“At the time, our country was wracked with conflict. Your bisabuela and bisabuelo were forced to flee their home when raiders attacked their town. Your bisabuela had just given birth to your abuela, tía abuela and tío abuelo, but she had no choice. It was chaotic, scary and painful. The raiders pursued them to a river, where Bisabuelo Pedro, in a bid to save his esposa and his niños, tried to plead with them to spare their lives. Sadly, Bisabuelo Pedro was killed by the raiders there and then, with your bisabuela forced to watch her esposo die right in front of her.”
Pedro, the boy, releases a shuddering breath.
“This act of selfless sacrifice and love gave birth to the Miracle, which killed the raiders and created our Encanto, the town we now live in. Your bisabuela, determined to not let history repeat itself again, mistakenly believed that in order to keep the magic alive and strong, those whom the Miracle blessed with a gift must serve the Encanto, using their powers to help those in need.”
Pedro turns to his madre, “But…she was wrong, right?”
Mirabel nods, “She was wrong, mijo. The Miracle was not the magic, or the gifts. It was the fact that she, and her niños, were alive, when they should have died with Bisabuelo Pedro at the river. However, she was blinded by pain, grief, and the trauma of seeing her esposo presumably die in vain right in front of her. She was determined to not let what happened to her happen to anyone else. Although, in doing so, she ended up hurting those who mattered the most.”
Pedro, understanding what happened next, rubs a hand comfortingly on his madre’s arm.
Mirabel, appreciating the kind gesture, continues on, “When my door disappeared, and I was left without a gift, your bisabuela thought I was some kind of curse, the reason why the magic and Miracle was beginning to falter. It also did not help that shortly after, your tío abuelo Bruno went into hiding, seemingly disappearing without a trace, after he had a troubling vision with me at the centre.”
Pedro knows about Bruno’s story, as even until now, rumours occasionally popped up about the elderly man supposedly being some “harbinger of doom”, whatever that meant. Pedro himself had joined in, on occasion, in squashing those rumours, as much as a young boy could in terms of using physical violence anyways.
“Despite my best efforts to prove my worth to your bisabuela, she continued to see me as some kind of curse, and treated me as such. She also ostracised the rest of the family from me, what with overworking them and manipulating them, especially my eldest hermana, your tía Isabela, to follow her tune. It all became too much for me, and on the night when your tío Antonio got his gift, I left the Encanto and crossed the mountains.”
“Which is where you met papá, right?”
Mirabel nods, “Indeed, mijo, the town across the mountains is where I met your papá. It is quite uncanny, looking back, that it was the same town where your bisabuela met your bisabuelo, but I think it was the work of the Lord and the heavens.”
“So…you met papá, fell in love, and returned here?”
“Sí, Pedro. Despite the family’s best efforts to change things for the better, your bisabuela’s stubbornness proved too much for the magic. The Miracle temporarily died, and those still in Casita lost their magic when the house collapsed. I returned with your papá to help rebuild our home, and I helped to restore the magic, which is what you see now.”
Pedro follows a butterfly as it flutters past, “I wish Bisabuela was here to see this…”
Mirabel sighs, “I know, mijo. So do I.”
Three years ago, when Pedro was just two years old, Alma was suddenly struck with an illness that Julieta could not cure with her food. Very quickly, everyone knew that the old woman’s time to return home to the Lord was coming. Instead of trying to prolong her life, the family did their best to make sure that Alma was comfortable and warm in her bed, and Padre Flores was brought in to deliver the last rites to the old woman before she departed.
On the night of her passing, Mirabel was by her abuela’s side, holding her gaunt hand, and whispering comforting words to the old woman. Alma, who had by then lost the ability to speak, had simply smiled, and through her eyes, thanked Mirabel and the rest of the family for being with her up to the end.
And just like that, her eyelids fluttered shut, and her slow, laboured breathing stilled completely.
The entire family descended into grief with the confirmation of Alma’s passing. As tears fell and sobs rang out, Mirabel, through her own teary eyes, saw the golden image of a young woman, who looked uncannily like a younger version of Alma, being greeted by Abuelo Pedro. Mirabel remembered not being able to look away, as the couple embraced each other tightly. Abuelo Pedro then turned to her, and nodded once.
She knew, then and there, what it meant.
It was her time now, but unlike Abuela, who shortly after faded away with Abuelo Pedro into a singular orb of golden light, and rose up into the heavens above, she would not be alone. She has Matías, her niño, and her entire growing family by her side.
And now, it is almost time.
“I’m sure your bisabuela, and bisabuelo, are watching over us in heaven, Pedro,” Mirabel reassures her hijo, “And they will always be proud of you. We will always be proud of you.”
The young boy turns to her, “Even…if I don’t get a gift?”
“Even that, which I think is highly unlikely anyways,” Mirabel ruffles his hair, “Gift or no gift, you are still a Madrigal, a part of our family, and not even magic can change that. We love you, with all of our hearts, no matter what.”
Pedro smiles, to which Mirabel kisses his hair.
Casita rumbles, and the floorboards knock over an alarm clock, with the hands turning to seven in the evening.
“Yes, yes, Casita, we’re coming,” Mirabel chuckles. She turns to her hijo, “Let’s go, Pedro. It’s time.”
The boy nods, and together, madre and hijo get up from the bed, and head towards the door.
“Mamá? What do you think my gift will be?”
“Who knows, mijo? And isn’t that exciting?”
Casita opens the door for them, revealing the extended Madrigal family, waiting for them to emerge.
There are Mirabel’s padres, Julieta and Agustín, now older with more white hair and wrinkles, but no less happy. Mirabel’s esposo and Pedro’s papá, Matías, still towering and strong, flanked by his own padres, Julia and Carlos. Mirabel’s hermanas, Isabela and Luisa, still unmarried, and not seeking to change that anytime soon. Mirabel’s primos, Antonio, Camilo, Dolores and her esposo, Mariano, with their three niños and two more on the way, and their padres, Pepa and Félix, also with more white hair and wrinkles. And finally, Mirabel’s tío, Bruno, who despite getting older along with his hermanas, has never looked healthier and happier than in years past.
“Are you ready?” Matías asks.
Pedro nods, “Sí, papá. I’m ready.”
Antonio steps forth, “You’re going to do great, sobrino. I just know it.”
That makes the young boy’s smile grow even larger.
Across from the gathered family, a glowing, golden door awaits.
However, before that, there is one more thing that needs to be done.
Whether or not Pedro will get a gift, there is still a family photograph to be taken.
“Everyone, come, together now!” Mirabel calls out.
Casita pulls forth a camera, as the entire extended family stands in position down in the courtyard below.
“Ready?” Mirabel asks, to which everyone nods.
“ ¡La familia Madrigal!”
Fin.
Notes:
With that, we have come full-circle, and so our story has reached its conclusion.
It has been a wild ride for everyone, me included, as this has to be the first multi-chapter fanfic that I've actually brought to a conclusive finish.
I thank you all, dear readers, for sticking on till the very end. But even as we bid goodbye to 'Finding Paradise', we can expect my other Encanto fics to finally get more updates, and perhaps, new stories further down the line.
Until next time, everyone!
- Kai
----------------------------
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