Chapter Text
“H-Huh…what…where…where am I?” Opening her eyes, suddenly waking up from her deep slumber to a completely unknown surrounding was a beautiful young woman on 21 years old. Her hair was long, black, and flawless and her skin had absolutely no flaws. She was wearing a pair of pearl earrings and wore a frilly flora pattern dress fit for a princess. Isabela Madrigal’s brown eyes looked around, she awoke standing up somehow, and found herself…somewhere. There seemed to be nothing around her. Just a black void. Looking down, she saw she was on a strange circular platform made out of stained glass that showed a beautiful Indian woman with flowing black hair with smaller circles around her of differently colored leaves. “H-Hello! Is…Is anyone there!”
So much do to…
So little time…
Isabela flinched as she rapidly looked around. She…thought she heard a voice. But at the same time, there wasn’t any sound besides her breathing. But someone or…something was speaking to her. “W-What does that mean?” Isabela asked with a frightened tone as she looked for anyone else that could possibly be there with her. “Please! Whoever you are show yourself!”
Do not be afraid…
The door is still shut…
“Door?” Isabela questioned, only growing more confused by the second. “What door?! This doesn’t make any sense!”
Now, step forward.
Can you do it?
“Step forward?” Isabela looked ahead and saw…nothing. There was nothing to walk too. Still…if this strange voice was telling her to step forward, she might as well do it. Not like she was any other choice. “Alright…fine.” Isabela than took a few steps forward, looking around as she did so, until she walked onto the middle of the platform. Once she walked on the middle Isabela flinched as suddenly three stone blocks emerged and a bright light shined above them causing a different object to appear and float above the blocks. A sword, a shield, and a staff.
A power sleeps within you.
If you give it form…
It will give you strength.
Choose one to keep.
“Choose one?” Isabela asked as she gave each item a glance. All of them seemed to have one thing in common. A symbol of a large circle with two small ones attached on top of it being somewhere on each item. “What do they even do?”
The sword.
The power of the warrior.
Invincible courage.
A sword of terrible destruction.
The shield.
The power of the guardian.
Kindness to aid friends.
A shield to repel all.
The staff.
The power of the mystic.
Inner strength.
A staff of wonder and ruin.
Which one will you choose?
“Ok…let me think?” Honestly…it was taking all of Isabela’s will power to not freak out and try and think this all through rationally. Last night she remembered simply going to her room, putting her night gown on, and going to sleep. But now she’s doing all…whatever this is. Still, she had to keep pressing forward. Maybe she might find a way out. So she gave each object a close inspection and thought about how the voice described them and came up with her answer and walked up to it. “Ok…I’ll go with the staff.” Isabela walked up to the staff and took it into her hands. Upon grabbing it she felt…something. But she didn’t know what, but it almost felt familiar.
But only a second after she grabbed it, the staff turned into light that came together to form an orb that quickly flew inside Isabela, once again filling her with that strange feeling, only much more intense and it stuck around.
Your path is set.
Now, what will you give up in exchange?
“I have to give something up now?” Isabela sighed and rubbed her head in frustration but continued to go along with everything and looked between the sword and the shield. “Ok fine…um…I guess…the sword doesn’t sound to appealing with how you described it?” After making her choice, the sword disappeared, only no light came from it as it simply faded.
You’ve taken the power of the mystic.
And gave up the power of the warrior.
Are you sure this is the form you want?
“…Yes, it is.” Isabela’s voice and tone sounded so firm and sure that…even she was surprised with herself? Where did that come from?
…Very well.
CRACK!
“Huh?” Isabela was alerted to the sound of glass cracking and her eyes widened in shock and horror as the platform she was on started crackling and crumbling with the pieces falling into the endless black abyss. “No! No! No! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!” And just like that, the entire platform crumbled, and Isabela found herself falling down into the abyss.
But strangely as she fell, she found no wind hitting her face and the further she fell the pieces of the platform she was on suddenly disappeared, vanishing in front of her eyes. After a few more moments Isabela saw something down below, another stained-glass platform of a blond woman wearing a beautiful ballgown with smaller circles around her showing a horse, a carriage in a strange pumpkin shape, and three circles making up a castle. Isabela flinched and closed her eyes, expecting a fatal impact but thankfully it never came. The closer she got to the platform the slower she fell until she was able to simply float down onto the platform and land on her feet. “Oh…Oh, gracias a Dios…” Isabela fell down onto her butt and put a hand on her heart while breathing heavily. “I thought I was gonna die…”
Tell me…
Do you have the knowledge to fight?
“Fight?” Isabela’s eyes widened as she quickly stood up and shook her head in denial. “No, no, no, I do not fight! I don’t care who you are but you can’t make me suddenly start a fight, Abuela would absolutely freaked out if I started fighting!”
I see…
They must teach you then.
“T-They?” Isabela stuttered. Learn to fight? Did this voice not just hear her?! “Who are they?” But after she send that suddenly a black and purplish void opened up beneath her and started to suck her. “Woah! Woah! Woah! Hey! Not again!” Isabela tried to struggle free and reached out for something, but it was for not as she was fully sucked into the strange void.
Isabela found herself floating through and struggling in a space devoid of light, she couldn’t even see her own hand in front of her face. She felt like she was drowning, but she still could somehow. Thankfully she wasn’t trapped her for long as the darkness faded around her and she found herself laying down on another stained glass platform. Isabela took heavy breaths and shakily got up, and as she looked forward she smiled as she saw a door in front of her. “Please tell me that’s the way out!” Isabela quickly ran to the door to open it…and walked right through it. “Huh?” Isabela got a closer look at the door and saw it was transparent…and not even connected to anything. “Grrrr…¡Tienes que estar bromeando! Hey! Voice! This door is useless!”
A bright light shined on the other side of the platform and from it appeared a small red chest. “…Ok…” Isabela rose a brow and slowly walked towards the chest and inspected it for a bit before crouching down and opening it up. Inside was a small glass bottle filled with a strange green liquid. “What…is this?” Isabela cringed a bit as she looked it over. The green color certainly didn’t seem appealing.
But after opening the chest, and putting the strange bottle of green liquid away, the door on the platform glowed and turned solid. Isabela took a step back at first. She was just about ready to be done with all this. So what if the door was solid? It still wasn’t connected to anything it would just open to…nothing? Right? However, something compelled Isabela to step forward towards the door, it was like her feet were moving on her own and she couldn’t do anything about it. As she stepped forward, the door opened on it’s own and coming out of it was a blinding light that caused Isabela to wince, but she continued forward and stepped into the light…
And found herself in her home.
The casita.
“Am…Am I home?” Isabela smiled and looked around, thinking she was finally done with…whatever all that was but as she looked around she was quick to feel something was off. It was too quiet. Casita was never quiet. Upon further inspection she found something’s wrong. All the pictures that were hanging on the walls were all…blank. Absolutely nothing in them. “No…I’m not…hey! V-Voice! What’s going on!?”
Hold on.
The door won’t open just yet.
First, tell me more about yourself?
“Um…ok I guess?” Isabela found herself uncomfortable about talking about herself to this strange disembodied voice, especially when she seemed to be in some weird fake version of her home, but like with all the other questions she didn’t have much choice but to go along. “What do you want to know?”
They will ask.
And you must answer truthfully.
Before Isabela could respond a light shined from the room leading to the kitchen of the fake casita. Isabela rose a brow and slowly walked towards the kitchen and, just like with the real casita, she found what seemed to be her mother Julieta in front of the kitchen counter, looking Isabela right in the eyes. “M…Mama?” Isabela, unsure of what to expect, slowly walked towards Julieta. “Is that…really you?”
“What are you afraid of?” The second Julieta spoke, Isabela knew this wasn’t her mother. At least, her real mother. Like with this casitia, she was fake. But she asked one of the voices questions. “Making choices? Denying authority figures? Being yourself?”
“W-Wait…what?” Isabela was taken aback by this. She tried to think about her answer of the three, but without even realizing it her mouth opened up and spoke. “Being myself.” Isabela gave a clear answer with no doubt in her voice. After speaking she recoiled a bit and put a hand to her throat. She didn’t meant to speak so soon but…it just came out.
“Being yourself?” The fake Julieta repeated, her expression and tone unchanging. “Is that really so scary?”
“I…I just-“ But as Isabela talked, the fake Julieta suddenly faded away causing Isabela to take a few steps back, exiting the kitchen. The eldest child of Julieta took a few deep breaths as she put a hand to her head. “Whats…What happening…” After asking that, another bright light appeared, this time on the upper level of the fake casita. Glancing up at it, Isabela quickly headed to the stairs and went up to see who would appear this time.
It was none other than her Abuela, Alma.
“A-Abuela!” Upon seeing her grandmother Isabela, on reflex, stood up perfectly straight and put a smile on her face with her hands crossed in front of her. She walked up to what was mostly like a fake version of her abuela with nothing but perfect posture and gave her a greeting that was practically a reflex. “How are you doing today?”
“What do you want out of life?” But instead of answering that, the fake Alma gave her own question. “Happiness? To see rare sights? Good relationships?”
“U-Um…I want…” Isabela struggled to answer, trying her best to keep her posture but once again she found herself speaking without control. “I want good relationships.” Isabela quickly covered her mouth. It happened again.
“I see.” The fake Alma responded. “That’s what’s truly important to you?”
“W-Wait I-“ But just like with the fake Julieta, before Isabela could respond, the fake Alma also faded away. Once she was gone Isabela found herself slouching a bit as her smile faded, her breathing once again getting heavy. But she was hardly given a chance to breathe as another light shined on the lower floor right in the middle of the fake casita causing Isabela to sigh. “Great…whose showing up this time?”
Isabela looked past the railing and down at the lower floor and quickly found herself frowning. “You’ve gotta be kidding me…” It was her youngest and least favorite sister…Mirabel. Of all the people it had to be her. Isabela just decided to get this question over with and went down the stairs and glared at the fake Mirabel and crossed her arms. “Alright Fakebel, out with it already.”
Despite Isabela’s rude tone, the fake Mirabel responded with the same tone and expression as the other two fake Madrigals. “What keeps you up at night?” The question caused Isabela to flinch, a chill riding up her spine. “Your lies? Your misery? Your sins?”
“…” Isabela was dead silent at this. Each option seemed to cut deep into her as she started to hug herself for some form of comfort. Despite having the same expression as the fake Julieta and Alma, Fake Mirabel’s eyes seemed different to Isabela. As if she was looking deep into her soul and judging what she was looking at. Isabela found herself lowering her head with a look of shame coming to her face. “…..My sins.” She answered truthfully, no longer feeling forced to answer.
“…” The fake Mirabel said nothing, and simply faded. Leaving Isabela by herself.
Your adventure begins in the dead of night.
Your road won’t be easy, but a rising sun awaits your journey’s end.
“My journey’s end?” Isabela repeated with a mutter as she looked up into the sky. “What journey?”
The day you will open the door is both far off and very near.
Suddenly Isabela was blinded as a bright light covered the entire area, coating everything in white light. Once it faded, and Isabela could see, she once again found herself on another stain glass platform. This time depicting a woman of untold beauty with long blond hair with a purple dress. Surrounding her were dark vines covered with thorns with roses on the edge of the platforms, and around the womans head were silhouettes of three fairies.
“So what now?” Isabela tried to ask the voice as she looked around trying to see if anything was here. At first there wasn’t…but that quickly changed. Emerging from the platform were a group of strange creatures, completely pitch black in color with glowing eyes and twitching antenna. Their eyes all quickly aimed at Isabela causing fear to enter her heart as she back up, the creatures stepping towards her in turn. “Wh-What are these things? G-Get away!” Isabela tried to shoo them away, but that seemed to only agitate them as they bared their claws, and all leaped towards her. “AAAAAHH!!!” Isabela screamed and quickly ducked down and covered her head to try and protect herself as the creatures attacked and-
POOF!
But the attacks never came.
“H-Huh?” Daring to look, Isabela’s eyes widened as she saw that the creatures were all laying on the ground, poofing away. Questioning what just happened, Isabela looked in front of her and saw a suit of silver armor with gold accents and red highlights. Isabela blinked a few times as the armor turned around and looked at her. “Who…Who are you? Are…Are you whose been talking to me?”
“Where do you think light comes from?” But just like the fake version of her family, Isabela was met with a question from this strange suit of armor. “Magic? Hearts? Darkness?”
“More questions? Ugh, I thought I was done with those.” Letting out a sigh Isabela stood up and scratched her head in thought. Unlike before, an answer never came to her. Maybe because…the question made no sense. Where does light come from? What does that mean? Light comes from the sun, but that wasn’t one of the options. So instead, Isabela gave her best guess. “Um…magic?”
“…” The armor was silent. It didn’t respond to her answer and instead just pointed forward as a series of glass-stained stairs appeared. And as soon as the stairs appeared, the suit of armor vanished once again leaving Isabela alone.
“Well… nowhere to go but up.” Isabela told herself as she proceeded to make her way up the stain glass stairs. She took one step at a time, moving slowly out of a fear of falling into the abyss once again. She soon found herself on another stain glass platform, this time depicting a woman with brown hair wearing a yellow ball gown and around the edges of the platform were various items of furniture and around the womans head were circles with one having a candle opera, another having a clock, and another having a teapot and cup, all of them having faces. Another circle had the head of a ferocious and hideous beasts on it and the last one had a beautiful glowing rose.
Looking up, Isabela found a bright light shining above this platform as the voice spoke to her one last time.
The closer you get to light, the greater your shadow becomes.
But don’t be afraid.
You hold the mightiest weapon of all.
And don’t forget…
You are the one who will open the door.
Suddenly the bright light from above shined brighter and brighter, engulfing everything around it as Isabela used her arms to cover her eyes. “Wait! Don’t go yet! What does that mean!?” But no one answered Isabela’s calls as the light covered her as well. “I don’t understand! I don’t understand!”
And as Isabela was completely blinded by the light…
“I DON’T UNDERSTAND!!!” Isabela’s eyes shot up and as she rose up from bed, wide awake in an instant. She breathed heavily, as if she was completely out of air, as sweat dripped down from her forehead. Isabela looked around and her eyes widened as she saw that she was in her room, flowers covering every inch. In her bed that was suspended up in the air by vines. She was in her night gown instead of her usual dress. Isabela’s breathing slowed down as she attempted to calm herself down. “It…It was just a dream…”
Breathing a sigh of relief, Isabela put a hand to her heart and felt as it beat faster than it ever had before. “Just…Just a dream…” Isabela repeated to herself. She told herself it was a dream, it had to be a dream…but then why…did it feel so real? That feeling she had when the power of the staff entered her was still there, she could feel it. The voice still echoed in her head. And the questions she was asked and the answers she gave felt like they were etched into her soul. “I…I’m just drowsy. I just need some coffee.”
Using her gift, Isabela lowered the vines supporting her bed to be on ground level allowing her to step out of bed and-
Clank
“Huh?” As Isabela got out, something fell out of the pocket of her sleeping gown and upon seeing what it was…Isabela froze. “Is…Is that…” It was a glass bottle filled with a strange green liquid…the very same one she found in the chest in her dream. Isabela slowly went to pick it up to make her it was real and without a doubt, it was. The item in her dream now in the real world. “H-How is this-“
Knock, knock, knock
“Isabela?” Isabela froze and, on instinct, stood up perfectly straight while hiding the bottle in her pocket as she heard her Abuela, the real one this time, speak to her through her door. “Are you alright? You haven’t come out yet.”
“U-Uh, si Abuela! Everything is fine!” Isabela quickly told Alma, trying to sound like everything was find and she wasn’t having a mini freak out right now. “Just deciding on what to where! I want to look perfect for Antonio’s ceremony tonight!”
“Ah of course.” Isabela breathed a silent sigh of relief at Alma buying her excuse. “Well hurry up, we have plenty of preparations to make.”
“Of course! Be right out!” Isabela, not wanting to keep her abuela waiting any longer, quickly went to her closet and took out the first dress she saw and put it on. But before she went out, she took another look at the bottle in her hands. A part of her wanted to hide it in her drawer, but a part of her was telling her to take it with her just in case it was important. In the end, that part of her won out and she took the bottle with her, making sure to put it deep in her pocket so no one would see it.
Everything was fine.
Everything was perfect.
It was just a dream, she got that bottle from…somewhere and she just forgot about it.
She couldn’t worry about that right now. She had to focus on making sure tonight’s ceremony went perfectly.
In the town of the Encanto, things were incredibly lively. People were going about their day and looking forward to what was to come tonight. But most of all the town was buzzing with music as people played their instruments as they saw the madrigal family walk into town, with the three people most interested in the family being three little kids that looked at that magical family in awe.
As they passed by the kids went to the family member who was in the very back of the line. A 15-year-old girl with curly black hair and green rimmed glasses wearing a white shirt and long blue skirt with embroidery on it. This was Mirabel Madrigal, youngest daughter of Julieta. “What are the gifts?” The kids all asked Mirabel as they swarmed her asking all sorts of questions about her special family.
“I can’t remember all the gifts!”
“I can’t remember whose who!”
“Ok, ok, relax.” Mirabel told the kids with an amused smile.
“It is physically impossible to relax!” One of the little girls asked.
“Tell us everything!” The second little girl asked. “What are your powers?”
“Just tell us what everyone can do!!!” The little boy holding a cup of coffee asked, looking like he had way to much caffeine for any child to have.
“And that’s why coffee’s for grownups.” Mirabel told the boy as she took his cup of coffee away. If these kids wanted to learn about the family so bad, then she’d show them by taking them to a mural that had all of her family members on it. And she’d tell them in the best way possible.
Through song!
Mirabel:
My Tia Pepa, her mood affects the weather.
When she’s unhappy well, the temperature gets weird!
Mirabel gestured to the part of the mural that had a woman with curly red hair wearing a yellow dress.
Mirabel:
My Tio Bruno-
Village:
We don’t talk about Bruno!
After being briefly cut off by the village, Mirabel sung to the kids in a whisper about her tio.
Mirabel:
They say he saw the future, one day he disappeared!
She gestured to a part of the mural to a man with black hair with glowing green eyes wearing a green ruana.
Mirabel:
Oh! And that's my mom Julieta, here's her deal, whoa
The truth is, she can heal you with a meal, whoa
Her recipes are remedies for real
If you're impressed, imagine how I feel, Mom!
Mirabel took the kids over to a stand where her mother was handing out food to people with injuries, their wounds instantly healing as they ate what she gave them with Julieta kissing her daughter on the cheek as she passed by.
Mirabel:
Welcome to the Family Madrigal
The home of the Family Madrigal
I know it sounds a bit fantastical and magical
But I'm part of the Family Madrigal!
As Mirabel sung and dance she was joined by her father Augustin and her tio in law Felix.
Mirabel:
Two guys fell in love with-
Mirabel, Augustin, and Felix:
Family Madrigal!
Mirabel:
And now they're part of the-
Mirabel, Augustin, and Felix:
Family Madrigal!
Mirabel:
So yeah, Tío Félix married Pepa
And my dad married Julieta
That's how Abuela became an Abuela Madrigal
Let’s go!
Let’s go!
Alma:
We swear to always
Help those around us
And earn the miracle
That somehow found us
The town keeps growing
The world keeps turning
But work and dedication will keep the miracle burning
And each new generation must keep the miracle burning
As Alma sung her, Luisa, and various villagers all helped each other finish up a house that was being built, further expanding the community. All the while Mirabel’s cousin Camilo used his gift of shape shifting to make himself look like the mother of a baby, who gladly handed her child to Camilo so she could get some rest. Meanwhile Isabela passed by a pair of men carrying some grass stands on their backs with Isabela using her gift to make beautiful flowers come from them.
“Wait,” One of the girls following Mirabel asked in a confused tone. “Who’s a sister and who’s a cousin?”
“There’s so many people.” The other girls said, finding it hard to keep track of everything.
“How do you keep them all straight?” The boy asked.
Mirabel:
Okay, okay, okay, okay
So many kids in our house
So, let's turn the sound up, you know why?
I think it's time for a grandkid round up!
Village:
Grandkid round up!
Mirabel:
Cousin Dolores can hear a pin drop!
Mirabel dragged the kids back to the mural and gestured to a young woman on it with curly black hair down in a red ribbon holding a hand to her ear, showing off her super hearing.
Mirabel:
Camilo shape shifts!
Mirabel pointing towards her cousin who was entertaining the baby he was watching by shape shifting into various people.
Mirabel:
Antonio gets his gift today.
She then gestured towards her Abuelo who was helping Mirabel’s five-year-old cousin Antonio, who had dark skin like his father, getting fitted for a white suit.
Mirabel:
My older sisters
Isabela and Luisa
One strong, one graceful
Perfect in every way
Mirabel then gestured to her two sisters as they passed through with Isabela twirling around and spreading flowers throughout, all the while a handsome young man watches on with a love-struck look. All the while Lusia, who was a tall muscular girl wearing a white shirt and dark blue skirt, carried a stone bridge that Mirabel and the kids were onto a different area.
Mirabel:
Grows a flower, the town goes wild
She's a perfect golden child
And Luisa's super strong
The beauty and the brawn do no wrong
That's life in the Family Madrigal
Now you know the Family Madrigal
Where all the people are fantastical and magical
That's who we are in the Family Madrigal, adiós!
Mirabel finished up her song and was about to go elsewhere…until a group of children blocked her way and asked a question she dreaded hearing. “But what’s your gift?”
Mirabel froze for a bit until an accordion was thrown her way as the townsfolk kept playing music so she could answer the children’s question through song.
Mirabel was quick to try and get away.
Mirabel:
Ha
Well, I gotta go, the life of a Madrigal
But now you all know the Family Madrigal
I never meant this to get autobiographical
So just to review the Family Madrigal
Let's go!
As Mirabel tried to run away, the children seemed to block her off with every turn.
Mirabel:
It starts with Abuela
And then Tía Pepa, she handles the weather
Children:
But what about Mirabel?
Mirabel:
My mom Julieta can make you feel better with just one arepa
Children:
But what about Mirabel?
Mirabel:
My dad Agustín, well
He's accident-prone but he means well
Children:
But what about Mirabel?
Mirabel:
Hey, you said you wanna know what everyone does
I got sisters and cousins and my primo Camilo won't stop until he makes you smile today
Children:
Mirabel!
Mirabel:
My cousin Dolores can hear this whole chorus a mile away
Children:
Mirabel!
Mirabel then came up to the man who was looking at Isabela earlier and continued her singing and trying to get away.
Mirabel:
Look, it's Mister Mariano, hey
You can marry my sister if you wanna but between you and me, she's kind of a prima donna
Yo, I've said too much and thank you but I really gotta go!
Mirabel then started running towards her home with more children from the village running after her.
Mirabel:
My family's amazing
Children:
Mirabel!
Mirabel:
And I'm in my family, so
Children:
Mirabel!
Mirabel:
Well-
“Mirabel!” Mirabel flinched as a familiar voice yelled out to her. Looking to the entrance of her home, she saw her abuela looking at her strangely. “What are you doing?”
“Uh, they were just asking about the family…” Mirabel tried to play it cool, hoping the children wouldn’t ask their question again in front of her family. “And-
“She was about to tell us about her super awesome gift!” One of the original girls who was following her shouted, causing Mirabel to flinch.
“Oh,” Just then Dolores walked pass Alma and gave a quick and blunt answer. “Mirabel didn’t get one.” As she let out a small squeak, she missed Mirabel suddenly sending her a rather dark glare.
All the children were silent for a moment as they looked at Mirabel, who was still frozen in place. “You didn’t get a gift?” One of the other girls asked with a small frown.
“Um…” Mirabel tried to find an answer for that, but was cut off as someone called out to her.
“Mirabel! Delivery!” A man riding a donkey came up to Mirabel and handed her a basket filled with various items and goodies. “I got you the special because you’re the only Madrigal kid with no gift. I call it the not special-special! Since, uh, you have no gift.”
“…Thanks…” Mirabel’s grip on the basket tightened as she sent the man a forced smile, gritting her teeth a small bit.
“Oh, and tell Antonio good luck. Last gift ceremony was a bummer.” The man added in before he left. “Which was yours that did not work.”
“…” Mirabel was silent as she took a breath in through her nose and-
Crash!
Dropped the basket right on the mans foot.
“OW!” The man yelled out as he grabbed his foot and started hopping on the other one. “Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!”
“Whoops, soooo sorry about that.” Mirabel ‘apologized’ to the man while keeping up her forced smile as she picked the basket back up. “You know us giftless kids are well know for butter fingers.”
“It’s…It’s ok…” The man said through the pain as he hoped back to his donkey. “I’ll just get an arepa from your mother later…ow…”
Mirabel let out a huff as she turned around and walked towards her house as the children gave her rather frightened expressions. “M-Mirabel…” One of the children spoke up to the giftless Madrigal.
“…What?” Mirabel’s tone was…different than how she usually spoke. Dark, cold, and tense. The children all flinched as they all quickly ran away from the scene, leaving Mirabel alone as she took a few heavy breaths. She shook it all off and continued to walk back towards casita and-
‘They’re going to hate you know.’
“Gah!” Mirabel clenched her eyes in pain as thoughts forced their way into her head.
‘Now that they know you don’t have a gift why would they like you?’
‘They’re just going to make fun of you and belittle you.’
‘Why would anyone like you?’
“Stop!” Mirabel yelled as her breathing intensified. After taking a few breaths, the thoughts quickly went away allowing Mirabel a moment of relief.
Upon entering casita, she saw the family and other people from the village helping set up for Antonio’s gift ceremony. However things were quickly put to a halt when a small tornado was created in the casita, curtesy of Pepa who was pacing around anxiously in a circle. “My baby’s night has to be perfect.” Pepa told herself was breathing rapidly as the tornado around her slowly got bigger. “And it’s not perfect. And people are going to be coming and nothing’s ready!”
Seeing his wife distressed Felix quickly went over to his wife to try and calm her down. “You’re tornado-ing the flowers!” Felix told Pepa has he gently grabbed her shoulders. “The flowers!”
“Did someone say flowers?” Isabela spoke up from the upper level of the casita. With her appearance Pepa’s tornado disappeared as Isabela brought two vines together to sit on and lower herself down to the first floor as people cheer and clapped at her appearance. All except Mirabel who gave her sister a silent glare. “Please don’t clap.” Isabela said as she landed right in front of Pepa and handed her a bouquet of flowers.
“Thank you.” Pepa smiled as she held the flowers close to her.
“Oh it’s nothing.” Isabela reassured as she struck a pose and flipped her hair over her shoulder, causing her hair to smack Mirabel right in the face and covering her sister’s face with flowers. “Ugh, a little sisterly advice, if you weren’t always trying too hard, you wouldn’t be in the way.”
Mirabel’s glare at her older sister intensified as she let out a low growl and spoke up against her. “Actually, Isa, this is called helping.” Mirabel told Isabela, who merely rolled her eyes in response. “And I am not in the way. You are.” Right as Mirabel finished she ran right into one of casita’s support beams.
Isabela shook her head towards her sisters as she left the casita, heading back to town to check up on a few things. A madrigal’s work is never done after all. “She really needs to learn at this point.” Isabela muttered to herself as she entered town. Her little giftless sister, all she ever did was mess things up. She tries her hardest to help out, but overall just gets in the way of things and makes a massive screw up of them.
But she couldn’t worry about that now. For now she just had to focus on making Antonio’s gift ceremony perfect. Hopefully this one won’t fail like Mirabel’s did. So Isabela went around town, helping decorate things with flowers, beautiful perfect flowers of various colors. Everywhere she went people were cheering her on and clapping whenever they saw her use her gift. And every time she would give them a smile and wave before moving on.
Eventually she moved on past town, heading towards the nearby jungle and went behind a tree where no one could see her…and immediately slumped down, broke her smile, and rubbed her sore cheeks. “Uf...Nunca me acostumbraré a esto...” Isabela said quietly so no one would hear her. Well, Dolores would but she probably wouldn’t say anything. “Today is taking forever…”
Isabela was honestly shocked that her face hasn’t frozen to a perfect smile at this point. Keeping it up all day in front of everyone was utterly exhausting. She had to go all the way out here just to have a brief break from it.
Rustle…
“Huh?” She immediately stood up right and smiled again as she heard something rustling through the nearby bushes and leaves. “Whose...what…” After looking around a bit, Isabela did spot someone walking through the jungle…but she didn’t know who. It was someone in a brown cloak, making it so their face was hidden. She couldn’t even see their arms or legs.
But…that didn’t make sense. Why would they hide themselves? The Encanto was an isolate villages with mountains around it. No one in or out, everyone pretty much knew each other. But Isabela…couldn’t recognized whoever this was. He was someone new.
“H-Hey wait!” Isabela called out to the cloaked figure and ran after them. They weren’t walking to face so it was easy for Isabela to catch up to them, and once she did the figure stopped as Isabela made sure to stop a few steps away from them. “Who…Who are you?”
“…” the figure was silent as they turned around and faced Isabela.
“I…I asked who you were!” Isabela suddenly found herself shaking. She still couldn’t see their face…but she could feel their gaze. It was almost as like she was starring right into the abyss, and it stared back. “Camilo I swear if it’s you and this is another one of your pranks I’ll-“
“I’ve come to see the door to this world.” The figure spoke. Isabela found herself freezing in place. This figure…he had a deep imposing voice shook her very core. “This world has been connected.”
“What…What does any of that mean.” Isabela’s breathing sped up, and beads of sweat came down from her head. It felt like it took all of her strength just to speak up to him. “W-Why are you even here? How did you get here?”
“I was brought here. Summoned through the darkness that runs deep in this world.” The figure answered her question, but in turn it created more for her. “Darkness radiated all throughout it. This prison, disguised as a paradise. Curses, disguised as gifts. And a bright everlasting light…filled with darkness. And soon…this world shall be completely eclipsed, today is its last day of light.”
“Prison? C-Curses? S-Stop that!” Isabela growled a bit and tried to stand her ground against this figure. “What you’re saying doesn’t make sense! Stop trying to freak me out!”
“Hmph, you do not even know the true nature of your world.” Isabela flinched and took a step back. Just…Just more nonsense. Whoever this was had to be playing a cruel joke. “You still have so much to learn. You understand so little.”
“And what does that mean exactly?” Isabela made an audible gulp. Practically all her instincts were telling her to run away from this man…but she stayed. “Are you calling me stupid or something?”
“One who knows nothing can understand nothing.” The figure told Isabela as they turned around. “I’m afraid you will not have the chance to learn.”
And suddenly, Isabela snapped. “ENOUGH!” She yelled as she rose her arms, conjuring vines to sprout up and tie up the mysterious figure…but it didn’t work. To Isabela’s horror, her vines instead phased right through the figure, as if he was a ghost. “H-How...”
“So restrained.” The figure shook their head. “You can't comprehend the powers at work here.”
“Who…w-what are you…” Isabela dared to ask.
And the figure gave one answer. “…A seeker of darkness.”
“Isabela!”
Isabela turned her head around as she heard a voice calling out to her. She quickly realized that she took her eyes off the mysterious figure and looked forward again…but he was gone. Vanished without a single trace. “H-Huh…where did he…” Isabela questioned as her cousin Dolores ran up to her.
“Isabela what are you doing here?” Dolores asked as she gave Isabela a confused look and gestured her head in the direction of the village. “We all need to get to casita, it’s almost time for Antonio’s ceremony.”
“D-Dolores…” Isabela looked in between her cousin and the spot where the mysterious figure was standing before slowly asking the girl with super hearing, “Did you…Did you hear any of that?”
“Hear what?” Dolores asked with a confused look. Isabela’s pupils dilated at that. Dolores…the girl who heard every little thing going on in the Encanto from the quietest of conversations to someones eye twitching…didn’t hear anything that just went on. “Did something happen?”
“…….No…..nothing happened….” Isabela whispered out before she started walking forward. “Everything’s…perfect.” Dolores rose a brow at Isabela but shrugged it off and followed her older cousin towards the village.
Back at the Casita, Mirabel entered the room she called her own…the nursery. Since she didn’t get a gift and thus didn’t get her own room, she’s been stuck living in the nursery her entire life. The place where the newborn Madrigals stayed until they got their own magical room. As for the reason she went into the nursery was because everyone was making a fuss about finding Antonio who had seemingly gone missing. But Mirabel knew exactly where he was.
So, reached into a drawer Mirabel pulled out a box with a yarn ribbon around it and sat down on the bed. “Everyone’s looking for you.” Mirabel said as she fiddled a bit with the ribbon on the box. After not getting a response she dangled the present in front of the bed, having it be just above the floor. “This present will self-destruct if you don’t take it in three, two, oooooone-“ Just then two hands came out from under the bed and took the present from Mirabel, causing her giggle as she got up and crawled under the bed to find Antonio hiding there, his face buried in his arms with a frown on his face. “Nervous?”
Antonio only nodded his head in agreement.
“You have nothing to worry about.” Mirabel reassured her little cousin with a soft smile on her face. “You’re gonna get your gift and open that door, and it’s gonna be the coolest ever. I know it.”
Antonio gave a brief smile, but it soon fell as he asked Mirabel. “What if it doesn’t work?”
Mirabel flinched a bit at this. The only reason he was worried about that was…because of her. Because she didn’t get a gift. But, she had to bottle those feelings up for Antonio’s sake. “Well, in that impossible scenario, you’d stay here in the nursery with me. Forever. And I get you all to myself.” Mirabel than ticked Antonio a little bit, getting a few laughs from him.
“…I wish you could have a door.” Antonio whispered to Mirabel. His older cousin was the best roommate he could ask for. She deserved a door and a gift just like his other family members.
Mirabel’s smile briefly feel at this, but she quickly put it back on to encourage Antonio. “You don’t have to worry about me.” She reassured him as she placed her hand on top of his. “Cause I have an amazing family, and an amazing house. And an amazing you. And seeing you get your special gift and your door, that’s gonna make me way more happier than anything.” Mirabel then let out a playful sigh as dragged the present to be in front of Antonio. “But alas, I am gonna miss having the world’s best roomie.”
Mirabel gestured for Antonio to open up his present. Taking off the bow first, Antonio opened it up to find a homemade stuffed jaguar. “I know you’re an animal guy and I made this when you move into your cool, new, room you always have something to snuggle with.” Antonio showed his appreciation by leaning his head against Mirabel.
But they weren’t given much more time as the floorboards of casita nudged them to get their attention before bringing up a clock showing that it was almost time for the party to get started. Mirabel chuckled a bit as she nudged Antonio a little. “Alright, hombrecito, you ready?” Antonio nodded and was about to crawl out from under the bed, but Mirabel quickly got one more hug in. “Sorry, just getting in one more squeeze!” Casita’s floorboards than tossed them around a bit causing them both to laugh. “Ok, ok casita we’re going!”
The two then emerged from the bed and Antonia, holding his new stuffed animal tightly, exited the nursery. Mirabel was about to follow suit until-
‘He was only worried because you’re such a screw up you know.’
Mirabel stopped in place as he pupil’s dilated. They were back.
‘He knows how everyone hates you and worried the same fate would be on him if he doesn’t get a gift.’
‘And if he does he’s gonna forget all about you.’
“No…No that’s not true…” Mirabel whispered to herself and held her head tightly as she backed up against the wall. “He wouldn’t do that…”
‘Everyone else has. Why wouldn’t he?’
‘No one else in the family likes you after all, he only had to tolerate you because he had to stay in the nursery too.’
“Stop it…stop talking…” Mirabel quietly yelled out as she put to hands on her head and fell to the floor. “Shut up…”
‘They wouldn’t care if you were gone.’
‘Everything would be better if you were gone.’
‘You’re just an annoyance to everyone.’
“I SAID SHUT UP!” Mirabel snapped as she quickly opened up a drawer stuck her hand inside and-
SLAM!
“GAH!” Mirabel let out as she slammed the drawer on her hand as hard as she could, feeling the pain course through her.
SLAM!
SLAM!
SLAM!
For good measure, she slammed her hand in the drawer a few more times doing her best not to let out any more sounds of pain. She pulled her hand back, and held it, wincing and immediately feeling the effects of what she just did. But gave her the results she wanted. The voices were gone.
Fighting through the pain in her hand and wrist, Mirabel put on a smile and walked out of the nursery.
The sun was now setting over the Encanto as everyone from the village flocked to the Encanto for the gift ceremony. There were lights, decorations, and food all around and everyone partied to their hearts content while waiting for the big moment.
And that moment would soon come as, in a part of the house where none of the guest were, Mirabel and Antonio met up with Antonio’s side of the family with Pepa, Felix, Camilo, and Dolores all waiting for him and smiling after seeing him arrive with Mirabel.
“There he is!” Felix said with a big smile as Pepa walked up to her youngest with a rain cloud appearing above her head.
“Look at you.” Pepa said with a bittersweet smile. Hard to believe five years had already passed. It seems like yesterday she was cradling him in her arms. “All grown up.”
“Pepi, amor, you’re gonna get him all wet.” Felix told his wife with a chuckle as he shoed away her cloud.
Camilo then stepped up to his little brother and shape shifted into a shorter version of their father. “You are making your papa proud!” Camilo told Antonio while doing an impression of their father.
“I don’t sound like that.” Felix said with an unamused tone. His son would never get tired of doing this will he?
“I don’t sound like that?” Camilo repeated in a more teasing tone.
Dolores then tilted her head a bit as she heard her Abuela say something. “Abuela says its time.” Dolores told her family with all of them nodding. “We’ll be waiting at your door.” Pepa told her youngest before the rest of them walked off…with Felix having to drag Camilo away.
Once everything was ready everyone was looking at Alma as she stood on the stairs leading to the door that would be Antonio’s, with his family waiting by it just like they said. Taking a deep breath first, Abuela spoke to everyone like she always did for the gift ceremonies. “Fifty years ago, in our darkest moment, this candle blessed us with a miracle and the greatest honor of out family has been to use our blessings to serve this beloved community. Tonight, we come together once more as another steps into the light to make us proud.” Drums then started to play as the certain on the end of the room rose up to reveal Antonio to everyone, with the community all clapping and cheering for him as spotlights shined down on the youngest Madrigal.
Abuela moved to the top of the stairs and awaited Antonio to step forward towards his door. But he didn’t move an inch. Casita lightly nudged Antonio with the tile he was under to try and encourage him to move, but he continued to stand in place. Antonio turned his head and looked towards Mirabel and held his hand out. Mirabel flinched, she knew what this met. “I…I can’t…” Mirabel shook her head as she looked down the very same hallway she walked down ten years ago. During her failed gift ceremony.
“I need you.” Antonio told her desperately. He couldn’t do this on his own. He needed his best friend.
Desperate everything in her body telling her she couldn’t, Mirabel was able to power through all that and stepped towards him, taking his own hand into her own. Everyone watching was taken aback at seeing Mirabel appear at Antonio’s side. She could feel their stares, but kept her eyes focused on Antonio. “Come on,” She whispered to him. “Let’s get you to your door.”
Antonio clung onto Mirabel’s arm as she took a deep breath before they walked forward.
‘They’re all watching you.’
The voices were back.
‘They think you’re stealing the spotlight.’
She had to ignore them.
‘If it fails, they’ll all blame you. He’ll blame you.’
They were almost there.
‘He’ll hate you.’
They finally reached the top of the stairs, Antonio slowly let go of Mirabel’s arm and walked up to Alma as she lowered the candle down to him. “Will you use your gift to honor our miracle?” Alma asked the now 5-year-old boy. “Will you serve this community, strengthen our home?”
Antonio nodded and touched the candle before Alma stepped to the side, allowing Antonio to go up to his door. Slowly, he approached the glowing blank door and reached out to its knob. Everyone watched in anticipation as he grabbed the knob, causing the door as well as the candles flame to glow brightly, as it glowed a toucan suddenly flew onto his arm and chirped at him a few times with Antonito’s eyes widening in amazement as a big smile came to his face. “I understand you.” Antonio told the bird, as it squawked a few more times in response. “Of course they can come!”
Antonio giggled as the toucan let out a loud call. Everyone looked at the sight with raised brows, but soon watched as more birds flew in from the sky with hordes of animals running past all the people and towards Antonio.
When all the animals went up to Antonio, his door changed to show a picture of him surrounded by animals, his name lining the top of the door. Alma breathed a sigh of relief as she looked to the community and announced. “We have a new gift!” Everyone all clapped and cheered in response as fireworks went off.
Antonio opened up the door to his new room and at first it started off as a normal room…but soon expanded into an entire jungle. Antonio’s jaw dropped at the sight as a jaguar suddenly ran up behind him and put the 5-year-old onto its back and rode him around his new room, exploring all the wonderous things it had to offer, including a water slide!
Antonio laughed and cheered as everyone watched in awe until he returned to everyone with his parents being quick to wrap him up in a big hug. All the while Mirabel was in the back away from her family as Alma knelt down Antonio and gave him a proud look. “I knew you could do it.” She told him with a smile. “A gift just as special as you. We need a picture! Everyone! Come, come, come!”
Alma then gathered everyone in the family up together as someone brought up a camera.
Everyone…except Mirabel.
“It’s a great night! It’s a perfect night!” Alma happily said as the family all grouped together and got into position. “Everyone together!”
“La Familia Madrigal!”
And they all took the picture together.
Without her.
Her sisters.
Her parents.
Antonio.
‘He’s already abandoned you.’
Time seemed to stop for Mirabel as she looked at her family’s as emotions filled her heart. Sadness, betrayal, loneliness…anger…hatred.
Mirabel tightened her fist and gritted her teeth as she looked at her family, time still stopped for her, and let her frustrations out.
Mirabel:
There’s a line between the winners and the losers.
There’s a line between the chosen and the rest.
And I’ve done the best I could, but I’ve always known just where we stood.
Me here with the luckless.
You there with the blessed.
Mirabel then walked up to Alma and glared at her right in the eye.
Mirabel:
And that line between the beggers and the choosers.
Is a line that you’ve never let me quite ignore.
How I’ve tried to jump that great divide.
Mirabel then looked at her sisters and glared at them bitterly, especially Isabela, as they showed off their gifts.
Mirabel:
But I’ve never got the chances you were given.
You don’t know, how much I’ve been denied.
Mirabel had her mind made up. She knew what she was gonna do, and no one was gonna stop her as she stormed out of Antonio’s new room, putting everyone behind her.
Mirabel:
Well I’m not being patient anymore!
I’m crossing the line!
And I’m done holding back!
So look out, clear the track, it’s my turn!
The giftless Madrigal then looked towards the candle and glared at it and proceeded to start climbing up Casita to reach it.
Mirabel:
I’m taking what’s mine.
Every drop, every smidge.
If I’m burning a bridge let it burn!
But I’m crossing the line.
Mirabel managed to make her way up to towards the candle, walking across the titles until she was face to face with the miracle that didn’t find her worthy.
Mirabel:
And for us, if we're over
That's fine
I'm crossing the line…
Mirabel then slowly reached out towards the candle…
Back in Antonio’s room, after snapping the picture Julieta frowned a bit as she looked around and found something that was missing. “Hold on a second,” The healing cook said as everyone looked towards her. “Where’s Mirabel?”
“Hm? Wasn’t she just here?” Luisa asked with a small frown.
Meanwhile Isabela just scoffed, why were they so worried about her? If she chose to leave early than so be it.
“If Mirabel did not want to be in the photo then that is her decision.” Alma said, finding nothing wrong with her being left out. The night had gone perfectly and that’s important. “Come, let us continue the celebration.”
“No!” But Antonio spoke up against that, refusing to have Mirabel be left out of things. “I want her in the photo with us.”
“Mama, it is Antonio’s night.” Pepa told her mother firmly. She wasn’t gonna leave her sobrina and Antonio’s best friend be left out of the family photo. “If he wants Mirabel in it then we should go get her.”
“…Very well.” Alma let out a small sigh and nodded before turning to Isabela. “Isabela, go find where your sister went.”
Isabela let out a silent groan, of course she would be given the job to go get her, but simply gave her Abuela a smile and a nod. “Of course Abuela.” Isabela than went to the door and exited Antonio’s room and immediately frowned and looked around for where Mirabel could be. “Hey! Mirabel! Where are-What the-WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP THERE?!”
Isabela found Mirabel alright. Standing in front of the window into Abuela’s room and reaching out for the candle. Mirabel’s eyes widened as she looked back and saw her sister on the bottom level glaring up at her. “YOU COME DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW OR I’M TELLING EVERYONE WHAT YOU’RE DOING!”
“…Well go ahead and tell them then!” But to Isabela’s surprise, Mirabel yelled back and glared viciously daggers at her older sister. “You’ve all left me in the dust long enough! Well I’m through with letting you all look down on me! And it’s starts now!” Without a single hesitation, Mirabel reached her hand forward and grabbed the candle, taking it for herself.
CRACK!!!!
But as soon as she did, the entire Castia shook violently. Mirabel was barley able to keep her balance while Isabela fell down on her back. Without a moment’s warning cracks started appearing all over the house, running deep through the entire structure. And from these cracks, a dark energy enimated and filled the air around them, rising up towards the sky. “H-H-Hey! What’s going on?!” Isabela quickly started to panicking as everything around them quickly started going to hell. “Mirabel! Put it back right now!”
But despite what was happening, Mirabel refused to do so. She held the candle close to her, putting it to her chest. Suddenly appearing below her feet was a void of pure dark energy. Mirabel rapidly looked around as the darkness started swirling around her, completely covering her. And before she even knew it, she vanished into the darkness. Both her and the candle.
“Mirabel!” Isabela yelled out as her sister disappeared before her eyes. But unknown to Isabela, coming from the darkness that swept Mirabel away were a few small glimmers of light that made their way to Isabela, flying into her chest.
And things quickly went from bad to worse. Looming over the entire Encanto was a giant ball of darkness. The cracks continued to seep through the house, moving all the way towards the village and even towards the mountains around the casita, breaking pieces of them apart and releasing more dark energy that went up toward the dark orb, making the already colossal object bigger.
But that wasn’t the end of it. Along with the dark energy, something else emerged from the cracks. Rising up from the ground like zombies…were the dark creatures of Isabela’s dream. “No…no! No! No!” Isabela yelled in horror as swarm upon swarm of dark creatures appeared. In her dream there was only a few…but now there were dozens, possibly hundreds all appearing throughout the Encanto. And many of them had their eyes on her.
Isabela let out the loudest scream she’s ever made as multiple swarms of creatures all jumped her, burying her in a dogpile as they attacked her.
All seemed hopeless…until…
GLEAM!!!!
A bright light shined from Isabela, causing all the creatures around her to go flying and disappear with a poof, small heart shaped crystal appearing where they were that went flying off. Isabela was seen lying on the floor. Scratches all over her body causing trickles of blood to leave her body, her dress was torn about and her left eye was blackened. But in her hand she held a strange object. A large key-like weapon with a yellow handle with the end resembling a crown and attached to it was a keychain with the end of it having the same three circle symbol the objects in her dream had.
Keyblade…
“Key…blade……” It was the last thing Isabela was able to say before everything went black.
Her whole world falling into the darkness.