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Chapter Text

Mirabel Madrigal was not having a good night, after her gift ceremony failed, her Abuela Alma decided to banish her from the village of Encanto.

After minutes of crying by the river where her Abuelo Pedro sacrificed himself, she decided to leave here and find somewhere else to live.

She found a hot air balloon and jumped into it, it flew away from Colombia to an island called Avalonia, she suddenly got lost on a field of glowing green balls as she does not realize that she was on someone’s farm, she sat by a house and started sobbing again, quietly.

Suddenly, three people, a man, a woman, and a six-year-old boy, walk out of the house and see her next to it and walk to her.

Finding a young child on their farm was not something they would expect to happen.

“There, there, dear, it’s alright, you’re safe here,” The woman, Meridian, said to Mirabel as she soothed her.

The boy, Ethan, looked at Mirabel and thought to himself, “Am I in love?”

Humans can be cruel sometimes, especially to their own children, Meridian was sickened by it, though not nearly as much as other people who detested anything remotely cruel happening to children.

The man, Searcher, was also sickened by it, it reminded him of the time his father, Jaeger Clade, left him up the mountains.

…

In the house, Mirabel was on a comfy couch with a children’s book about a plant called pando and a mug of cocoa, the family took her in as their guest.

Meridian was talking to Searcher as she said, “We couldn’t just leave her out there, Searcher. It was nighttime and there might’ve been kidnappers or something.”

“And what do we plan on doing with her, honey? Neither of us will kindly handle working together to care for her, think about Ethan, he would feel like we replaced him,” Searcher explained.

Meridian put her hand on Searcher’s shoulder as she said, “We’re not gonna replace Ethan, we still love him, also this Mirabel girl mentioned something about a miracle her family was given. I will look into that, I’ll ask is that you watch her, we’ve always had a soft spot for children, if nothing else.”

Searcher nodded and replied, “Oh, alright, only because we need more information, before this village of her’s gets an earthquake or something.”

While Searcher and Meridian were talking, Mirabel entered Ethan’s room and found him.

“Hola,” Mirabel greeted.

Ethan turned to Mirabel and replied, “Hi, I didn’t get your name yet.”

Mirabel walked to Ethan and introduced herself, “Sorry, Mirabel, Mirabel Madrigal.”

“Ethan, Ethan Clade,” Ethan introduced himself and then turned around as he continued drawing and coloring something.

“What are you drawing?” Mirabel asked Ethan.

At that moment, Ethan showed Mirabel the drawing he was making as he asked, “Is this the house you were talking about when we found you?”

Mirabel nodded and answered, “Sí, that’s Casita.”

“Casita?” Ethan questioned.

Mirabel nodded again and answered, “Yep, it’s the name of the house I was kicked out of.”

While Mirabel was talking to Ethan about Casita and the Encanto, barking was heard from outside of Ethan’s room, but it was not very loud like a big dog’s would be, it was Ethan’s bernedoodle, Legend.

“Legend, Legend, it’s okay, come here,” Ethan said, commanding his dog.

Legend walked into the room and hopped onto Ethan’s bed.

“Is she allowed up there?” Mirabel asked Ethan.

Ethan turned to Mirabel and answered, “Legend’s a boy, Mira, and yes, he is.”

Legend put his nose close to Mirabel and began licking her face.

“That tickles,” Mirabel said as she chuckled.

“Legend likes you, which is great news for you,” Ethan replied as he and Mirabel go back to playing together with Legend now cuddled up next to Mirabel.

At 8:00 PM, Mirabel and Ethan climb onto the bed and start reading some books about Jaeger Clade’s adventures until 10:00 PM. When the hour came, they finally fall asleep.

Chapter Text

Ten years later…

Mirabel was now fifteen years old and Ethan was now sixteen years old, she lived with the Clades and had been Ethan’s roommate for ten years and started knowing how to grow pando.

“Hey, guys!” Mirabel and Ethan hear a voice call out.

A floating truck stopped at the farm to reveal Ethan’s friends, Kardez, Azimuth, and Diazo.

“Hey, guys, long time, no see!” Ethan called back.

“Bro, we just got some of the limited addition Primal Outpost card packs, they sold out under fifteen minutes!” Kardez excitedly replied.

“Ugh, we knew we should’ve camped them out,” Mirabel groaned.

“You really think we forgot you guys?” Diazo asked as he stuck his head out of the back of the truck.

“Oh…hi-Diazo, I d-didn’t see you over there…not-not that you aren’t noticeable, just-” Ethan stumbled over his words and he leaned onto the wooden fence behind him. “H-hi, how are you doing?”

Diazo chuckled at Ethan as he hopped out of the truck and walked to him.

“Okay, let’s open them!” Mirabel squeaked.

Everyone opened their packs and Mirabel stared at her card, not interested. She planned on giving her card to someone else. Anyway, she was not really into the game or the collecting aspect of it, she happened to get an animal caretaker.

“A medic,” Azimuth cooly said.

“Ooh, a cook! I’ma be making things with this,” Kardez exclaimed.

Ethan and Diazo seem to exchange a few words. Before Diazo have Ethan his card, Ethan’s face heated up. Diazo suddenly snatched his beanie and playfully reached it above Ethan’s reach.

As they tussle, Mirabel was lost in her own world.

Mirabel had a crush on Ethan, she was a bit bothered by it, but he was nice.

She realized Searcher was talking to her, so she quickly snapped back to reality as she did not notice that he was there.

“Aren’t you?” Searcher repeated.

Mirabel glanced over at Ethan and he seemed embarrassed about Searcher’s antics, so she shoots a glance of her own.

“Sorry, what did you say? I was stuck in the clouds for a second,” Mirabel said.

“You and Ethan make a really good match, eh?” Searcher asked.

Mirabel looked back behind Searcher and at Ethan mouthing “no” at her. She just smirks and says, “Nahh-it’s probably Diazo over here, really kind and everything!”

She heard the strain in her voice, but she does not think anyone notices it.

Mirabel has been with the Clades for only ten years, but they seem really outgoing and charismatic. They were extremely passionate about work and she respected them for that, and being one of them’s girlfriend…of course.

As Ethan took a quick breath of relief, he slouched over and grabbed Searcher, who was chittering with Diazo and embarrassing him even more.

“Come on, Mira, we gotta go farm pando! See you guys later!” Ethan said as he grabbed Mirabel’s wrist and dragged her to the fields, keeping his eyes off his friends. Legend trotted by them, excited about something.

Searcher turned to Ethan and said, “Hey, Ethan, your friends are super cool, especially that Diazo guy. You know, I had my first crush once, she had braces and so did I. We were actually stuck once, It wasn’t so bad-”

“Dad, stop!” Ethan groaned as Mirabel giggled and they all walk back to the house to grab some buckets.

…

Everyone farmed pando for a long while and stopped around noon to take a short break, then they pack up all of their harvested pods. Mirabel even got to try some of Meridian’s sandwiches and some lemonade with them.

Mirabel looked over at the fresh crops and noticed something strange, a full bucket’s pando looked charred and dead. A result in them losing energy, she quickly showed it to Searcher.

“Hey, Searcher, look,” Mirabel quickly grabbed Searcher’s attention with her troubled voice.

“What is it, Mira?” Searcher asked, equally concerned. Mirabel handed Searcher the crate and he took some pods out and studied them.

“Hey, guys, what’s the matter?” Ethan asked, walking over to Mirabel and Searcher, he lazily swung his arm over Mirabel’s shoulder and he shuffled a bit closer to her.

“Some of the pando is dead,” Mirabel answered.

“Which should be impossible, we haven’t even picked these over an hour ago,” Searcher replied.

Ethan shrugged and said, “Eh, they could’ve have just been a bad batch, we’ve gotten those before, Dad.”

Searcher hummed and sat the dead pando he had in his hand down as he asked, “Well, Mirabel, any more?”

“No,” Mirabel answered.

“Didn’t think so,” Searcher said as he dusted off his hands before picking up the crate. “I’ll go dispose these. Ethan, grab a fresh batch and you and Mirabel get in the truck.”

Ethan let his arm roll off Mirabel’s back and she and Legend follow behind him as he grabbed another crate. Mirabel grabbed one as well just in case something similar happens.

Being in the tiny delivery truck was an experience, Mirabel used to sit beside Ethan as they drive, but now, she had to sit in front of him on the edge of the seat. Legend was also taking up the floorboard and that made the space even smaller for the three of them, somehow, they manage.

Soon, Searcher opened the door, sat down, started the truck, and they drive off, ready to deliver some fresh pando.

…

“Here you go, Señora Brown,” Mirabel cheerily said to the woman who took the crate from her hands. The woman gave Mirabel a small bit of cash and she skittered away with a wave.

“Here’s the money, Searcher,” Mirabel chirped to Searcher.

Searcher divided the seven dollars, giving Mirabel three of the bills and said, “Here, Mira, I think you deserve it. You’ve been a big help on the farm and it’s pretty fun having you around, you make us, well…don’t tell Ethan, but him very happy, even if it means doing his chores.”

Mirabel smiled and quickly accepted the cash, stuffing it in her pocket. She liked the thought of making someone happy and gaining respect from not only Searcher or Ethan, but Clades.

Apparently, Ethan was Jaeger Clade’s grandson. Jaeger was supposedly a hero to the town and a great explorer. Sure, he could have been a traveler, but Mirabel did not think he was that cool, at least not his statue, but since people idolize their family, she may as well appreciate a praise.

Mirabel joined Ethan and Legend as they play a game of “Monkey in the middle” (Legend being the monkey) as Searcher finished a few more deliveries.

Since there is now a bit of room in the back, Mirabel decided to sit there as she did not like to be squished. Sure, she liked Ethan, but her personal space mattered more than a boy sometimes.

Other times, Mirabel would be extra cuddly.

“MY SON THINKS I’M AN AMAZING DAD!!!” Searcher suddenly yelled out the window. Mirabel covered her ears, not liking the loudness, the same as her prima, Dolores.

She still laughed and sent a questioning look to an embarrassed Ethan.

Everyone eventually finished their rounds, all of the pando is gone, done sold, as it was getting late, they drive back to the farm.

Chapter Text

“Hey, Legend! Agh!” Ethan slightly laughed at Legend, who had put his paw onto his chest. The smart thing was trying to copy his parents and he barked happily at Ethan’s reply, negative or not, Legend was always happy.

The family and Mirabel were dancing to a popular song as they cook. Mirabel sat at the dining table as she folded some rags for Meridian, not upon request, she just saw them and started doing it.

When Mirabel was done, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Hey,” Mirabel chirped to Ethan as he lowered his head to the ground…nervously? She giggled as she saw him regain confidence and hold his hand out, cheekily.

“May I have this dance?” Ethan loudly asked. Out of the corner of Mirabel’s eye, Searcher and Meridian have momentarily stop to watch them.

Nonetheless, Mirabel took Ethan’s hand and stood up, Ethan whisked her away and everyone danced to the music.

It was nice. Mirabel, Ethan, Searcher, and Meridian were having a great night.

Mirabel added a generous amount of pepper to the soup, right after Ethan added some salt, he and Mirabel twirl around to the music as Searcher dipped his lover. Mirabel focused back on Ethan and he not-so-discreetly rolled his eyes, making fun of them.

Mirabel was about to lightly punch Ethan’s shoulder, but he quickly spun her around with his other hand.

She laughed at his dodge and he wraps his arms around her to help steady her from the spin. Suddenly, Ethan’s hand swiveled around towards the window, Mirabel followed his eyes and they see a giant…airship?

Meridian stopped the music and Searcher runs to the window as he said in panic, “No, not the crops!”

After everything stopped, the four of them slip on their shoes and run outside, Legend followed behind without a care in the world, as usual.

“Woah! What kind of airship is that?” Ethan asked in amazement.

“I don’t know, I’ve never seen anything like it,” Meridian answered.

“Me neither,” Mirabel replied.

Everyone watched as the airship lowered and more pando was smushed in its wake, Mirabel physically cringed at all of that hard work destroyed.

“Callisto?” Searcher scowled as the woman descending from the unusual aircraft.

“Heyyy, Baby Clade!” Callisto greeted as she hugged Searcher.

“Baby, who is this?” Meridian whispered to Searcher, some of her protectively mother instinct leaked out, as if she feels the need to defend her home.

“She’s one of the people who used to travel with my dad,” Searcher whispered back.

“Oh, and Meridian, so nice to finally meet you,” Callisto said as she swiftly shook Meridian’s hand, happily smiling.

Callisto turned to Ethan, who was still busy marveling over the giant airship.

“Ethan, the future of Clade Farms? Your Dad must be so proud,” Callisto smoothly said as Ethan turned to her as well, humming in slight confusion.

“Eheh, yeahh, sure,” Ethan uncertainly replied. Mirabel caught his eye and saw him raise his hand for her. Just like before, she nervously took it, Ethan pulled her closely, almost protectively.

“Oh, and who must you be?” Callisto asked as she turned to Mirabel, slightly surprised by her appearance. “I’ve never seen you before, is she your daughter?”

“No, she isn’t,” Searcher said and he cleared his throat. “Mirabel here is Ethan’s girlfriend and roommate, she helps around the farm.”

Mirabel nodded as she explained, “Mirabel Madrigal, pleasure to meet you, señorita. I’ve come all the way from Colombia in a village called Encanto. After I got kicked out at five years old, I came here and all of a sudden, these guys found me, they didn’t adopt me, but I became a roommate.”

Callisto broke a grin and looked over to Ethan and said, Fine catch she is, nice to meet you, young lady. Is it okay if we park the venture here? You know, I can tell my pilot to move it, it’s not a big deal, I mean, it is a big deal, but it’s not.”

“No, it’s…it’s fine,” Meridian answered.

“Uh, can the venture fly over the mountains?” Ethan asked.

Callisto chuckled and answered, “Well, sorry, nothing can fly that high. Well, not yet, but that’s not why I’m here.”

“Well, why are you here?” Searcher asked.

“There’s something I need to show you, come on,” Callisto said as she and Searcher walk into the house.

“Hey, kids, let’s go inside,” Meridian commanded Mirabel and Ethan.

When they got inside, Callisto held up a box and Searcher seemed to peer at it, incredulously.

“How did this happen?” Searcher asked, still seemingly astonished. Mirabel thought about the batch she had picked not too long ago that were wilted upon checking.

“It started in the north fields,” Callisto said and then paused, striding them around the table. “Something’s killing them from deep underground, I’m asking you to help us find a way to cure it.”

Mirabel took the dead pando stalk in her hand, turning it over for a better look, there was no more power like something had sucked it out.

Searcher and Callisto walk over to a window as Mirabel, Ethan, and Meridian quietly trail behind, Mirabel does not quite hear what they are saying.

“Alright, I’ll do it, let me go gather my things,” Searcher seemed to agree.

Before Callisto can respond, Ethan butted in as he said, “Yes! When do we head out?”

“Woah, woah, hold up, you’re not coming with me,” Searcher asserted.

Ethan’s mood instantly turned sour as Mirabel puts a gentle hand on his arm as he said, “But we do everything together.”

“Not this,” Searcher replied.

“Then what’s the point of you showing me how to grow pando my entire life?” Ethan asked.

“So you can take over the farm,” Searcher answered.

“But this is so much more important,” Ethan replied.

Searcher shook his head and said, “No, I will not risk your life.”

Ethan stormed upstairs, despite Searcher’s protests, Mirabel apologized to them and she followed him.

“Ethan, don’t get all moody! Sometime when we’re older, we’ll get to do the same things,” Mirabel said, trying to cheer up Ethan, who is huddled down in a ball on his mesh floor.

Ethan sniffled and said, “S-sorry, you’re r-right, I’m j-just a stupid, dumb-”

“No, idióta!” Mirabel hissed and kicked Ethan in his side, he squealed like a dog and fell over.

“What was that for?” Ethan asked as he groaned in pain and sat up.

Mirabel angrily pointed an accusing finger at Ethan and said, “If you don’t take it back, I’ll invite mi hermana over here to grow some vines with thorns on them around you and slit your neck open! You’re very smart and clever, you ARE an idiot though now!”

Ethan rubbed his lip, slightly grimacing as he touched it.

Mirabel guiltily fell on her knees.

“Lo siénto,” She murmured.

Ethan pulled Mirabel in a tight squeeze and she felt her lungs tighten until he finally lets her go.

“Thank you, Mirabel, and I’m sorry. I won’t call myself that again,” Ethan said.

Mirabel gave Ethan a kiss on his cheek and she replied, “Gracias, Ethan.”

Ethan nodded and said, “Now we should find a way on the venture.”

Mirabel was probably going to regret it later though.

Legend, who was being ever so quiet, barked from beside Mirabel and Ethan.

Chapter Text

“Ethan, this way!” Mirabel hissed as she grabbed Ethan’s wrist and nearly tripped on a rock and she put her arm around Legend’s neck to calm him down a bit, it did not really help, but he stopped barking and she managed to leave him standing still for a moment as she looked for an entrance, why did she and Ethan decide to bring him?

Mirabel watched as Searcher goes into a shed, probably to grab some tools for his journey. Searcher walked up the ramp and disappeared into the venture, Mirabel deemed it safe and led Ethan and Legend nearer.

Seeing that the coast is clear, Mirabel practically dragged Ethan along behind her, she did not know why, but she thought he was being slower because he was nervous.

“Wh-where do we hide?” Ethan stammered, Legend whined in agreement and Mirabel quickly shushed both of them.

“There’s probably a supply closet or a janitor closet we can use,” Mirabel whispered. “We can hide in there, then once we’re off, we’ll come out. If Castillo is telling the truth, they won’t want to turn back.”

Ethan nodded his head, understanding Mirabel’s theory. They tip-toe around a bit more and Mirabel still squeezed Ethan’s wrist while her other hand occupied Legend’s collar. Mirabel let out a small breath as she was glad that he understood that they need to be stealthy.

Suddenly, Mirabel heard talking around a corner, Ethan heard it too because he fearfully looked at Mirabel. Legend stopped panting and he was also quiet. It was the first time she had seen a dog that way, even with only three legs.

Mirabel quickly opened a door and threw herself in, Ethan stumbled after her, and of course, Legend jumped in after. Mirabel quickly shut the door.

“Wow, what a spooky show!” A man said and laughed afterwards, the other man did not laugh as he seemed to not get the joke. Thankfully, they did not hear Mirabel, Ethan, and Legend’s clatter, Mirabel listened to their footsteps and she released her lungs, surprising herself to find out that she held her breath.

“We’re okay,” Mirabel muttered. She relaxed and sat criss-cross on the cold tile. “But let’s whisper.”

Legend padded over and he laid his head on Mirabel’s lap. She softly brushed the hair on his face when she felt warm arms around her.

“Thanks, Mirabel, you don’t need to do this with me and I know I don’t like leaving home. I want you to know that you can leave, okay?” Ethan murmured.

Mirabel let out a soft chuckle and then asked, “Well, do you want me to leave?”

“Um, that’s not what I mean,” Ethan said. Mirabel shushed him and listened a bit to make sure no one was near.

“Well, I don’t want to either and eso es eso-”

Mirabel suddenly felt a jolt of movement as a consistent pressure started to build up in her ears.

The venture whirled around before finding its path.

Ethan tightened her grip as he asked, “Are you good?”

Mirabel’s ears were popping as Ethan said, “Well, I guess that answers my question. I’ll keep you safe, don’t worry.”

Mirabel chuckled and asked, “Brave Ethan now, huh?”

Ethan punched Mirabel’s shoulder, slightly annoyed at her attempt to tease as he playfully scolded, “Don’t do that, Mirabel!”

Legend barked out loud once as he got up from Mirabel’s lap and stood at the door, just staring as his tail wagged and he happily panted.

Ethan let go of Mirabel and they scramble over a few feet to make Legend quiet, that is when they hear more footsteps as they get louder.

“Hide!” Mirabel hissed at Ethan as they look around and see that there was not anywhere to hide, but they hide behind some cargo boxes, pulling Legend with them and Mirabel lightly put her hand around his mouth to stop him from barking and to keep him still.

The door opened and Mirabel felt her breath health as she moved closer to Ethan. They hear a man hum a song and the tower of crates got shorter as he removed a few.

Suddenly, the man saw them and just stopped as he stared at them.

“Hola,” Mirabel said as she nervously waved her hand. Ethan smacked it down and shot her a small glare.

“What are you two doing on this airship?” The man asked as he sat down some more crates and Legend came out, knocked the man down, and started licking his face.

“Run!” Ethan said as he grabbed Mirabel’s arm and they jump over a crate that was left on the ground.

“Slow down, idióta!” Mirabel yelled out as she, Ethan, and Legend turn to a corner, they stand there and catch their breaths.

Suddenly, hands grab Mirabel and Ethan’s arms and they turn around to see an annoyed woman.

“What are you two doing here?” She asked. Mirabel tried to pull away, but the woman tugged her back.

Ethan cleared his throat and Mirabel gave him a look as he blinked at her, before turning back to the woman as he said, “I am Ethan Clade, son of Searcher Clade, and this is Mirabel Madrigal, my girlfriend. We’re gonna help find out what’s killing the pando.”

The woman chuckled, ignoring Ethan’s words and then said, “May as well, I should bring you and your girlfriend to your dad in that case.”

Ethan shook his head as he said, “Wait-”

He was cut off as the woman dragged him and Mirabel along. Mirabel grabbed Legend’s collar to keep him close.

Suddenly, Mirabel and Ethan were brought into the open all they see are dirt walls around them, pando roots were glowing through the ground, creating the ethereal glow from its energy, it was beautiful.

Once Mirabel looked up, she saw Meridian fly towards the front of the venture in her one person airplane.

“The kids are on your ship!” Meridian called to Searcher.

“What did she say? Honey, what are you saying? What is she saying?” Searcher asked.

“She said your kids are on our ship,” The woman said as Searcher turned to see Mirabel and Ethan.

“Hey, Mom!” Ethan called to Meridian.

Searcher’s eyes widen as he questioned, “Guys?”

“Oh, hey, Dad,” Ethan said as he apologetically smiled.

Legend jumped into Searcher’s arms and licked his face as he asked, “You brought the dog? What are you two doing down here?”

“Listen, Searcher, we just wanna help,” Mirabel said.

Searcher handed Legend to Ethan as he said, “Guys, me and Ethan talked about this, I can’t. I need you two to take care of the farm while I’m gone. Now please, go home with mom.”

“Wait, but Dad-”

Ethan was cut off as Mirabel said, “Ethan, I’ll handle this. Now, Searcher, listen-”

Mirabel was also cut off as they feel a loud thud and hear something fly by. They hear a loud screech as a neon pink pterodactyl-like creature flew towards the venture and opened its mouth, trying to eat the gang, but they duck under it.

Callisto took out two knives as Searcher asked, “What is happening?”

“What are those things?” Ethan asked.

“I don’t know, but they don’t seem friendly!” Mirabel answered.

“All of you head inside! I got this!” Callisto commanded as she ran to fight the creatures. She stabbed two of them with her knives, but they do not die as some land and climb onto the venture.

“Guys, this is not what I thought it would be! You heard her, inside!” Mirabel said as she, Searcher, and Ethan run to get inside of the venture, but one of the creatures land in front of them. They flinch and step back as the creature tried to eat them.

Mirabel suddenly whacked the creature across its face with her backpack, but it did not hurt it as the creature bit her arm and she screamed in pain as the creature tried to bite her again.

“Hey, razor face! Come and get me!” Callisto said to the creature as she allowed it to follow her.

Meridian’s eyes widen as she saw the attack and said, “Oh no!”

She flew her airplane down closer to the venture as Callisto jumped through the door and into the cockpit.

“Duffle, get us outta here!” Callisto commanded a pilot as one of the creatures break through the windshield and glass flew everywhere. The pilot screamed as the creature opened its mouth, wrapped its tongue around his head, yanked him out of the venture, and ate him as his foot pushed a lever that caused the venture to plummet downward.

Mirabel, Searcher, and Ethan back into the railing as they hold onto it. Meridian flew her airplane down further and saw where they are.

“Hold on!” Meridian called to them.

Legend suddenly flew off Ethan’s arms as Ethan yelled, “Legend!”

“I got him!” Searcher said as he caught Legend and held onto a railing.

Meridian suddenly jumped off her plane, through the broken windshield, and into the cockpit. She started pushing some buttons and pulled the steering wheel, making the propellers go up.

Mirabel was breathing harder and harder as her heart was beating and Ethan held her hand.

Suddenly, they look down behind them as their feelings go numb, they were about to crash into the dirt and they squeeze each other’s hands tighter and brace for impact.

“Brace yourselves!” Meridian shouted as they crash into the dirt. The dirt they pass was stretchy and warm, it felt like flesh as Mirabel felt a curl of revulsion go down her spine.

Suddenly, Searcher and Legend fly off the venture and start falling as Ethan shouted, “Dad!”

The ground Searcher and Legend land on felt soft and bouncy, Searcher looked up to see that he was still alive as he questioned, “What?”

Ethan ran to the back of the venture as he again shouted to Searcher, “Dad!”

“Ethan!” Searcher shouted back as he and Legend get up and run after the venture.

The venture crashed through some trees that had bubbles as leaves and Meridian pushed a button that activated a hook that broke through the ground and hit a rock as it made the line that was attached to it stop the venture.

Ethan and Mirabel look around to see that they are now in an unknown underground world, it had categories such as plants and animals, but they were all bizarre. Everything was in shades of orange, pink, and red, with some purple interspersed and the occasional shock of light blue.

Meridian and Callisto were still in the cockpit and were staring at the world as well and Meridian asked, “Did you have any idea all of this was down here?”

“Not at all, we are definitely off the map now,” Callisto replied.

Chapter Text

In the Encanto…

Bruno Madrigal, the most accurate seer since the villagers startle at his visions. Julieta had gone off into the jungle to find her daughter, but she was nowhere to be found, not even a trace. They only was comfort was the lack of blood, meaning she was not mauled to death by something.

Bruno was now in his vision cave, trying to see what was happening, it took him ten years of pleading from his sister to look into the future for any sign of Mirabel.

But what he saw was not what he had been expecting at all.

Mirabel and a boy, a year older than her, were in a bizarre underground world with a blue blob-like creature leading them. Then, big purple monsters with tentacles surround them and were getting ready to attack them.

“Dios mio!” Bruno exclaimed as he ran out of his cave with the vision tablet in his hand.

“Bruno, did you see anything?” Julieta hopefully asked.

“Mirabel is safe, but more than safe. I think Mama really, really screwed up,” Bruno said as he showed Julieta the tablet.

“Dios mio, this can’t be why she didn’t get a gift, it’s not!” Julieta replied.

“These three people, a family of farmers, are with her. They seem nice, but she and this boy who seems a year older than her are gonna be attacked by these monsters in the vision,” Bruno explained.

“What is going on? Bruno, did you have the vision?” Alma asked and Bruno gave the vision to her and she nearly dropped it.

“Dios, what have I done?” Alma gasped.

“Dios shouldn’t be meant for this to happen. Mirabel and this boy were gonna be attacked by these monsters, this family of farmers must’ve cared for her,” Bruno explained.

Meanwhile….

Mirabel and Ethan stand on top of the venture, looking further to where Searcher and Legend landed as Ethan said, “Okay, they’re okay, and we’re okay.”

They jump off the venture and listen to Callisto’s speech, when she was finished, Mirabel and Ethan hop onto a green cruiser as Mirabel asked, “You know how to drive this thing, right?”

Ethan scoffed and replied, “You insult me!”

The cruiser started moving and Ethan put it on max speed as it went too fast and he was calling out, “Dad?!”

Mirabel almost fell off the cruiser as her glasses fly off her face and she grabbed them and put them back on.

“This is way faster than our tractor!” Ethan said.

Mirabel playfully scoffed and said, “Don’t be ridiculous, you’re the one who put this thing on max speed!”

“Guilty as charged!” Ethan said back to Mirabel as they suddenly go into a dark blue forest and they see some glittery starfish-like creatures swinging across some skinny trees as if they were monkeys.

Ethan stopped the cruiser as they go to a dead end and they stare at a view of the world as Ethan said, “A vast, undiscovered wilderness filled with fantastic creatures, this is just like Primal Outpost!”

“I know, beautiful,” Mirabel replied as she and Ethan start to kiss each other on the lips.

Their kiss was cut off as the ground started to move up and Mirabel and Ethan roll off the cruiser and grab onto the ledge.

Mirabel and Ethan fall off the flying creature, bounce off two purple plants, and land on the ground as it bounced them.

The ground creature flew away with cruiser still on top of it as Mirabel asked, “Are you okay?”

Ethan nodded and said, “Okay, this is nothing like Primal Outpost.”

They get up and look forward to see a dark tunnel as Ethan looked at his Primal Outpost card and said, “We can do this, it’s just a nightmare tunnel. Let’s just be brave.”

Mirabel took a deep breath and said, “Okay, here goes nothing.”

They run through the tunnel as Ethan was screaming and Mirabel shushed him as she said, “Be quiet, we don’t want to wake anything up in here.”

“Sorry,” Ethan whispered as he and Mirabel walk through the tunnel as he talked about Diazo and said to himself, “Oh, hey, Diazo, how was my weekend? Well, me and my girlfriend ran through a nightmare tunnel, looking for my dad and-”

Ethan was cut off as he and Mirabel hear a chittering noise and Mirabel asked, “Hello?”

Suddenly, a blue creature crawled up Ethan’s back like a spider as he and Mirabel turn to it as it popped up in front of them.

Ethan ran around as he was screaming and Mirabel grabbed a stick and she tried to whack the creature, but ended up hitting Ethan as she apologized multiple times. Ethan grabbed the creature by its arms and slammed it into a rock and it went down as it stuck onto it like a pancake.

Mirabel dropped the stick and asked, “What is that?”

“I don’t know,” Ethan answered.

The creature got up as it swept its arms and flinched back when Ethan walked up to it and tried to touch it. It reached its arm out to touch Ethan’s hand….and slapped him across his face.

“Ow!” Ethan snapped as he rubbed his cheek.

The creature threatened Ethan as it squeaked and he said, “Okay, I guess I deserved that, I did splat you into a wall.”

The creature squeaked more as Ethan asked Mirabel, “What’s it doing?”

“I think it’s trying to tell us something,” Mirabel answered.

The creature pulled out a neckerchief and showed it to Mirabel and Ethan as Ethan said, “That’s my dad’s!”

Mirabel grabbed the neckerchief and looked at it as she said, “You’re right!”

She gave the neckerchief back to the creature as it led her and Ethan out of the cave to help them find Searcher.

…

Mirabel, Ethan, and the creature walk across the world as they look around it in amazement as Ethan said, “This place is so crazy, even the trees are alive.”

Ethan hugged a tree and it started to move like a pair of lungs as Mirabel said to the creature, “Splat, I wonder if everyone up top knows about this place.”

Splat made noise in agreement as Ethan went up to him and asked, “Do you mind if me and Mirabel call you “Splat”? You just kind of give us splat vibes.”

Splat started falling down the steps as Ethan asked, “Are you offended?”

He went to some purple round creatures and commanded them to eat Mirabel and Ethan, Splat was up to no good.

Mirabel and Ethan find some crates of pando and they start collecting them as Splat accidentally touched one of the pods and got electrocuted, leaving a gray burn mark on his blue arm.

Ethan grabbed some ointment and Searcher’s neckerchief and Splat flinched as he crawled back into a wall as Ethan soothed, “Hey, it’s okay.”

Ethan suddenly poured some ointment on the neckerchief and wrapped it around Splat’s arm.

The purple round creatures suddenly roll to Mirabel and Ethan as Splat commanded them to stop, but they ignore him and one pushed him aside.

“Um, hola, I’m Mirabel Madrigal and this is my boyfriend, Ethan Clade. We’re looking for his padre and we’ll be going now,” Mirabel explained and she and Ethan start to run off.

More creatures block their way and all of them surround them and got out their tentacles, getting ready to attack them.

“Well, we’re dead,” Ethan weakly said.

Chapter Text

Mirabel and Ethan were in a pickle, a bunch of creatures with tentacles surround them and get ready to attack them.

“Well, Ethan, this is adiós. Tell my familia that I love them, even though my abuela kicked me out,” Mirabel said as she and Ethan duck under the tentacles of creatures.

Suddenly, an old muscular man with old clothes and a long gray beard jumped in front of them, winked at them, got out a flamethrower, and fired at the creatures.

“There you guys are!” Searcher called to Ethan and Mirabel.

“Dad, over here!” Ethan called back as he and Searcher run to him and Mirabel.

The man got in front of them and said, “Stay behind me!”

“Who’s he?” Mirabel asked.

“Kids, meet Ethan’s grandpa,” Searcher said.

“That’s Jaeger Clade?” Ethan asked.

“The one and only!” The man said as he continued firing his flamethrower at the creatures.

Mirabel, Ethan, Searcher, and Legend run to a dead end as Searcher asked, “Now what?”

“Jump!” Jaeger commanded as he pushed Mirabel, Ethan, Searcher, and Legend off the cliff and they land onto some pink fish-like creatures.

“What are these things?” Ethan asked.

“Our ticket outta here!” Jaeger answered.

The creatures grab onto the other creatures and crawl on them as they chase after them.

“They’re not gonna eat us, right?!” Searcher asked.

“No, but they will!” Jaeger answered.

“What?!” Searcher shouted.

“Just run!” Jaeger commanded.

Jaeger fired his flamethrower at the line of creatures, making them fly away to make a dead end for the other creatures.

“He’s awesome!” Ethan said.

“He is not awesome!” Searcher snapped.

“He just saved our lives!” Mirabel said.

“You know, I was a part of that rescue too!” Searcher replied.

“He just saved your life,” Ethan said.

Jaeger ran to them and said, “You ain’t see nothing yet, kids!”

“So that’s the real Jaeger Clade?” Mirabel asked Ethan.

Ethan nodded and answered, “Yes, remember the explorer in the books we read when we were kids?”

“Um, sí,” Mirabel answered.

Ethan showed Mirabel Jaeger as he pointed to him and said, “That’s him!”

Mirabel and Ethan suddenly fall off two of the creatures when they get separated as Splat grabbed Ethan’s leg and Mirabel grabbed his arm.

Splat pulled Ethan and Mirabel up as Ethan said, “Thanks, buddy!”

“Are you guys okay?” Searcher asked in worry.

Splat gave Searcher a thumbs up and high-fived him as he said, “I’m talking to my son and his girlfriend, his really hot, sexy, girlfrie-”

“Excuse me?!” Mirabel yelled, cutting Searcher off.

“Just kidding, just kidding!” Searcher promised.

“We’re okay, Dad,” Ethan replied.

Jaeger ran back to them and the creatures went back together and the gang turn around to see the other creatures crawling up to them.

Jaeger pointed his flamethrower at the creatures and said, “Time for a barbecue!”

Fire did not come out of the flamethrower and Jaeger said, “That ain’t good.”

Meridian and Callisto suddenly appear on cruisers as Meridian commanded, “Get on!”

The gang got on Meridian’s cruiser as Jaeger said, “Ooh, I like her.”

“Who’s he?” Meridian asked.

“My dad,” Searcher answered.

“What?” Meridian questioned in shock when she heard Searcher say that Jaeger was his long-lost father who was not dead for twenty-five years.

More creatures block their path as Searcher yelled, “Wall of monsters!”

Callisto lets go of her cruiser as it flew to knock down the creatures, but they dodge it and the cruiser hit a cliff and exploded.

“Okay, so they’re smarter than they look,” Callisto said.

“I could’ve told you that,” Jaeger replied.

“Wait, Jaeger Clade?” Callisto questioned.

“The one and on-”

Jaeger was cut off as Searcher snapped, “We know!”

Splat squeaked at Mirabel and Ethan, telling them to use the pando pods to take down the creatures as Ethan said, “Great idea, Splat!”

“Splat? Its name is Splat?” Searcher asked.

“Sí, so?” Mirabel answered as she and Ethan throw some pando pods at the creatures on each side as they electrocute them.

Callisto removed one of the fish creatures to make the back propeller of the cruiser spin again as they fly back to the venture.

Chapter Text

When everyone flew back to the venture, Searcher and Jaeger had an argument about either flying to the other side of the mountains or saving pando and Meridian took charge of the venture and got it in the air again. In another room, Mirabel, Ethan, and Searcher were experimenting a pando pod and they hear someone say, “Look, it’s Jaeger classic!”

Jaeger came into a room with a white suit and hair, green pants, and a mustache as he said, “The one and only.”

Mirabel, Ethan, and Splat were outside of the venture as little flower-like creatures fly by them as Legend tried to catch one of them. After that, a blue cloud-like creature appeared in front of them and they pet it, but Jaeger ran out and shooed it away.

“So, Kid, you got a name?” Jaeger asked Mirabel.

“Mirabel, Mirabel Madrigal,” She answered as she greeted herself.

They shake hands and Ethan started telling Jaeger about how he and Mirabel met as he asked, “So lemme get this straight, her family in Colombia kicked her out kicked her out all because she didn’t get some kind of superpower?”

Mirabel nodded and answered, “Exactly, but thank Dios that Ethan and his family found me and took me in, me and him have been getting along very good.”

“Good for you, so what are you two into? Fighting? Hunting? Any sweethearts waiting for you at home?” Jaeger asked.

“Well, Mirabel’s already my sweetheart and Diazo’s my ex, but I don’t know what to say to him,” Ethan explained.

Jaeger jumped on top of the bar of the balcony as he explained, “Well, you get him or her into a dangerous situation like maybe one where he or she almost dies.”

Jaeger and Splat fall off the venture as Ethan yelped and he and Mirabel run to see if they are okay, and they were, Jaeger held onto the ledge of the venture as he held Splat as he continued, “And then you her or him from it.”

He and Splat climb back up as Jaeger said, “Bonus points if it includes bandits, alligators, and/or spectacular explosions.”

Jaeger fired his flamethrower as Ethan said, “Yeah, that’s a toxic way to start a relationship.”

“Sí, and kind of dangerous,” Mirabel replied.

“Dangerous?” Jaeger questioned and chuckled. “We’re the Clades! We love danger!”

Jaeger gave Ethan his flamethrower as he said, “Go ahead, give it a try.”

Ethan fired the flamethrower as he gave Jaeger a high-five and said, “Pando, schmando!”

Searcher and Legend walk to Mirabel, Ethan, and Jaeger and said, “Hey, Dad, I really appreciate you bonding with Ethan and Mirabel here, but maybe a flamethrower isn’t their thing.”

“I appreciate that you think that, but maybe the kids don’t know their thing, unless they try,” Jaeger explained.

Searcher dryly laughed and said, “Well, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but they already have a thing and it’s called a pando picker and they’re really good with it.”

“I appreciate your appreciation, but maybe we let the kids decide,” Jaeger replied.

“Well, I appreciate your appreciation, but maybe you’ll appreciate me a little bit more and respect my wishes, please,” Searcher replied back in a snappy tone.

“Or maybe you should step out of my air,” Jaeger slowly said.

Ethan blocked Searcher and Jaeger’s faces as he replied, “Or we should lower the temperature a little bit.”

“Okay, what do you two have in mind?” Jaeger asked.

“A little Primal Outpost?” Mirabel asked as she pulled a card out of Ethan’s pocket.

“Guys, the fate of pando is in our hands. I don’t think we have the luxury of playing games,” Searcher said.

“Oh, we got a little time before we hit The Burning Sea. You go babysit your plant, my grandson and my future granddaughter-in-law are going to play some cards,” Jaeger replied.

“Deal me in,” Searcher said in a dark tone.

Mirabel, Ethan, Splat, Jaeger, and Searcher sit in front of a crate with cards in their hands as Jaeger asked, “Can someone trade me a weapon? All I got are dirt and gardening tools.”

“I have masonry stones,” Searcher replied.

“And I have diamonds,” Mirabel said.

“Chucking stones could be effective,” Jaeger said.

Ethan chuckled and said, “Yeah, so that’s not what masonry stones are for.”

Jaeger banged his fist on the board and replied, “He’s right! I need crossbows.” He leaned to Splat and asked, “You got any crossbows?”

Splat slapped Jaeger’s hand and then took Searcher’s cards as he chittered.

“Hey, Splat just stole my cards!” Searcher said Searcher yelped as Mirabel chuckled.

Searcher tried to grab his cards, but Splat slapped his hand and Jaeger asked, “You got anything good?”

Splat pulled Jaeger’s mustache as Ethan lowered his head to the timer and said, “Okay, time’s up, trading period has ended.”

Jaeger grabbed Splat as he said, “A-ha! A crossbow! I knew you were holding out on me!”

Splat slapped Jaeger again as he challengingly squeaked.

“Event card time,” Mirabel said.

“Okay, now are you ready to deal with a demon spider?” Ethan questioned as he laid a card with a spider on it on the board.

Jaeger slammed his hand down on the card and yelled, “Kill It!”

Mirabel slowly moved Jaeger’s hand as she said, “Oyé! The point is not to kill it.”

Ethan nodded as he replied, “Exactly, we know a demon spider sounds scary.”

“Oh, yeah, that thing would devour our crops for sure,” Searcher agreed.

“That’s what you’re worried about?” Jaeger asked.

Ethan groaned in annoyance and explained, “The objective of Primal Outpost is to live, harmoniously, with your environment.”

“I throw masonry stones at it!” Searcher said as he slammed his hand on the card.

“And I shoot it with my brand new crossbow!” Jaeger replied.

Ethan groaned again and said, “Okay, fine! It’s dead! See? You killed it.”

“That’s what I’m talking about!” Jaeger praised as he was going to give Searcher a fist bump, but they end up awkwardly mumbling.

“But wait,” Mirabel started as Jaeger, Searcher, and Splat turn to her as she continued, “The demon spider was the only thing keeping the murder locusts from destroying all of your resources. So, congrats, you’re dead.”

Splat squeaked in confusion and Jaeger asked, “I agree with that snot bubble here, what?”

“Wait, so the demon spider wasn’t the bad guy?” Searcher asked.

“For the twenty-seventh time, there are no bad guys. The objective of the game isn’t to kill or destroy monsters, you’re just supposed to build a working civilization, utilizing the environment around you,” Ethan explained.

“Okay, I don’t get this game,” Jaeger said in boredom.

Searcher sputtered and replied, “Me neither.”

Splat squeaked, agreeing with them.

“Come on, boys, it’s not that complicated,” Mirabel said.

“Maybe, I’ll just farm pando,” Searcher said.

“Pando’s not a part of the game,” Ethan replied in annoyance.

“Can we conquer the monsters and use them as weapons?” Jaeger asked.

“Monsters aren’t weapons,” Mirabel replied.

“Ta-da!” Splat squeaked as he showed the gang a house of cards he had built.

“Check out my new weapon,” Jaeger said.

Ethan groaned in frustration.

“If he gets a monster, I get pando,” Searcher said.

“No monsters! No pando!” Ethan snapped in frustration.

“And no bad guys? What kind of game has no bad guys?” Searcher asked.

“That’s just poor storytelling,” Jaeger replied.

“Okay! You know what?! You want bad guys? Fine! You two are the bad guys, because you both are annoying us, argh!” Ethan said as he and Splat walk inside the venture.

“I’ll talk to him,” Mirabel said to Searcher and Jaeger as she also walked into the venture and closed the door behind her.

Searcher chuckled and asked, “Teenagers, am I right?”

Jaeger flicked a piece of the game off the board and softly said, “I win.”

Chapter Text

The venture flew into a cave full of acid waving up and down.

“The Burning Sea, it’s the one obstacle that stands between Jaeger Clade and his destiny,” Jaeger said.

Meridian turned to Jaeger and asked, “Can you go be dramatic somewhere else?”

“What do you see?” Callisto asked Searcher.

Searcher looked through binoculars as he explained, “Looks like the roots continue across the ceiling to the other side.”

“Well, if we’re gonna find the heart of pando, we gotta get through this,” Callisto said.

Mirabel nodded and asked, “Sí, but how?”

“She has a point, that’s acid, no one can fly through that,” Meridian replied.

Suddenly, some balloon animal-like creatures fly to the venture and Splat commanded them to lift it up and fly it through the acid.

The creatures fly underneath the venture as Meridian asked, “What’s happening here?”

“No tengo ni idea,” Mirabel answered.

The creatures then lift up the venture as Ethan chuckled and said, “This is gonna be awesome!”

Splat commanded the creatures to fly forward as Meridian asked, “Are we doing this?”

He then squeaked to the creatures to turn the venture left and right and stop and move back when acid splashes up. Legend suddenly fell off the venture and Splat grabbed him.

The creatures then twirl the venture as Legend fell off again and Splat saved him.

Splat thanked the creatures for flying the venture over the acid and they fly away as Legend barked at them.

“That was so Primal Outpost!” Ethan exclaimed.

Meridian turned to them and said, “So glad we’re not dead.”

Suddenly, one of the tentacle creatures land on the windshield and startled everyone.

Jaeger and Callisto walk out of the venture with their weapons and they start attacking the creatures.

“You don’t happen to have another one of these, do you?” Callisto asked Jaeger, handing him the goo-covered flamethrower.

Searcher walked out with a pando crate and said, “Don’t worry, I’ve got a better weapon!”

He opened the crate and he, Jaeger, and Callisto take out some pando pods and they, except Searcher, start throwing them at the creatures as they shock them.

Searcher threw one, but missed as Jaeger asked, “Who taught you how to throw?”

“Sheldon,” Searcher answered.

Jaeger then taught Searcher how to throw and he threw a pando pod at one of the creatures.

“There ya go!” Jaeger praised.

Everyone continued throwing pando pods at the creatures as Searcher grabbed a shovel and Jaeger threw a pando pod at him and he swung the shovel and whacked the pod as if they were playing baseball.

The creatures fall off the venture after they get electrocuted as Jaeger said, “You ain’t nothing against the Clades!”

…

Ethan and Mirabel sit on top of the venture as Searcher and Jaeger start encouraging him to talk to her and he said, “Okay, I got it.”

Ethan scooted over to Mirabel as Searcher praised, “That’s my boy.”

He started to wrap his arm around Mirabel and she looked at him and he stopped as he said, “Is it getting hot out here? I think I’m sweating, look.”

“Dios mio!” Mirabel calmly exclaimed when Ethan showed her his armpit to prove that he was sweating.

Jaeger covered his eyes as he said, “Yep, that’s your boy, alright.”

“Okay, so he needs a little help. Let’s give him some, set the mood,” Searcher replied.

Jaeger walked into the venture and brought a radio outside and turned it on as a song played from it.

“Wow, what a beautiful underground sky,” Mirabel said.

“Yeah,” Ethan agreed.

“Ethan,” Searcher quietly called and Ethan turned to him. “Tell her “you have beautiful eyes”.”

Ethan nodded and replied, “Okay, cool.”

He turned to Mirabel and said, “I have beautiful eyes.”

“Um, okay. Sí, they’re nice,” Mirabel awkwardly said.

“No, her eyes, her eyes,” Searcher quietly corrected.

“I mean your eyes. Your eyes are beautiful, not mine. I mean mine are okay, but yours, I think I can see right through them,” Ethan correctly explained to Mirabel.

“Ethan, tell her how you feel,” Searcher commanded Ethan.

Ethan turned back to Mirabel and asked, “Mirabel?”

“Yeah?” Mirabel replied.

Ethan cleared his throat and explained, “I just wanna tell you that I-”

He was cut off as a blue and purple plant-like creature flew into his mouth and he started choking on it.

“That’s sweet, you’re getting choked up,” Mirabel said.

Mirabel turned to Ethan and saw him choking and exclaimed, “Dios mio! You’re choking!”

Ethan was gagging on the creature and Mirabel grabbed him and started pushing his stomach hardly to get the creature out of him.

Jaeger turned off the radio as he and Searcher’s eyes widen as they see Mirabel trying to Ethan from choking, but it looked like what they think they were doing.

Searcher sighed and said, “Yep, that’s my boy, alright.”

Jaeger then whistled and made an explosion sound as he watched.

Chapter Text

The venture flew into a really dark part of the world with creatures flying and a cluster of pando’s roots.

Mirabel was a little nervous to be here as Jaeger said, “I’ve been down here for twenty-five years and I’ve never seen anything like this.”

“Me neither, but it’s pretty creepy here,” Mirabel replied.

“This doesn’t make any sense. Pando seems to be getting stronger the deeper we go,” Searcher said as he saw the roots flashing brighter.

Callisto walked up to Searcher and asked, “If pando is dying, shouldn’t it be getting weaker?”

“President Mal! The reapers are here, and they brought friends!” The Captain alerted.

“Que?!” Mirabel questioned as she and Searcher look out the window to see creatures flying and crawling towards the venture.

“Meridian, go!” Searcher commanded.

Meridian sped up the venture as the creatures follow them, but they were not attacking them.

Everyone unshielded themselves and saw that the reapers were not attacking them as Searcher said, “They didn’t attack us.”

“But why?” Mirabel asked.

“It might have something to do with that,” Meridian answered as she flew the venture up to a giant green heart.

“I think we found the heart of pando,” Callisto said.

The reapers and terrydactyls dig and peck into the heart, but the pando electrocuted them.

“What are they doing?” Ethan asked.

Searcher turned to Ethan and answered, “Well, they’re doing what any pest would do, they’re trying to dig into pando’s heart and devour it from the inside.”

“It’s fighting for its life out there,” Callisto replied.

Searcher nodded and said, “That’s why our plants are dying up top, pando’s rerouting all its energy to protect itself right here. Our plant’s not sick, it’s at war.”

“What do we do?” Mirabel asked.

“Well, let’s even the odds,” Callisto replied.

“Easier said than done,” Jaeger said.

“We have pando,” Callisto replied.

“Do you know how much pando that would take?” Jaeger asked.

“You got a better idea?” Callisto asked.

“Yeah, we abandon this lost cause and fly to the other side of the mountains,” Jaeger answered.

Searcher suddenly got an idea and pulled out a pando a battery-like object that powered a light, grabbed a harpoon gun, took the harpoon out, opened the object and dumped pando pods on the table, crushed them into dust, and poured it into the harpoon gun.

As Jaeger and Callisto were having an argument, Searcher interrupted them as he said, “I couldn’t agree more.”

“Dad, what are you doing?” Ethan asked in concern.

Searcher pulled the trigger of the harpoon gun and sprayed pando dust at some terrydactyls as it electrocutes them.

“Just like we do it on our farm,” Searcher said.

“Now that’s a Clade boy!” Jaeger praised.

Callisto turned to her team and commanded, “Listen up, bring up every crate of pando from the hull, looks like we’re turning the venture into the world’s biggest crop duster.”

Callisto’s team loaded some pando into their weapons as Mirabel stacked up three pando crates and picked them up.

Splat came into the room and squeaked at Mirabel in alarm.

“What is it, Splat?” Mirabel asked.

Splat started squeaking as he was trying to explain something to Mirabel.

“What does that mean? I don’t understand. Sorry, buddy, but I have to go,” Mirabel said as she walked out of the venture and he squeaked in disappointment.

When Mirabel walked down the steps, she suddenly heard Searcher and Ethan arguing with each other as Searcher said, “You don’t wanna be like him, the only thing he cares about is himself and conquering those mountains. I know you, Ethan, and this isn’t you.”

Ethan glared at Searcher and jumped off the venture and onto the blood cells as Searcher commanded, “Ethan, come back here!”

Mirabel ran to Searcher and they both get on a cruiser and fly on it.

Ethan walked on the line of the blood cells and far from the venture as Searcher and Mirabel appear on the cruiser as Searcher said, “Are you crazy? Get on this skiff, now!”

“Leave me alone!” Ethan snapped and jumped onto another line of blood cells and Searcher and Mirabel fly to him.

“Ethan, what is this all about?” Mirabel asked.

“Him, Mira, it’s all about him!” Ethan answered in a sharp tone, pointing a finger at Searcher.

“Me?” Searcher questioned.

“You just assume that me and Mirabel will follow in your footsteps, but you never ask me what I want!” Ethan snapped.

“You’re a kid,” Searcher said as he grabbed Ethan and boarded him on the cruiser. “You don’t know what you want!”

“I know I don’t wanna be you!” Ethan screamed and Searcher gasped in shock.

Ethan sighed and sat down on the cruiser and so did Searcher and Mirabel as Searcher started talking.

“My whole life, I worked so hard to be the exact opposite of my dad and looks like I ended up like him. I just wanted so badly to build you and Mira a legacy you could be proud of, but I mighta got a little bit caught up in it,” Searcher explained.

“Dad, stop talking,” Ethan quietly told Searcher.

“Ethan, I’m trying to apologize to you and Mira here,” Searcher replied.

“No, he’s right. Look,” Mirabel said as she pointed up to see that they were outside.

“I think we’re on the other side of the mountains,” Ethan said as he, Searcher, and Mirabel turn to see the ocean.

They stand up and Searcher said, “There’s nothing but water out here.”

Suddenly, they hear rumbling as they turn around to see that a part of the mountain was opening up.

The mountain opened its part up and it turned out to be an eye.

Mirabel, Ethan, and Searcher stand on the cruiser, looking at the eye in shock as it stared back at them.

“Is that-”

Mirabel was cut off as Searcher asked, “That’s an eye, right?”

“Yeah,” Ethan answered.

“A really, really big eye,” Searcher said.

“Yeah,” Ethan answered again.

“And it’s looking right at us,” Mirabel replied. “How’s that even possible?”

Ethan turned to Mirabel and Searcher and asked, “You guys know what this means, right?”

“It’s judging me?” Searcher guessed.

Ethan shook his head and answered, “No, if this place has an eye, it has to be attached to a head, and if this place has a head, then that means what we’ve been traveling through was its insides.”

“Like its guts and stuff?” Searcher asked.

“That cannot be true,” Mirabel replied in disgust.

“It is, hear me out, the windy forests that we were in? That’s the lungs, and the acid lake? That’s the stomach,” Ethan explained.

“And this giant eye must be its eye,” Searcher replied.

“The reapers aren’t monsters, they’re an immune system,” Ethan said.

“What?” Searcher asked in confusion.

“So that’s what Splat was trying to tell me,” Mirabel replied.

Ethan nodded and explained, “Same here, this place is alive. It’s a living thing.”

“He’s right, we didn’t find the heart of pando, we found an actual heart,” Mirabel replied.

Searcher’s eyes widen and he asked, “So all this time, we’ve been living on the back of this giant creature?”

“Yeah, and pando is killing it,” Ethan answered.

“Well, then vamonos!” Mirabel commanded as she flew the cruiser back to the heart.

Chapter Text

Callisto’s team sprayed pando dust at the reapers and terrydactyls as Mirabel, Ethan, and Searcher fly in and Mirabel stopped the cruiser to see some terrydactyls on the roots as she said, “This creature’s immune system has no way to defend itself.”

“We need to hurry!” Searcher replied and Mirabel flew the cruiser to the venture.

They run into the cockpit as Splat jumped to Meridian and squeaked to her.

“I don’t know what you said, but I’m pretty sure it was inappropriate,” Meridian said.

“Mom, you have to turn this ship around!” Ethan commanded.

“I’m sorry, what?” Meridian questioned.

“Mission’s over, this place is not what it seems,” Searcher replied.

Callisto and her team walk in as she asked, “Is there a problem here?”

Mirabel turned to Callisto and answered, “Big problem!”

Searcher cleared his throat and explained, “Listen, me and Ethan got into a huge fight.”

“So I jumped off the ship,” Ethan replied.

Meridian turned to Ethan and strictly asked, “You jumped off the ship?!”

“But he’s safe, Searcher and I came after him,” Mirabel replied.

Searcher nodded and continued, “And the next thing we know, we were on the other side of the mountains, staring at-”

“A giant creature!” They all finish together.

“What?” Callisto questioned as her team laughed.

“Okay, listen, the place, this world that you live on, is a living thing, and pando is killing it,” Mirabel explained.

“She’s right, if we wanna survive, pando has to go,” Searcher replied.

“You want us to destroy pando?” Callisto asked.

“Pfft, they don’t know what they saw out there,” Jaeger said as he walked out of the cockpit.

“Dad, stop!” Searcher said as he chased after Jaeger.

Mirabel, Ethan, and Meridian suddenly feel their arms being grabbed as Mirabel snapped, “Oyé! Let us go!”

“Sorry, kid, we don’t know what you’re dreaming about, but we’re gonna have to keep you awake,” Callisto said in a dark tone.

Searcher walked back into the cockpit and he also got grabbed as he asked, “Callisto?”

“Emotions are running really high now and I don’t know what you think you saw, but we came down here to save pando. That plan hasn’t changed,” Callisto explained.

“You have no idea what you’re doing, you are going to destroy Avalonia!” Searcher yelled.

“Let us go this instant!” Mirabel snapped.

Mirabel, Ethan, Searcher, Meridian, and Splat were thrown into a storage closet as the man shut the door and locked it. Searcher struggled to open the door as he was yelling.

Searcher leaned down as Ethan asked, “What are you doing?”

“I’m trying to see outside,” Searcher answered as he stuck his hand through the bottom of the door and tried to reach for the lock.

They hear footsteps as Mirabel asked, “What’s that sound?”

Searcher peeked out from under the door and felt his nose get licked and he wiped it as they realize that it was Legend.

“Come on, Hombrecito, open the door,” Mirabel commanded the dog.

“You heard her, open the door,” Ethan replied to Legend.

“Come on, Legend,” Meridian said.

“OPEN THE DOOR!!!” Searcher screamed.

“Can you not scream at him like that?” Mirabel sternly asked.

“Well, I wouldn’t yell or scream at him if he was actually trained,” Searcher replied.

“He is trained, he hasn’t peed in the house for the last two days,” Ethan said.

“We’ve been on this ship for the last two days,” Meridian corrected.

Splat crawled up and gently squeaked at Legend to turn the switch on the door.

“Now, Legend, there’s a switch right beside the handle. Do you see it?” Mirabel asked Legend.

Legend started licking the switch and Searcher questioned, “What is that sound? Is he licking the switch?”

“Legend, don’t lick the switch,” Mirabel calmly scolded him as Meridian was laughing.

Splat squeezed through under the door and stretched his legs tall as he unlocked the switch and patted Legend’s head.

Legend jumped up as pushed the handle down and opened the door as Splat gave them a thumbs up and Mirabel said, “Smart little guys they are.”

They get out of the closet as Ethan asked, “Okay, what’s the plan?”

“Let’s get back in control of this ship,” Searcher answered.

Everyone ran into the cockpit, as they hold tools to use them as weapons and a man with glasses turned to them in the seat and said, “I’m not qualified to fly this ship! It is all yours.”

The man walked out of the cockpit and Ethan said, “Well, that was easy.”

“Okay, what now?” Meridian asked.

Mirabel cleared his throat and explained, “Pando defenses are keeping the reapers from destroying it from the inside.”

They all watch the terrydactyls peck into the roots as they electrocute them.

Searcher turned to Meridian and said, “If I can dig a hole for them-”

“They can take care of the rest,” Meridian finished for Searcher.

“Keep Callisto off your back,” Mirabel commanded.

“I will and you guys keep Ethan safe,” Meridian replied.

“Woah, he’s not coming with us,” Searcher said.

“Tell him that,” Mirabel replied as she chuckled.

Searcher, Meridian, and Mirabel turn to see Ethan and Splat on a terrydactyl as he said, “Hey, guys! You coming or what? We’re on the clock!”

Searcher kissed Meridian on her cheek and he and Mirabel run out of the venture and hop onto the terrydactyl as it took off.

Callisto’s team was still spraying pando dust as she said, “Remember, everybody, Avalonia’s depending on us.”

They hear the terrydactyl screech and see it fly by as Callisto asked, “Was that Searcher and those lovebirds?”

The pando stops spraying as Callisto commanded, “They took the bridge! Come on!”

Jaeger was riding the cruiser to the other side of the mountains as he saw the way out. Suddenly, a crystal fell down and he jumped off the cruiser, as he got up, he looked at a compass that had a picture of him, his wife, Penelope, and Searcher as a baby.

Mirabel, Ethan, Searcher, and Splat were still flying on the terrydactyl and Searcher pointed to a spot and said, “Right there! Where all the roots converge, if the reapers attack that, the rest of the plant will crumble.”

The terrydactyl flew to the spot that Searcher pointed to.

Back inside the venture, Callisto banged on the door to the cockpit as she yelled, “Meridian! Open this door!”

“Sorry, can’t hear ya,” Meridian mockingly said.

“Don’t worry, President Mal, I got this,” The man said as he took off his glasses.

“CASPIAN!” He screamed as he ran to bust the door down, but when he hit it, he fell down and blacked out.

Mirabel, Ethan, Searcher, and Splat hop off the terrydactyl as Searcher commanded, “You, Mirabel, and Splat round up every creature you can and send them my way, I’ll do the rest.”

“You’ve got it, Searcher,” Mirabel replied.

“But wait,” Searcher said as he stopped Mirabel and Ethan. “I’m sorry if I ever made you think you had to be farmers to make me proud.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Ethan said as he and Mirabel run off to attract the reapers.

Searcher started digging into the dirt with his shovel as green bolts strike out of it.

Callisto barged into the cockpit and commanded, “Meridian, let go of those controls!”

“Okay,” Meridian said as she let go of the steering wheel, causing the venture to go down.

Callisto fell to the front and commanded, “Grab the controls!”

Meridian touched the steering wheel multiple times as she said, “Put ‘em on, take ‘em off, put ‘em on, take ‘em off, make up your mind.”

She pulled up the venture high as Callisto fell back and Legend licked her.

Mirabel, Ethan, and Splat run up to see the reapers digging as Splat squeaked at them, commanding them to attack Mirabel and Ethan again like last time.

“Hola, Amigos! Remember us?!” Mirabel called to the reapers.

The reapers see Mirabel and Ethan and chase after them.

Meridian was still messing with the venture as Callisto kept falling back and forth as she yelled, “Meridian! Stop this ship right now!”

“No problem, we’re here,” Meridian said as she pulled the venture up and showed Callisto the heart. “Now do you see what we’re dealing with? That’s a heart.”

Callisto’s eyes widen as she saw the heart and gasped.

Searcher dug into the dirt again harder and harder and when he did again, it shocked him, and one more time, the bolts electrocute him so hard that he flew back and panted in exhaustion.

“No,” Searcher whispered as he saw his shovel broken in half.

He felt rumbling and heard a voice say, “On your feet, Searcher.”

“Dad?” Searcher asked as he recognized the voice.

Jaeger walked through the smoke and to Searcher as he broke his flamethrower, making two pickaxes out of it. He picked Searcher up and said, “My legacy isn’t those mountains, it’s you. Now let’s do this, father and son.”

He handed Searcher one of the pickaxes and they walk to where he got shocked as they feel rumbling.

They start digging together and Callisto pointed Meridian to where Searcher and Jaeger are digging and the reapers following Mirabel and Ethan.

“Dad!” Ethan called out to Searcher as he and Mirabel run up to him and Jaeger and said, “Get outta the way! Here they come!”

The reapers start digging into the hole as the terrydactyls fly down into it and the pando roots turn brown and collapse.

Everyone started cheering and Searcher said, “Yeah! We did it! Right?”

“I’m not sure,” Mirabel whispered as she and the others look around to see black and gray.

“We were too late,” Searcher said.

Suddenly, little creatures called nubbins walk past them and everyone turned around to see giant creatures called transportasuruses walk under them as they shake the nubbins off the trees on their backs. When they land on the ground, they disappear as some board Mirabel, Ethan, Searcher, and Jaeger on the cruiser.

The heart started to light up as Mirabel, Ethan, Searcher, and Jaeger get off the cruiser and see it beating as blood cells fly into it.

They see Splat flying on a terrydactyl as Mirabel and Ethan wave to him.

…

Back in The Windy Jungle, Mirabel and Ethan kneel down to Splat and they give him a hug. After that, they board the venture and it started to take off as they wave goodbye to Splat and the other creatures, such as reapers, terrydactyls, slug bugs, fliterlopes, nubbins, transportasuruses, and rock turtles.

“Alright, next stop, no power, cold coffee, and angry masses. Who’s ready to go home?” Meridian asked as Searcher kissed her.

“Actually, I would like to make one more stop for my dad,” Searcher replied.

Jaeger’s face lightened up from what Searcher had said.

The venture flew outside of the creature and stop at the eye as everyone went outside and looked in awe at it.

Mirabel gave Ethan a kiss on his cheek and he blushed from it.

“Well, mi amor, this didn’t feel like a date, but I enjoyed it,” Mirabel said to Ethan and he smiled as the venture flew back up to Avalonia.

Chapter Text

Mirabel and Ethan lay back on some beach chairs in the backyard of the house as they were exhausted from their underground journey days ago.

Mirabel sipped on a glass of lemonade and heard Searcher talking.

“How about we take a vacation? It’s about time we take a break from farming and go somewhere else,” Searcher said to Meridian.

Meridian nodded and replied, “Sure, that’s a great idea, but I hope they haven’t kicked out anymore children. I also looked into this “Encanto” today and I’m still curious about this miracle candle in real life.”

Mirabel spat out her lemonade and became cautious, the Madrigals probably would not recognize her, but she wanted to see what had become of them, maybe they have replaced her?

No, it would not happen, they were still her family.

“Mira?” Ethan asked.

Mirabel snapped out of her thoughts and asked, “Yes?”

“What’s wrong? You look cautious,” Ethan said.

“I’m fine, It’s just that I heard your dad talking about us going on a vacation to my home country, but you guys go, it will be your family vacation after all,” Mirabel said and nervously chuckled.

“Oh, come on, you’re my girlfriend, you come with me anywhere and everywhere, plus when we make it to Colombia, you could reunite with your family, and your grandma will probably apologize to you or whatever, so what do you say?” Ethan asked.

Mirabel thought about it, took a deep breath, and answered, “Okay.”

“Cool, we’ll leave at 3 AM, Me and my dad will pack at 10 PM,” Ethan replied.

What none of them know was that they would be arriving on the new youngest Madrigal’s gift ceremony.

…

Mirabel was trying not to be nervous as she and the Clades climb over the mountain as she carried Legend in her right arm.

As they make it to the top, they stare at the whole view of the Encanto.

“So this is where ya came from, huh, Kid?” Jaeger asked.

Mirabel nodded and answered, “Yep, that’s the Encanto.”

They climb down the mountain and walk to the village as Mirabel said, “Wait, I remember that my prima has the gift of super hearing.”

“Good, when they hear us coming, I want a word with this grandmother of yours. I’ve spent ten years figuring out what to tell her,” Meridian said in a sharp tone.

“Mira, you’re shaking, are you okay?” Ethan asked.

“Yeah, just a bit nervous,” Mirabel answered.

…

Dolores heard the strangers enter the valley, one of them sounding hostile, but she froze when she heard the name, Mirabel.

It could not be, could it? Today of all days for her to return, almost everyone forgot about Bruno’s vision days ago, the birth of Antonio sending the prophecy into their minds.

She trained her ears to listen to the conversation of the five new people and a dog’s panting. She heard six names, Mirabel, Ethan, Searcher, Meridian, Jaeger, and Legend.

The way the voices speak to the girl made it obvious that they were a family, but they surprisingly were not.

She knew she needed to tell her abuela, but she wanted to be sure this was indeed their Mirabel before she got anyone’s hopes up.

“What was the last name again?” Came the voice associated with the one being called Jaeger.

“Madrigal,” The girl answered.

Dolores’ heart was pounding in her ears, this had to be their Mirabel, there was no other explanation.

Dolores ran to where Alma was.

“Abuela!” She exclaimed as loud as she dared because of her ears.

“What is it, Dolores? Is there a problem?” Alma asked.

“Five people and a dog just entered the valley,” Dolores answered.

“Are they a threat?” Alma suddenly asked, in alert and alarm.

“I don’t think so, I heard the girl’s name, Abuela. Mirabel is coming back,” Dolores answered.

“Impossible,” Alma muttered.

“I’m almost certain that it’s her, the family with her sound like they care about her very much,” Dolores replied.

“After all of these years,” Alma said.

“If it is Mirabel, I don’t think or the others are going to be very happy with you, Abuela. The woman, Meridian, was talking about a word with “this grandmother” and it wasn’t nicely said,” Dolores explained.

“And what about the three men and the canine?” Alma asked.

“There’s kindness in their voices and its barking, I can tell they’d keep this Meridian woman from doing any real harm, they all sound very protective of the girl they keep calling Mirabel,” Dolores answered.

“I will send Luisa to meet them,” Alma said.

…

Luisa was nervous as she went to the entrance of the town, her abuela told her to meet the six strangers who were looking for the Madrigals.

She could hear the rustling of leaves and grass and something barking that someone is coming.

Luisa came face-to-face with five people and a dog. The girl looked only to be a bit younger than Luisa herself.

The younger girl looked up at Luisa, her eyes lighting up in recognition behind gold-rimmed glasses.

“Luisa?” She tentatively asked.

Luisa’s heart nearly stopped, she recognized that the eyes of the girl were golden brown and her hair was dark brown, a big sister never forgets her little sister.

“Mirabel?” Luisa asked.

The girl nodded and suddenly got pulled into a massive bear hug.

“You’re alive!” Luisa cried with tears of joy running down her face.

“Yes, I am, thanks to mi novio,” Mirabel replied, gesturing to Ethan.

Luisa set Mirabel down and asked, “Where have you been all these years?”

“A place called Avalonia to be exact, with this guy and his family,” Mirabel answered, pointing Luisa to the Clades.

Ethan waved to Luisa as Legend barked at her.

“Mama is going to be so happy, and Papa too,” Luisa said.

“Well, my boyfriend, Ethan, and his family here are on a vacation and I’m not adopted by them, so I’ll probably return here and reunite with you guys,” Mirabel replied.

“I understand,” Luisa softly said.

As they walk through the town, the Clades notice how busy the villagers are, decorations were everywhere and people seem to be whispering about hoping something will not be like last time.

Mirabel vaguely remembered the days leading up to her gift ceremony and recognized that something similar was happening.

“Luisa, whose ceremony is it?” Mirabel quietly asked.

“Antonio, he’s Tia Pepa’s youngest. Abuela wanted to keep the miracle strong, so Tia had another kid five years ago,” Luisa explained.

They make their way to Casita and Mirabel smiled as the house enthusiastically greeted her.

Mirabel, Ethan, and Meridian walk into Casita, but Searcher and Jaeger do not as Meridian asked, “You two aren’t coming in?”

Searcher shook his head and answered, “Nah, me and Dad are just gonna ask the people around here what’s going on, with all of the decorations and stuff, so we’ll meet you inside there.”

“Okay,” Meridian said and Searcher and Jaeger walk to the village.

There were quite a few people rushing around the house to do things and Mirabel suddenly felt like a child again.

Meridian could see the miracle candle up in the window as she frowned, it seemed to be fading for some reason.

They stand in the courtyard as Luisa ran to get the other Madrigals.

For the first time in ten years, Mirabel looked at the family who had not wanted her at first.

“Mirabel? My baby, is it really you?” Julieta asked.

Mirabel nodded and hugged her mother.

“Impossible,” Alma whispered.

“I take it, are you her grandmother?” Meridian asked.

“I am,” Alma answered.

“Oh, nice to meet you. I wanna know why,” Meridian said in a sarcastically cheerful way.

“Pardon me?” Alma asked.

“Why did you cast a five-year-old girl out of your home for no good reason?” Meridian asked with a terrifying edge to her voice.

“I wanted to keep the miracle strong, sending the one I thought would not keep the miracle burning away seemed like the only option, by the time I came to my senses, she was already gone,” Alma explained.

“My husband, my son, and I found her crying on our farm back home in Avalonia and immediately took her into our house. You were very wrong that night on many topics of interest, but I’ll address your main one, Mira didn’t receive a gift from your miracle simply, because it couldn’t give her one, the power that gave you such a miracle is very much beneath her in terms of powers,” Meridian explained back.

Julieta pulled Meridian into a hug and said, “You raised my baby, thank you very much.”

“Well, we didn’t adopt her, we just took her and she became my son’s roommate, they’ve been getting along for ten years. She should have never been yours to begin with, but she will still be yours. It’s a good thing we brung her back here, because being with us Clades can be very dangerous, she and my son got attacked by these monsters when we went on our expedition days ago,” Meridian replied.

Julieta was about to interject as a quiet voice piped up.

“She’s right, remember the vision I gave you, Julieta? Mirabel and this boy were in danger when those monsters surrounded them,” Bruno explained.

“I forgot Tio Bruno had the gift of prophecy,” Mirabel said.

“Well, no harm in revealing the truth then,” Ethan replied.

Ethan cleared his throat and said, “Anyway, let us introduce ourselves, I’m Ethan Clade, Mirabel’s boyfriend and roommate, this is our three-legged dog, Legend, and my mom, Meridian Clade.”

“Wait, I thought there were two other people with you,” Dolores replied.

“Oh, right, my dad and grandpa are outside, asking the villagers what’s going on around here, and you know what? I’m with them, what is going on?” Ethan asked.

“A gift ceremony, that’s what’s going on,” Camilo answered.

“Thank you, and what’s a “gift ceremony “?” Ethan asked.

“You’ll see,” Camilo replied.

“Anyway, you guys won’t believe where I was with them while you missed me. Now while I was with the Clades, we went on this adventure to this underground world above Avalonia, I met Jaeger, who also reunited with Searcher. We flew through the Burning Sea, found the heart of pando, which was a plant that we used to grow that powered the city. I heard Searcher and Ethan arguing and we found a giant eye, the place was a living creature and pando was killing it. So we got rid of it, the heart started beating again and the world glowed up,” Mirabel explained as she showed the Madrigals pictures that she draw of her journey.

“And it was pretty scary also, we had to fight/run away from these monsters called reapers that turn out to be an immune system while we were down there,” Ethan replied as he also showed the big family pictures of the reapers.

Julieta noticed the bite mark on Mirabel’s shoulder that one of the terrydactyls gave her and asked, “Mija, what’s that scar on you?”

Mirabel looked at the mark and answered, “Oh, one of the creatures did that when we began our journey.”

“But no need to worry, they’re not here right now, they’re still underground, where they belong,” Meridian replied.

Mirabel nodded and said, “That’s right, also, I agree with Ethan, it was pretty scary sometimes. One of the creatures even ate the pilot of this airship that we flew on.”

Little Antonio had not been paying attention to what they were talking about, the only thing he had really understood was Legend.

“How did the doggy lose his leg?” He asked Ethan.

“No idea, when we got him, he was missing a leg, but he’s still a good dog. Isn’t that right, Legend?” Ethan explained and asked Legend.

Legend barked in agreement and licked the little boy’s face, making him giggle.

Alma and the family suddenly know what Mirabel was talking about, the reapers were the monsters from Bruno’s vision. Luckily, they did not kill her. Antonio thought this was the best birthday ever and he was not nervous about not getting a gift anymore, if he did not get one, he would be taken in or even adopted by a family of explorers and be awesome anyway.

Discussions were decided to be held off until morning as there was quite a bit still to be done. Searcher, Meridian, and Jaeger help out where they could, they were not going to say “no” to being a taste tester for Julieta.

Ethan opened a green door and found Mirabel standing in a nursery for an hour after they met the Madrigals and told them about their journey.

“Something wrong, Mira?” Ethan asked.

“If I had stayed here, do you think I would have been stuck in this room forever always trying to prove myself to a family who would never see it?” Mirabel asked.

“Probably, but that didn’t happen and all of that is in the past, my mom is still mad at your grandma, I didn’t like that answer, but it was the truth which makes it worse, you are my girlfriend and that’ll never change,” Ethan answered.

Mirabel smiled.

“Now shall we have a nice stroll around here?” Ethan asked and Mirabel nodded at the question.

During their stroll, they run into Isabela making flowers everywhere.

“Roses? Those are so boring, there are more plants in the world than stupid flowers,” Mirabel said.

“My gift is flowers though,” Isabela replied.

“I swear I remember you growing a palma de cera back when I was here,” Mirabel said.

Ethan walked up to Isabela and explained, “You see, when you, Mirabel, and the other members of this family visit my house back in Avalonia, you could grow flowers and other plants in our garden or something. How about cacti? They have flowers, don’t they?”

“Abuela wouldn’t like that, she wants everything perfect tonight, which means flowers,” Isabela said.

Ethan scoffed and replied, “She sounds like what my dad used to be, that I can’t be an explorer, but he changed, so just say curse that and do what you want. She’s your grandmother, aren’t you an adult now? Since when do adults control each other? You should try it, now if you excuse us, we’ve got a stroll to go on.”

As they continue their stroll around Casita, they walk up the stairs and pass by the glowing doors as they suddenly run into Pepa and Félix.

“Um, hi,” Ethan softly said.

“Do you two know where Antonio is?” Pepa asked.

Ethan nodded and answered, “I do, he’s downstairs, playing with Legend.”

Pepa and Félix walk past Ethan and Mirabel and collect him to get him ready.

Mirabel climbed to the roof and looked out at the place she had been born in. It was so different than Avalonia, the food was different and the smells were different. She only hoped Antonio did not have to go through what she did, even if it turned out alright in the end.

No, if the candle will not give the kid a gift, then who would? She only hoped she would not have to.

Chapter Text

Ethan found Mirabel on the roof of Casita as he climbed onto it and said, “Hey, Mira.”

Mirabel scooted over to Ethan and hugged him as she asked, “Ethan, did your abuelo really abandon you when you weren’t born yet?”

Ethan sighed and explained, “Yeah, Dad already told me the story, it was because he wasn’t like him and wanted to be a farmer instead. He gave him his compass and left him and his crew. The citizens in Avalonia thought he was dead for, get this, twenty-five years until we went on that journey. Clade family reunion almost, Grandpa just has to reunite with my grandmother.”

“One thing, if your abuelo hadn’t abandon your padre on one of their journeys and stayed explorers, and I got a gift and hadn’t been kicked out or came to Avalonia, would we not meet each other?” Mirabel asked.

“I don’t know, likely,” Ethan answered.

Mirabel snuggled closer to Ethan.

“Alright, so how does this ceremony work?” Ethan asked.

“Do you see that golden glowing door without a picture?” Mirabel asked as she pointed Ethan to the door.

Ethan nodded and answered, “Yes, what’s next?”

“Antonio will walk up to it, touch the candle that’s being held by my Abuela and then the door, if all of it goes right, his picture will appear on the door and he’ll get a brand new gift so he can help the community and straighten the miracle, now that I know how miracles work, it’s total garbage. If the miracle wouldn’t give him something, I would. I would never let another kid feel the same way that I felt,” Mirabel explained.

“Wait, so getting a gift makes you have to use it to serve others? At five years old? That’s kinda messed up. My mom’s gonna have to lay a mental note on your grandma about this tomorrow. Now come on, let’s get down, the party’s about to start. Casita, let us down,” Ethan said.

“I don’t want to be down there as they have the ceremony, I’ll just watch from up here,” Mirabel said.

“I think your house might have something against that,” Ethan replied, noticing how the house kept inching Mirabel toward the edge of the roof to make her land in the courtyard.

“Fine,” Mirabel said as Casita created a slide out of roof tiles for her and Ethan to slide down to the courtyard.

…

The party goes on as people start walking into Casita. Camilo high-fives some guests, Luisa carries food with little kids clinging onto her, and Isabela gave a family a crown, hair, and a beard made from flowers.

The ceremony started and Alma said her speech as Mirabel and the Clades stand in the crowd. Mirabel did not want to watch, the memories coming back sharp and painful, but Ethan’s arm around her made it easier.

Antonio walked across the crowd and up the stairs, he touched the candle and then his doorknob. Mirabel could feel the miracle not wanting to give him anything, a snap of her fingers would overpower it. She would never let this situation happen again.

A toucan suddenly landed on Antonio’s arm and it squawked to him and he can understand as he excitedly said, “Uh-huh! Uh-huh! I understand you!”

The toucan repositions itself on Antonio’s arm and asks him another question in its bird language.

“Of course they can come!” Antonio said as he giggled at what the bird said.

The toucan began to call all their new friends to come in.

The crowd looked up as they hear some animal noises as Meridian asked, “Um, what’s happening?”

“Exactly what I was about to ask,” Searcher replied.

Suddenly, more animals such as toucans, capybaras, hummingbirds, coatimundis, and tapirs run and fly into Casita as Legend barked at them and they go up the stairs to where Antonio stood.

An image appeared of Antonio appeared on his door as it showed him surrounded by a bunch of animals.

“We have a new gift!” Alma called out and everyone cheered.

Antonio decided to open his door to look at his new room. As he opened his door, he was even more surprised, inside his room was like a paradise. A large tree was planted in the middle of the room and it was surrounded by nature and animals.

As everyone walked in, Ethan turned to Mirabel and asked, “Are all the rooms this big?”

Mirabel nodded at Ethan’s question.

Suddenly, a jaguar ran into the room and Jaeger went to fight it, but Camilo held him back to not.

The jaguar threw Antonio onto its back and ran into the middle of his room. He laughs as he was being carried away as he can hear his father call out his name. He felt the wind the air push at him and the jaguar ran even faster and spoke to Antonio.

“You want to go where?” Antonio asked the jaguar and it got a response and it was already jumping up the trunk. They go in a swirl around the tree and once the reach the top, the jaguar threw Antonio off.

Antonio squealed in excitement as he landed on a hammock and bounced off it. As he fell, he slid down his tree and grabbed onto an anaconda that was hanging from the branch as he went flying again, but this time, he is caught by the jaguar and they finally return to everyone was at.

The five-year-old was embraced by his family as they congratulate him. The jaguar decided to give kisses to Agustín, then Alma says to Antonio, “I knew you can do it!”

Alma gave Antonio a kiss on his cheek as he turned bashful from all of the love and attention.

“We need a picture! Everyone! Come! Come! Come! It’s a perfect night!” Alma called out.

Mirabel took a deep breath, gathered up her courage, and joined the family as a photographer set up a camera. Antonio stood in the center of the picture where he and Mirabel were surrounded by Pepa, Félix, Agustín, Bruno, Diego, Julieta, Isabela, Luisa, Dolores, and Camilo.

“LA FAMILIA MADRIGAL!” The family said and the picture was taken.

“A gift just as special as you,” Alma said to Antonio.

Mirabel left the picture and felt her heart break as she remembered what she had been told before her failed ceremony.

She walked out of the room with Ethan following her as she told him, “Antonio would still keep his gift even if the candle went out, I felt like the candle wasn’t going to, but it did.”

“You wanted to spare him the pain of what you went through before it even happened,” Ethan replied.

Mirabel nodded.

“It won’t matter, Mi Amor. In a while, the candle would go out unless Abuela sees the importance of the family for who they are and not for what they can do, that’s the limitation of the candle, I could see it clear as day,” Mirabel explained.

“Fine, do you wanna dance with me to cheer you up?” Ethan asked.

Mirabel nodded as she and Ethan walk back to the party and start dancing with each other as they twirl around.

After their dance, Ethan and Mirabel walk out of Antonio’s room and climb up to the roof and stare at the fireworks and she asked, “Am I too late for a miracle?”

Ethan felt Mirabel lay on his lap as she falls asleep and he suddenly heard a noise, but Mirabel did not wake up from it. He turned around to see the candle flickering in the night as the fireworks go off behind them, he knew that Meridian still wanted to blow it out, but not with everyone inside. He noticed that the house was starting to crack.

Ethan suddenly saw Luisa slightly falter while carrying an inhumanly heavy tray of food as he woke Mirabel up and they rush over to help her.

Luisa looked terrified.

“My gift! What happened?” Luisa asked in panic.

“Are you okay?” Ethan asked.

Luisa shook her head and answered, “No, I’m not! I have to be strong, if I’m not strong, then what am I? The Encanto would fall apart if I don’t have my gift. I’m nothing without my strength.”

Mirabel patted Luisa to calm her down as she calmly shushed her.

“Listen, the measure of a person is the strength of their character, not their physical abilities,” Ethan said.

“Not here, we are the Madrigals, everyone and everything depend on our gifts and what we can do for the community,” Luisa replied.

“Who told you that? Communities are meant to help each other out. Yes, but one family doing everything’s not right,” Ethan said.

Mirabel nodded in agreement.

“Abuela says that we need to use our gifts to serve our community and straighten our hope,” Luisa said.

“That’s not right at all, my mom will have to speak with her tomorrow,” Ethan replied.

Ethan looked around at the rest of the Madrigals and wondered just how much of this misguided mindset was harming them.

“Listen to me, you’re so much more than your power, all of you are, please try to understand it,” Ethan said.

“I want to believe you, but it’s hard,” Luisa replied.

“My mom will be having some stern words with your grandma about this, she and I are actually glad Mirabel was spared from this backward way of thinking for most of her life,” Ethan said.

“And Mirabel, where were you anyway? I haven’t seen you since we all came in here,” Luisa said to Mirabel.

“Well, tonight brought back some painful memories for me, so we went to sit on the roof and he was rather protective of me. Not only Ethan’s my boyfriend, but my situations mirror in a way and only straightens his desire to keep me safe sometimes,” Mirabel explained.

“Mama’s been so worried about you all these years, seeing in person that you’re safe and loved is probably doing wonders for her happiness,” Luisa replied.

…

The party ended and everyone went to sleep and Mirabel decided to sleep with the Clades in a motel that they were staying in as Meridian asked, “Is Mirabel okay?”

Ethan nodded and explained, “Yes, the ceremony brought back painful memories to her, so we climbed up to the top of Casita and watched the fireworks, then all of a sudden, the house started cracking. It was brief, but the candle almost went out, could it only have two days left? Because to me, it looked a lot more like it could burn out tomorrow.”

“I’m pretty sure, and Mira, I hope you and Ethan ate at least something at the party. You know, I hate you kids going to bed without eating something,” Meridian said.

“Don’t worry, I grabbed a plate of desserts for us to munch on,” Mirabel replied.

Meridian nodded and said, “Good.”

“Anyway, did you find out anything?” Ethan asked.

“Well, I heard you talking to one of Mirabel’s sisters when I walked out of the party to use the bathroom. Tomorrow, I’m gonna have strong words with her grandmother and I’m glad Mirabel spent the first five years with her family, I can’t imagine the damage that would have been done if she stayed with a gift in a family where your worth is based on what you can give to the community honestly,” Meridian explained.

“Yeah, though the damage that was done isn’t going away anytime soon and my abuela needs to pay for that,” Mirabel growled.

“I fully agree, Mira, though I don’t believe they will listen to me more than you only because of what we are, but I’ll do the talking, you take Ethan on another walk or something,” Meridian replied.

“That, I can do,” Mirabel agreed.

“Anyway, day two here tomorrow, so we’ll need our rest. Buenos dias, Mirabel,” Ethan said to Mirabel as he yawned.

“Ethan, “buenos dias” means “good morning”,” Mirabel corrected him.

“Oh, what are the words for “good night”?” Ethan asked.

“Buenos noches,” Mirabel said to Ethan and fell asleep.

“Exactly,” Ethan replied as he also fell asleep.