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Time. Space. Reality.
It isn't a linear path—it’s an endless myriad of possibilities. An endless path of choices that can lead to a multitude of different outcomes, different endings.
There are universes where less people exist, universes where more people exist, and universes where no one exists. Some people exist in all these universes and some people don't.
Luis Madrigal is one of these people.
Here is a look at five universes in which he exists.
Universe 1:
Luisa had been pregnant three times (four, including this one), and she was stressed out over it EVERY SINGLE TIME.
Her first time being pregnant was with the twins, and not only had the pregnancy been a rough one, but they also showed up EARLY.
Her sweet girls Belinda and Silvia had both given her a break, but she had been stressed and concerned for both of those pregnancies as well.
And now she was to have another child—one who was very much wanted but who she couldn't help but be concerned for. This wasn't like the previous times she'd been pregnant. Things were different this time. Things would be more difficult.
Luisa would be busier.
The past three times she'd been pregnant, she'd been busy, don't get her wrong. But that was before the animal sanctuary and vet she, Ryder, and Antonio had opened up had become the only vet in the Encanto.
It was before she had four kids—two with health issues from being born premature and one with a gift that left her education lacking. It was before she had to find new things to teach Belinda because she was too little to help herself and—
And it was before Auradon Prep offered Ryder a job during the school year that was too good to pass up.
But with Auradon Prep, came the worry that the royals there would find out that her Tío Bruno broke onto the Isle of the Lost and stole several children. She didn’t know what the punishment was for harboring villains, but she imagined it wasn’t pretty.
And well…
They hadn't cared enough about the children on the isle to take them off of it like Tío Bruno had. Which meant they probably wouldn't care enough about her children and the rest of the children in the family to keep them off of it.
The what ifs scared her.
The fact that her sweet, naive, friendly husband was going to be alone in Auradon Prep with people who thought magic and powers should be a thing of the past, with people who didn't like Arendelle or the Encanto…with people who wouldn't like him or her poor, poor primos—Why was there a growing blood stain on the front of her dress?! Why was she suddenly cramping and— “MAMÁ!”
In one universe, Luis Nattura Madrigal didn't make it long enough to be named or for his parents to even know whether he'd be a boy or a girl.
Universe 2:
There was a tug on her apron when Julieta was cooking dinner for Luisa and Ryder’s niños, who she was watching for the night with Agustín while everyone else was either asleep (Bruno had a vision migraine, Claudine was having horrible cramps, mamá just usually went to bed early, and Dolores was overstimulated) or out.
“Abuela?”
Belinda stared up at her, all big brown eyes.
“Si, mi amor?” Julieta finished what she was doing, turning all her attention to her granddaughter.
“Laurencio’s cold.”
“Huh? What do you mean by that, niña?” Julieta froze, but tried to play it off in her mind. He probably just kicked his blankets off in his sleep.
The five year old frowned, looking perplexed. “His skin's really, really cold: like Hugo when he played in the snow after you saids to come in and he didn't!”
Julieta choked. “Belinda. Stay in the kitchen.” She ran to the living room, where Laurencio was set up in his portable crib.
Laurencio Agustín Nattura Madrigal, as Ryder and Luisa had proudly proclaimed him three months ago, was a big baby who was just as cuddly as both of his parents. Much bigger than anyone else in the family had been. He was a big baby who lit up whenever he saw someone in the family.
A big baby, who was very still in his crib, lips blue. A big baby who, for once, didn't awake once he heard her coming his way and who, for once, didn't give her that big gummy smile as he reached for her. Yearning to be picked up.
She scooped him up, gently alternating between rubbing and patting him on the back, trying to get him to breathe.
But nothing changed and Belinda was right. He was cold. Cold and stiff and oh so pale. “No… no… Laurencio, mi pequeña montaña, wake up. Wake up for Abuela!”
Dolores stumbled out of her room, running to the racket. Casita had apparently opened up her sound-proof door. “Tía, what’s wrong?”
“Laurencio’s not breathing!”
Dolores listened, and although she was still in sensory overload, she focused on the baby. And almost fell over. Because she couldn’t hear his heartbeat. “Dios mío.”
“Laurencio, please wake up for Abuela. Please please—”
In another universe, Laurencio Nattura Madrigal died at two months old from what is thought to be a case of S.I.Ds.
Long before he started going by his preferred nickname of Luis.
Universe 3:
Laurencio’s fútbol had gotten stuck on a ledge on one of the very rocky mountains that surrounded the village, even years after Casita had briefly fallen.
Tito was the one who was there. “Ughhhhh. Fine, I’ll go get Mamí. Don’t move.” He had jogged off to go find Luisa, or some other adult with a thematically appropriate gift.
But Laurencio didn't want to wait for an adult.
Because Laurencio was four years old and he was a big boy, almost big enough to get his gift! Which meant that he could get his ball all by himself.
So, he did the only logical thing.
He climbed the mountain.
Practically beaming when he finally reached the ledge where his ball sat.
“LUIS!”
The four year old, partially on the ledge startled at his papa’s horrified screech and lost his grip. It would be the last thing he'd hear.
In a third universe, Laurencio 'Luis' Nattura Madrigal lived long enough to get his nickname but not long enough to get his gift.
Universe 4:
On January 23rd, 2056 Luis Agustín Nattura Madrigal was born at 11:35 PM.
On January 23rd, 2056 at 11:37 PM, Luisa Jésica Rojas Madrigal took her last breath.
Her grieving husband (and the boy’s grieving father), Ryder Nattura, was the one who had named him Luis.
Ryder hadn’t had much time to mourn the death of his wife. He had five children now to look after, and help through this difficult time. He had a funeral to prepare.
It was all too much to bear.
Emilia wasn't as outgoing and friendly anymore, staying holed up in her room more often than not these days.
Tito was clinger and moodier, rarely leaving Ryder’s side.
Belinda hadn't touched her books or asked to play on his phone or her cousins’ laptop in days.
Silvia was acting far older than her three years and was trying to be as helpful as possible.
And Luis. Wouldn't. Stop. Crying.
That wasn't even including how the rest of the familia was feeling.
Julieta coped with her baby’s death by…not coping. She baked. And cooked. And prepared. She didn’t really sleep, the memories of what she considered her greatest failure too much to deal with.
Agustín wasn't doing much better.
Isabela was in a near constant rage.
Mirabel was trying to keep the family together and to cheer them all up, and help out but it was clear she was struggling.
The kids were all confused and sad.
Félix wasn't his usual dancing self and Pepa had been storming, raining, and snowing for days.
And Casita had never been quieter. Not even after her fall.
Luis Agustín Nattura Madrigal yearned to know his mother.
He had stories and pictures, of course, but it wasn't the same.
Hearing about how their mother used to read his siblings’ bedtime stories wasn't the same as having her read them to him himself.
Hearing stories about how she used to play fútbol with his siblings and cousins on her day off wasn't the same as playing with her himself.
Learning how to play piano from his abuelo and brother wasn't the same as learning it from his mother would have been.
Luis’s gift ceremony and fifth birthday was heralded by grief. Grief that Luisa wasn’t there to see her baby get his gift, or see him flourish and grow with it.
( All of his birthdays were tinged with grief. Luis always dreaded them ).
His mother was on his mind all night.
His mother and the whispers of the townspeople, who never shut up ( Luis wished they would just SHUT up).
When he touched the doorknob, and the flash of light shone, he wasn’t thinking about his new gift. He was thinking that he wanted his mami.
After the light faded, everyone took a look at his door. It showed him holding a barbell above his head, other weights beside him. It was his mother’s door.
Almost.
Because on Luisa’s door, she was smiling. On Luis’ door, his expression was one of sorrow.
Luis stared at it confused before turning to look at everyone else in the room. Wondering why the room was suddenly deathly silent—why it was devoid of the clapping and cheering that was at all of his cousins' gift ceremonies.
Ryder had his hand over his mouth. “Luis…I think you got the same gift that your mamí had. Super strength.”
Great.
Just great.
Of course it would be Luis who got the stupid hand-me-down gift that would make everyone sad.
Wasn’t a hand-me-down name bad enough?
“ Will you stop complaining about everyone comparing you to mom already! They wouldn't be if you hadn't killed her in the first place!”
Luis took a step back as if he'd been slapped, trying not to tear up as he stared at his big sister with wide eyes. Because what else was a seven year old to do?
Belinda, meanwhile, seemed to realize what she’d just said, and her eyes widened. “Luis, I–I didn’t mean that! I swear! I’m sorry!”
Luis said nothing, biting his lip in an attempt to suffocate the sobs.
“Luis, I’m so sorry, please! Say something!” Belinda didn’t even bother trying to stifle her desperate cries.
“I'm sorry.” was all he whispered before he ran.
The next morning, neither of them spoke about the incident.
But Luis would never forget what his sister said and thanks to his sister's gift, she never would either.
Luis Nattura Madrigal had murdered his mother.
And he would never forget it.
How could he when he had her name and her gift? Was it a punishment?
How could he forget that her blood was on his hands when every one of his birthdays was marred by grief for the parent he'd never know?
Luis did everything he could to make up for what his birth had caused ever since his sister uttered those dreadful words.
He'd spent the past ten years trying to be everything his mother was and everything she'd want him to be.
He rarely asked for anything.
He worked hard in school and was always willing to help when he was back in the Encanto.
The villagers and the family never had a complaint about him.
He only got good grades, he did extracurriculars, he stayed away from home as often as he could so he wouldn't burden his family. He never argued with anyone.
He was the perfect child. The one any parent could ask for.
(It was killing him like it had almost killed his mother).
He was fine.
(He didn't ask for this life. He didn't ask to be born).
He was and still is tough as the crust of the earth.
(But he cries. He's human and he cries).
Luis had made his family proud.
(He wondered if his mother would be proud of him but he knew better than to ask. He killed her. Of course she wouldn't be proud of him).
And he was going to win the Auradon Kingdom Cup Games that Wonderland was hosting this year even if killed him.
(Maybe then he would be able to ask about his mother again without feeling as if someone was squeezing his lungs).
The Auradon Kingdom Cup Games were interrupted halfway through.
Amelia Collodi-Rossi-Liddell and others were dead.
And Luis, along with the surviving contestants, had all scattered off in the hopes of survival. He wondered if anyone else had hesitated to leave the bodies behind.
Luis Agustín Nattura Madrigal wasn't supposed to exist and his life was a lie.
That's all he could think about as Queen Bridget’s second youngest daughter, Red, tentatively explained how she and Cinderella's daughter (who the hell was Cinderella?), Chloe apparently, had fucked their original timeline up.
A timeline where Queen Bridget was a mad with power tyrant known for chopping off heads named the Queen of Hearts.
One where Pink Hearts, Couper Hearts, Trixie Hare, Robbie Hood, Felix Facilier, Max Hatter, Amelia Collodi-Rossi-Liddell, Hazel Hook, and he didn't exist. One where King Ben and Queen Mal of Auradon didn't have a little son named Avery that Luis volunteered to babysit at important functions his family had been invited to. One where his mother was alive and he had a little sister who everyone adored—
One where Red had an older brother and one where the crazy blonde who had stolen some important stone Wonderland apparently had was Chloe's brother.
Everything Luis knew was a lie.
Red scratched the back of her neck at Luis’ (and the others) stricken and disbelieving expressions. “So yeah. Uh, sorry?”
“We have to fix this.” Luis didn't know what possessed him to speak with such determination —not when his mind felt like jello.
His mother was alive. Alive in a timeline where he didn't exist at all.
(Looks like Belinda was right, after all. He did kill their mother).
“Got any ideas on how to do that?” Red quipped back, still nervously shuffling around.
“Simple. We get the Wonderland Stone back from your brother—”Luis pointed at Chloe “—and Urynn, get to the pocketwatch thingy his—” he pointed at Max this time “—dad made and go back in time to undo whatever meddling you two did.”
Red blinked at him. “You know that means you probably won’t exist, right?”
“If that's what it takes to save Wonderland, Auradon, and my mom then I'm fully willing to make that sacrifice.” Luis was dead serious. Everyone in the room could see it in his eyes. “And… and if you guys aren't, we'll figure something out so you guys can live.” He added after a minute, eyes drifting to the others who didn't exist in Red and Chloe's original timeline.
He couldn't make that choice for them. It wouldn't be right. But Luis also couldn't live with himself if he didn't do the right thing—he didn't deserve to live: not at the cost of his mother. Never at the cost of his mother. And not at the cost of everyone who had been erased during Red and Chloe's meddling and everyone who would die if they didn't do something.
“What? We can't—Luis, we can't —not existing sucks. ” Chloe tried to protest, fumbling her words because she couldn't possibly find the right ones to explain just how bad it sucked. Her parents weren't together. Her brother had lost his mind because he's grown up alone. And none of them , none of her friends and family, knew who she was.
It hurt.
And that wasn't even going into what Hadie was going through at the moment. Since he also didn't exist anymore.
The princess couldn't do that to anyone else. Whether they wanted it or not. “And what if we can't bring you with us? What if you just disappear ?!”
“If it means my mother and everyone else I love gets to live then I am more than willing to die.”
Red narrowed her eyes. “I don’t know, Luis…”
“He's right.” Pink said, soft voice louder than it usually was and a determined but obviously scared look in her eye.
“Pink…” Red’s voice had a hint of warning to it.
This time, Couper spoke up. “We’re not supposed to exist, Red, you said so yourself.”
“You aren't happy here, sissy.” Her fourteen year old sister added, not meeting her eye. “You hate it here and Chloe doesn't exist. Hadie doesn't exist. Your friends’ lives are worse and you can't look at mom, dad, or aunt Mirana’s family. Your real brother and sister don't exist anymore. You said it yourself—everything’s wrong and you're hurting. We need to fix it.”
“Existing is overrated anyway.” Hazel Hook, of all people, agreed, raising her chin. Shooting her a look that dared her to argue as if she wasn't just fourteen.
Behind her, Squeaky and Squirmy Smee nodded. “It's not like we'll know anything’s different.”
“Why are we even debating anything?” Robbie snapped, crossing his arms. “Our families and friends and anyone else we've ever known, loved, or hated is in danger. What does it matter if we get erased from existence?”
“Uh, I kinda care about my existence?” Trixie raised her hand. “I don’t wanna not exist!”
“Think about it this way.” Felix Facilier finally decided to speak up. “If we don't do what Luis is suggesting, what happens? Urynn and Chad take over the world and kill everyone we love and we die anyway ? Or, say we only take them down, how are we supposed to move on knowing what we know now?”
When Trixie said nothing, Felix added. “I couldn't live with myself. I couldn't look my sisters and my dad in the eye knowing that our whole lives were technically a lie. Could you look your dad in the eye knowing that Chloe is out there living in Red’s garden because we said ‘ no, we want to still exist. Sucks to be you’.”
Max fiddled with a trinket in his pocket. “Our families deserve better. And our friends, too.”
Trixie swallowed. “It’s not like we wanted this to happen! And now we’re being punished for someone else’s mistake!”
“Again, we can figure out how to keep anyone who doesn't want to die alive.” Luis reminded.
“And if there isn’t ?” Trixie wanted to know.
“Then we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.”
Couper nodded, placing a comforting hand on Trixie’s shoulder. “It’ll be fine, Trix.”
“I swear on my mother's grave I won't let you die if you don't want to.” Luis added, eyes softening a bit.
Luis was many things but he wasn't a liar.
Trixie pursed her lips and nodded. “Okay. Okay.”
So it was settled.
They took Chad and Urynn down, got the stone, and found the Pocketwatch that Red had lost not long after they had reset the timeline.
Then, with heavy hearts since they all knew (and even Trixie had accepted) that this would be the last time they'd see Red or Chloe.
And it would be the last time anyone would see their faces or names.
Except that's not how it went.
Chloe and Red (along with Hadie, Zahaair, Maddox, and Danny who had caught up with them) reset the timeline again: Bridget was pranked and left uncomforted. Persephone didn't break up with Hades because she didn't see the prank.
Chad was stopped from leaving.
They got to start over from the tender ages of ten and The Queen of Hearts’ plan to take over Wonderland was thwarted.
Oh and the existence of everyone in the second timeline was ensured by a wish the time travelers had made with the last of the Wonderland Stone’s magic.
Universe 5:
On January 23rd, 2056 Laurencio Agustín Nattura Madrigal was born at 11:35 PM.
And on January 24th, 2056, at 12:01 AM, a very small and very quiet Laurencio Agustín Nattura Madrigal was placed into his very alive mother's arms.
“Mi bebé.” Luisa placed a kiss onto her son’s forehead.
The baby's hand found her face as its own scrunched up.
“Look at him. He's adorable. Just like his mamá.” Ryder cooed, planting a kiss on his wife's cheek. “Do you want me to get you anything, mi bella esposa?”
“...maybe just a glass of water.” Luisa didn’t like asking for things, but she was parched. In her defense, she literally just gave birth.
“I'll be right back.”
And with that, Luisa was left alone with her youngest son.
Maybe climbing out of his crib hadn't been the best idea.
But alas, Laurencio was one year old and didn't have the awareness to think that through. Hence why he was currently plummeting towards the floor of the nursery.
There was a yelp, and suddenly, strong arms cushioned his fall. “Laurencio!” Luisa’s voice sqeaked. “Don’t do that!”
Laurencio just tilted his head at her. Confused as to why he didn't fall down—before deciding that his mamá was much more interesting than that. “Ma!”
Lusia placed him gently back into his crib. “Mamá can’t always be here to catch you, bebé.”
“Ma stron’!”
Bruno didn’t like going behind the wall very much anymore; too many bad memories.
But five year old Laurencio was missing, and Dolores had claimed she’d head noises in the walls, so into the walls he went.
“Laurencio? Buddy? You in here?” Bruno called as Casita helpfully moved planks of wood out of his way.
“Tío!” Laurencio whined. “I'm stuck!”
Bruno quickened his pace. “Where are you!?”
“In a room! I can't reach the door handle!”
Bruno relaxed slightly. There was only one room behind the walls of Casita, and it was his. It wasn’t dangerous there, last time he checked.
He made the all-too familiar path to the door, and opened it up. “Laurencio?”
A small body ran into him and threw its arms around him immediately. “Tío! You found me!”
Bruno hugged him back. “‘Course I did. These are my old stomping grounds.”
“... stomping…grounds?” The five year old paused, before hesitantly stomping his foot. “It sounds th’ same.”
Bruno chuckled. “It’s a turn of phrase, buddy.”
“Oh. Like…like…turning the other cheese?”
“Yup. Exactly.” Bruno somehow managed to keep a straight face.
There was a pause before—“Can you take me back to mamá now? Please? It smells like Claudine's rats in here.”
Gotta love the bluntness of kids.
Bruno snorted. “Sure, bud. Let’s go.”
In the fifth and final universe we’re discussing today, Luisa Madrigal would live to see her son grow up.
And in the fifth and final universe of this story, Laurencio would actually get to grow up with his mother.
What could possibly be a better happily ever after?