Chapter Text
The universe seemed to have it out for Lucille Madrigal.
This morning, her alarm hadn’t gone off when it should’ve, her phone didn’t charge so it was at half health, and most of her clothes were dirty so she was stuck with the bottom of the barrel as far as clothing went. She didn’t think today could get any worse.
Then she tumbled down the stairs in her pajamas, earning a few minor scrapes and bumps on her body. She groaned as one of her slippers landed on her head.
“Morning Bisabuelo. Morning Bisabuela.” She greeted the pictures of her great grandfather Pedro and her great grandmother Alma that sat on the nearby wall. Both had warm smiles and youthful looks to them as they stared back through painted eyes. She hummed to herself as she set out plates as well as turned on the coffee machine.
“Alright, let's see…” She scrolled through her phone, checking to see what she had on the agenda for today. High school had started up for her, so she didn’t have as much time as she would’ve liked for personal projects. Homework was a priority as well as taking care of whatever chores and requests the family needed throughout the week. Her older cousins were upperclassmen so they would get up on their own time.
Lucille decided to take a hot shower, only to hear water running from the bathroom.
“That little-” Lucille sighed, resisting the urge to bang and shout at the person on the other side of the door. Instead she knocked softly, just loud enough that the person on the other side would hear it. The hot water stopped and the door creaked open to reveal not one, not two, but three people with the exact same look.
“Really, Miguel? Using your powers like that?” She rolled her eyes at his childish antics.
“Sorry, but it’s first come, first serve in this household, cousin.” Miguel gave a prideful smirk, all three of him at the same time,“Better luck next time.” He then proceeded to slam the door shut, which frustrated Lucille even more.
“Is there an emergency, Lucille?” The girl lowered her fist at the sound of her aunt’s voice, “Or is there an important reason you’re banging the bathroom door at seven in the morning?”
Isabela Madrigal was the current matriarch of the Madrigalsand took over the family business once Alma passed away. The woman wore various colors of pink and purple, flowery dresses fitting to her figure. She wore a constant disapproving frown on her face, Lucille rarely saw the woman smile at least in her direction.
“It’s nothing, just Miguel being difficult again.”
Isabela said nothing, yet the look in her eyes made Lucille feel like an ant, “Please keep the noise down, we can’t have the whole town hearing your annoying banging.”
“Right, sorry.” She smiled hesitantly then turned her attention back to getting ready for the morning. After getting some clothes on and making her hair look half decent, she exited her room (it was really the nursery, but she always called it her room) and knocked on the door to her youngest cousin.
“Dahlia, time to wake up.” She knocked on the door, only to get a tired mumbling from the other side, “It’s time to get ready for school.” She didn’t wait for her response, instead she pulled out a simple outfit for the soon to be 5 year old to wear and placed it in her bathroom. Dahlia’s 5th birthday was soon approaching, that meant she would soon exhibit her powers. Everyone in the family showed powers around their 5th birthday…well almost everyone. Lucille was the only one not to get powers. But she was fine, she was okay with it, she could be useful in other ways, even if she was under-appreciated for doing it.
She turned her attention back to the kitchen where several more family members had now started to gather. Lucille greeted her Tia Lucia who had several gym bags by her chair and looked as if she just came from her morning run, wearing athletic gear and having her hair in a tight ponytail. Her Abuela Julieta was starting on making breakfast and greeted her as well. Her mother, Dolores, had also made her way to the kitchen, Lucille handed her a cup of warm coffee.
“Buenas días, mama.”
“Gracias, Lucille.” Dolores planted a small kiss on the girl’s forehead, before taking a sip of her cup, “I see you fell down the stairs again.”
“I just took a little tumble, that’s all.” She winced as Dolores gently pressed into her bruised elbow.
“Hija, I could hear you falling all the way from my room.”
“Here, eat this.” Julieta handed her an arepa which she quickly ate up. The cuts, scrapes and bruises she got, healed with each bite she took of the fluffy cake.
“Gracias, Abuela.” Lucille sat down next to her mother, enjoying a nice quiet moment before the rest of the family rushed in. Miguel had reverted from three to one, smiling as he took several plates and piled them up with food.
Abuela Pepa stormed into the room, literally. A storm cloud had formed around her head and lightning and thunder could be heard from the small cloud. She wore a tired expression until she took a sip of her coffee, causing the storm to fade and a rainbow formed above her.
“Good morning, everyone.” Isabela entered said in a singy songy voice and a smile that was just too bright to be real
“Camillo, it is too early in the morning, stop pretending to be Isabela.” Abuelo Felix and the real Isabela were behind the fake Isabela who turned back into the shapeshifter Camillo. The man scoffed, sitting down next to Lucille and Miguel.
“What threw me off this time?” He whispered to her.
“Your smile.” Lucille stated, “It was too genuine.”
Camillo smiled and tried to snatch some food off her plate only for his hand to be swatted by Dolores.
“Steal from your own kid, Camillo. He’s got plenty to share.” She gestured to Miguel and his plates of food stakes.
“Lucille, I expect you to take care of Dahlia after school.” Isabela’s voice pierced the casual conversation, “We’ll be going on patrol tonight this afternoon and in the evening.”
“Of course, Tia.” With the superpowers came the superhero secret. The Madrigals were multi generations of superpowered individuals. They were well known as the Encantos and adored by the town. Biabuela and Biabuelo were the original founders/leaders of the Encantos and that title had now passed on to Isabela and Lusia, leading the team against crime.
“Perhaps, one of your older daughters could take care of Dahlia tonight.” Dolores spoke up in between bites of her plate, “I’m sure they would love to spend some time with their hermana.”
“They need to be on patrol, we can’t have them slacking off on their training.”
“But-”
“It’s okay, Mama.” Lucille gently held her mother’s hand beneath the table, “I’m happy to take care of Dahlia.”
“See? She’s happy to do it.” Isabela seemed satisfied while Dolores wasn’t, but dropped the subject and continued eating. Soon after, Lucille excused herself and went to help Dahlia with getting ready for school.
Lucille found her drawing flowers, swinging her legs in the air. Her dark brown hair was unkempt and she wore a jean overalls over a white t-shirt that had messy paint dried into the overalls.
“I want a garden.” Dahlia said as Lucille helped her put on her shoes, “A big one with veggies and flowers and vines!”
“Why don’t you ask your mama to make you one?”
She shook her head, “I don’t want mama’s magic, I want to grow one.”
“Maybe, soon we can go out buy some seeds and a bag of dirt for an early birthday present.”
“Really?!” The girl squealed, “And we can get a water pail and…”
Lucille smiled along as Dahlia went on and on about her garden before turning her over to Pepa. She glanced at Julieta who was finishing up dishes in the kitchen, the older woman who seemed to be lost in her own world. There were times when her great aunt seemed to be in a different place, in a different time. The woman was once the healing hero, Remedy, but retired a few years ago. She admired the woman for her abilities, being able to heal the sick and injured through her food was a true gift. It gave a whole new meaning to the phrase putting someone’s love into their dishes.
“Lucille! Get your butt in the car before we leave you behind!” Miguel’s taunting voice pulled her out of her thoughts and she rushed to catch her ride with her cousin and uncle. With Miguel in the front seat, Lucille was stuck in the back row of the car, squished in the middle of her primos, Hercules and Ajax. They were both Lucia’s sons and inherited her strength, but also had their own powers of telekinesis and superspeed. She was small enough that she had some wiggle room, but neither of them didn’t seem to know the concept of personal space.
“Hey, you got the homework done for Algebra, right?” Lucille knew what was coming from Hercules’ request, but nodded “Can I copy off of you?”
“Hercules, do your own work.” Ajax stepped in and spoke for her, “You won’t learn anything from copying off of her for the whole year.”
“It’s one of the few things she’s good for.” Hercules scoffed, “Besides we’re out on patrol all night, we don’t have time for stupid things like homework.”
“All night, huh? So you weren’t up playing video games? Or is Halo a new concept in Algebra II?”
“Shut up, you-” Lucille was caught in the middle of her two arguing cousins so she decided to drift off. Ajax had more brains than Hercules and had tutored Lucille with some difficult subjects as well as created study groups for his friends and classmates. Hercules, on the other hand, was a football star and well liked with the popular kids. Their mother was the super strong superhero Brawn and worked full time as a gym instructor and trainer. She rarely had time for her kids, being sent on missions and patrols all hours of the week.
When they were dropped off, the Madrigals went their separate ways, leaving Lucille to wander alone around the school. She didn't have class until an hour, so she had some time to kill.
As she walked she noticed a blonde haired man who looked lost and confused, approaching nearby people but they ignored him.
“Excuse me? Did you need help?” The man didn’t look as if he was from around here, maybe a tourist?
“Yes, um, French? Speak Mandarin? Help?” His spanish was rusty and crude, he was definitely a tourist.
“Do you need directions?” He nodded and started writing on a piece of paper. He had put down an address, it was a building close to the school, so she would have enough time to get to school and back before her first period.
“I can help you. I’m good with directions, at least most of the time.” She said, which seemed to make the man smile. She may not be as strong as her Aunt Lucia or powerful as her Aunt Isabela but she knew when to help someone in need. She helped the man to his destination which earned her a wave and clumsy thank-you.
She didn’t notice the extra weight that now resided in her backpack.
Mirabel scowled as she browsed news article after article about the fantastical Encantos on her phone. The girl’s clothes had darker colors with a lavender brooch nestled on her blouse.
“Fantastical, yeah, right.” She glared into the photo of the superheroes posing heroically for the camera. It made her sick how nothing had changed within the household, how newer, younger heroes were being added to the roster, how the people cheered for them and placed them on high pedestals like gods. They weren’t gods, they were monsters.
She recalled how they made her weak, how they made her feel small and insignificant. Her mother and father never seemed to care about her own feelings, her sisters pushed her aside, how her grandmother looked at her as if she was an insect, buzzing around and only getting in the way. Oh how she had longed to be like them, but they never gave her the chance. She will be their downfall, their hubris, and their end.
“Mistress Mirabel?” A small lavender winged creature floated beside her, “How long have you been awake?”
“Long enough.” Mirabel mumbled. It had been a godsend when she had found the Miraculous and Nooroo. The kwami had become her closest confidant and friend, being there for her when she needed to rant, understanding her pain and sorrow like no one else had for her. Now she was finally going to put the Butterfly Miraculous to good use.
“Nooroo, remind me of your abilities.”
“As the holder of the Butterfly Miraculous, you will be able to transform into a hero and give you the power to transmit abilities to others. These champions will provide you with aid in battle with their given power. To transform, say ‘Nooroo, wings rise.’ To detransform, say ‘wings fall.”
Mirabel smirked, “Nooroo, Wings Rise!”
Years of silent suffering and pain poured into her transformation, she was no longer the meek naive girl that longed to be like her Familia. No, this was a demon, a fallen angel, who clawed her way back to heaven as a monster filled with rage, bitterness and revenge. She was dressed in a long dark purple cloak that resembled butterfly wings with a turtleneck underneath, black gloves and thigh high boots. Her upper face was concealed with a lavender mask outlined in silver. She swung her cane around, as she witnessed multiple butterflies emerge into existence around her.
If the Encantos want to play heroes so badly, then she’ll gladly play the part of the villain.