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Luisa knew about strength.
She knew all about it. It was the main thing she was good at.
She had to be strong. For her family, for the village, (for herself) for the whole Encanto!
She was the only one who could move the building when a flood was coming. She was the only one who could make their slice of paradise flat for the farmlands and move the rocks and boulders out of the way for the new irrigation paths.
It was easier for her to get the donkeys to move any supplies across the village. It was better for her to do any and all of it instead of someone getting injured and having to go see her Mamá.
So she knew all about strength....until Mirabel showed her that she knew next to nothing
Mirabel had the kindness strength to help her see that. To show her that she was allowed a break when it was too much. When all that pressure made it feel like she was holding up the mountains around Encanto herself and was so overwhelmed by her never-ending list and pile of chores.
Mirabel made her feel stronger. Made her feel better. It was easier the rest of the day...knowing she had Mirbael.....that was until the magic started dying.
She was.....useless. Could barely lift a vase, let alone the barn, that need to be move in preparation for Tiá Pepa's incoming storm this coming Wednesday.
She has so many chores, so much to do and she couldn't do any of it.
Turns out she was weak. Turns out their are two types of strength. Physical and emotional. And if she couldn't be both how could she protect and help the Encanto. She was so stressed she had so much to do and right now she was useless.
She had disappointed not only the villagers, herself, but more importantly her family. She could see it in their eyes. The pity, the disappointment, and fear. 'If she's losing her gift whose next? Who will protect us?'
Looking back her emotional strength was already nonexistent. Just a wall that she used her so called strength to push back any negative or 'unneeded' emotions that would hurt Abuela or be useless for the Encanto. But those looks....her thoughts. The wall shattered almost instantly and beyond repair. She could feel the tears constantly prick the corners of her eyes. Every look, glance, and gaze making it stronger and sharper.
When Casita broke and Mirabel disappeared is when her mental strength was tested.
First Casita falls, then their gifts are gone and now her hermana?
.....it was all her fault. This all started because Luisa told her about Tió Bruno. Because Mirabel was stronger than her in the right ways. In the ways that matter. Once again she was useless. She couldn't help her family, she couldn't help the Encanto. She couldn't even find her baby sister.
She wanted to curl up and cry. She couldn't think of what to do or how to fix the every growing problem of what would happen next, what the future help, what happens when they find Mirabel, what if she's dead because you weren't strong enough.
Everyone is gonna blame you. Those looks will get worse. It won't be pity this time.
THEY ALL KNOW ITS YOUR FAULT. YOU DID THIS LUISA. THEY HATE YOU.
She screamed at the cacophony in her head. Pleading for them to stop, to shut up. For someone to help her..........for Mirabel.
She sobbed on the forest floor until Dolores came across her.
Her prima came and sat beside her quietly. Grabbing her hand and squeezing it before sitting.
Her sobs quieten down until all that could be heard was the cricket in the jungle. She sat up still gripping her cousin's hand.
"You know....I used to come out here a lot...when I was younger. This far away from the village I couldn't hear any of the noises that would keep me awake...not that it helped too much....Till Mamá found out and told me I couldn't come out here and hide from my problems. That I had to learn how to deal and live them with....that I had to be strong......like you."
Luisa looked at her in shock.
"I always admired you Luisa. For how strong you were. Able to deal with all those chores day in and day out. Never once slowing down or failing. You were strong in not just your strength....but your preservence. You could do anything if you wanted to and you never let how much you had to do or how many chores you had stop you.........I see now that probably wasn't the best....or easy on you. But that doesn't mean you weren't strong."
"..."
".....Come on....who knows maybe they already found her and are just waiting for us to get back huh? Now that it's gone I miss my super hearing. I just want to find her, make sure what I already know is true."
"...and what's that?"
"...that's she's okay....and we are all going to be."
She lifted herself up and walked back to the ruins of the house together.
She....thought she knew strength. She thought being physically strong was all it was.
Until Mirabel showed her how important emotions are.
Until Dolores helped her realize how powerful her mind could be.
Until Abuela told everyone that they weren't just their gift.
Her strength didn't identify her.
It was a part of her...but not the main part. Not even a large part. It was just....a trait. Like her hair or eye color.
It didn't matter how strong she was or how many chores she did for the village.
She was Luisa before she was her gift.
And when they got their gifts back? When Mirabel opened that door to a happy alive Casita once again?
She knew she had grown. Wiser, and stronger.
Not physically.
But in the ways that mattered.