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Chapter Text

Mirabel had been so excited for her ceremony. She was shy to admit that she was envious of her family’s array of gifts. Honestly, she was filled with nervous energy as she approached her door. 

Unfortunately, Mirabel’s door had dissipated from her grasp. 

Mirabel ran back to the nursery after her failed ceremony. She had seen the faces from her family and the townspeople. Fear. Shock. Pity. It was all embarrassing for her to endure. 

The house was uncharacteristically silent when she woke up. Mirabel was slow to escape her bed. Quietly she peeked out from the nursery. No one was there.

Each door was shut, except for one. Abuelas door. It was slightly askew to where she could peek inside. 

She advanced slowly across her family’s doors. The longer she looked the sicker she felt. As she got closer, she heard the conversation that was held inside. She placed her back against the wall and listened in. 

“Mamá! That’s ridiculous.” The voice had spluttered in between sentences. “She’s your neita!” 

Mirabel quickly identified the voice as her Tío Bruno. His voice had always held a tone of meekness. Which left Abelua to be the other person in the room

“You saw the vision Bruno.” Abuela hissed. “You saw the candle— You saw her face!” 

“None of my visions are set in stone.” Bruno huffed. “Time is such a sensitive topic, even the smallest thing can change it!”

“There’s a reason why Mirabel doesn’t have a gift.” Abuelas voice got increasingly louder. “She could be a threat to the miracle!” 

Oh. Oh. They were talking about her. Tears Mirabel didn’t even know she had left fell down her eyes. 

A loud gasp came from the bedroom. “How could you say that?! She just turned five and you're calling her a threat?” 

“She may not be a threat now but she could be, Bruno.” 

“We don’t know that— For all we know that vision could change tomorrow!” 

“That’s why we must keep an eye on her.” 

“Mamà—!” Bruno’s voice was cut off.

“My decision is final.” The feet from inside the bedroom got closer to the doorframe. “We must keep an eye on Mirabel. She’s a possible threat to our miracle and village!” Abuelas voice echoed through the room. 

Mirabel didn’t know when she ended back in the nursery. She wailed mournfully in her room the entire day. She wondered if she had disappointed Abuela by not receiving a gift.

Hours later, knocks rang on the nursery door. Similarly to this morning, she took her time to unlock the door. 

“Mamá… Abuela?” Mirabel's voice was small in her throat. Her face was blotchy and her lip quivered as she looked at the two women.

“Oh Mirabel!” Her mom had rushed to her side. Holding Mirabels’ body in her arms. She had cried in her arms for what had felt like ages, until a voice spoke up. 

“Mirabel.” Abuela‘s voice was stern. Mirabel’s gut twisted as she eyed her. “You'll be unable to leave the Casita without supervision.” 

Abuela paused before continuing. “As in light of recent events. The family has agreed to make sure you’re supervised at all times.” Her mothers hold became tighter. “Do you understand, Mirabel?” 

Mirabel had so many questions. ‘Why her? Was this related to Bruno’s vision?’ Her mother looked at her with a grim look as if urging her to not question. 

“I understand.” 

She spent the rest of the evening sobbing into her mamá’s arms. The pleas for her to eat fell on deaf ears, soon she had worn herself out.

Mirabel had woken up somewhat late the next day. Unsurprisingly, she was the last person to arrive for breakfast. She felt the heavy stares from her family as she moved around the table. Quietly, she sat down next to her mamá and papá. 

Without a beat, Abuela picked up the day’s announcement. “I’m aware that the past few days have been tense, but it’s our job as Madrigals to continue to help our lovely community.” Mirabel kept her head down to her plate.

“As such, we will continue as usual with our plans.” Abuela listed off each member. 

“Isabela and Luisa. You’ll go to school as usual and then help out with the local gardens and farm nearby with your Tía Pepa.

“Dolores, Camilo, and Mirabel, you’ll all go to school and come back home together. Dolores, I expect you to help your Tía in the plaza.” 

Abuela stood up, dismissing the family at last. 

…0…

Weeks turned into months and those into years. Her life was all the same. Go to school, come back, sew, eat, and then sleep. Nothing was enjoyable after her ceremony.

Her social life was ruined, being dubbed as the ‘Giftless Madrigal.’ School was unbearable, the taunts and pity ate her alive each day. At least her teachers tried to help her, sometimes. 

Her family hadn’t made her feel any better than what her community had. 

Wilted flower crowns had laid on her desk for weeks until she realized she was never getting a new one. She missed it when Isabela just ignored her, but now all they do is argue. 

She and Camilo were distant. They used to be attached to the hip, but since he started helping in the plaza they grew further apart.

Piggyback rides and walks around the plaza also ceased. Luisa was busy and overworked— Dolores was tense and always ready to sprint away from her.

Her heart cracked with every day they grew apart. Maybe, if Abuela hadn’t reacted that way to Bruno’s vision our family wouldn’t be split. Maybe Bruno wouldn’t be gone. Maybe she would be loved. ( Mirabel wanted to believe that her family still loved her, but she knew that was false.)

Mirabel loved her family, but they hurt her so much. She felt bitterness when around Antonio. In the end, he was her replacement. And unlike her, he had actually gotten a gift. 

How come she was without a gift?! Was it all a mistake? She was furious. With the miracle, the vision, with her family, with everything! She had done nothing wrong to deserve the treatment they gave her.

She watched as her family danced and mingled together. Watched as they took a family photo while missing one family member. She yearned for the love that her siblings and cousins received.

Angry tears spilled from her face. She fled from Antonio's new room, conflicted with the feelings inside her. 

She stood in the middle of the Casita in a crumpled heap. Tears fell rapidly out of her eyes. She was tired of the treatment the town and family gave her. 

She looked at the burning candle sitting on the ledge. It felt as if the candle was just laughing at her very existence. It flickered left to right almost mocking her.

She walked up the steps of the house. Casita pushed the wooden planks from underneath her feet, but she refused to be held back. “Casita, stop that.” She ordered in a hush tone. At last, she made eye contact with the candle.

“How much longer do I need to wait for my miracle?” She clenched her fists as she looked into the heart of the flame.

 “What did I do to not deserve a gift like the rest of my family? What made me so insignificant that I wasn’t worthy of a gift!?” Mirabel yelled at the candle. 

She no longer cared for someone to overhear her, discover her— they probably forgot about her (again).

Her hand reached out to touch the candle's base. Yet, her eyes were focused on the flame. Oh, how easy it’d be to snuff out the miracle and its magic. 

The moment her fingertips grazed the candles wax it had turned an inky black. The dancing light erupted in a spark of flame.

Chapter Text

Bruno was shaken abruptly from his makeshift bed. His body was drenched in sweat and his hair was in a complete disarray. It wasn’t rare for his sleep to be interrupted, courtesy of his visions, but that didn’t make each time less jarring.

Bruno barely got a hold of his bearings before he was shot into one of his visions. Silhouettes faded in and out of his vision, some less detailed than others. The vision flickered and phased to another pattern. The candle. A hand stitched dress. A long magenta dress. 

The vision flashed in and out the patterns going berserk and wild. His mind raced to find the connections. ‘The miracle? Mamá? How are they connected?’

The miracle took center stage of his vision. Dark shadows covered the ledge, making his vision look incomplete, faded. The shadows made the singular silhouette of a person.

A hand reached out to grab the candle, before both of the shadow persons fingers grasped against the candle.

 The candle turned an onyx black. The hands around the candle squeezed aggressively around the outer layer of the candle, ruining some of the ancient wax. 

His vision shaked wildly at the sight. The pictures became distorted, broken and unable to decipher. The eerie shadows took over his vision completely.

Then, something broke through the darkness. 

Circular glasses were illuminated in the vision, seeming almost glazed over. A hand stitched dress flapped within the aggressive swirls of his vision.

‘Mirabel!’

His vision suddenly ended. Jolts went through his body like wildfire due to the overtaxing of his vision.

He watched in pain as a venomous green tablet dropped on the floor in front of him. The prophecy seemed to pulse in the warmly lit crawl space he had.

He crawled over to pick up the prophecy that he just experienced. He was just so confused. A prophecy that taxing without his ritual? It was normal for him to experience some prophecies in his sleep, maybe during the day, but it was never like… that .

He looked over at his vision. The miracle stood in the middle of the frame, hands were wrapped tight at the bottom of the candle. A familiar face was illuminated by the candle, they wore a passive expression.

‘Mira..’

Bruno shifted the candle around, and then it seemed to shift. 

The candle was black, the light breaking through most of the frame. Many streams of wax were melting off the candle, which Bruno guessed was from the heat. 

A face no longer was visible on that side of the prophecy. Only hands remained at the bottom of the candle, burnt from the wax. The miracle looked sinister, unlike how it usually did.

Bruno set his vision down in shock. He let his nausea overtake his body and fell down on the cold wooden floorboards. 

“ Oh dios mio … Mirabel, what happened?”

Chapter Text

Mirabel's vision faded to black.

But then her vision exploded in a kaleidoscope of colors. Each color seemed as if it bursted out of her very skull. Her eyesight split like broken glass at the sight. 

Her eyes remained open against her will. She tried to cry— to weep, but she couldn’t utter a word.

Her body was overcome with power that made her shake to her core. Her fingers dug into the flaming candle as the power rippled through her body slowly. The black wax trickled down her hands, burning her as it went. 

“Mirabel!” 

Mirabel could barely hear the call for her name and she hardly cared. But something drew her to avert her eyes. As she strained against the candle's hold the Casita bursted with pressure. 

“Mirabel, please look at me.” 

Mirabel turned her glowing eyes to the figure that was calling out to her. ‘Tìo Bruno?’ Mirabel didn't trust her vision nor her hearing at the moment. Her vision was hazy but she couldn’t mistake the curly black hair or the dark green ruana the figure wore. 

“Step back, now.” 

Mirabel looked at Bruno viciously (within her heart she cried , she missed him so much). Bruno stopped within his tracks, looking at Mirabel with wide eyes.

“Why are you here! Why now!” Mirabel cried. She had seen her tío walk out of her life not even with a bye, and now he was back? Mirabel held the candle protectively to her chest, her look faltering so slightly.

“I can’t explain right now, but we have to go now. Someone could come any second!” Bruno pleaded with Mirabel, he was desperate to get her away from her family. He held out his hand to Mirabel. 

Mirabel heard the Casita rumble around her, a warning. She cradled the candle in one hand and looked at Bruno. 

“I’ll trust you, don’t break it.” Mirabel gave Bruno her wax covered hand. Bruno carried Maribel as he ran to the further corners of the house. The Casita slowly shifted around them, concealing them within the walls of the house.

Bruno cradled Mirabel in his arms, most likely passed out from the miracle. He gently set her down on a rug in the center of the floor. Bruno looked warily at the black glowing candle. He tried to set the candle away from Mirabel's grasp, but it only burnt him in return.

‘What are we going to do..’

Bruno set a hand over his sobrinas forehead. ‘Ay ay aye, she’s burning up.’ Bruno felt useless as he looked at his niece, she was filled with too much neglect and sorrow for someone her age.

‘I’m sorry..’ Bruno didn’t muffle his tears, surprisingly his cries went on now-deaf ears.

Chapter Text

The Madrigal family woke up to chaos.

Dolores woke up later than she usually did during the weekdays. Being a Madrigal means early mornings and late nights, even for her.

‘12:18 pm! How did I sleep in this late?’ Dolores rushed to quickly get dressed. She could imagine the lecture Abuela would give her. 

In a haste, she slammed her door and clumsily glided her feet down the stairwell. “ Is anyone still here, I—” Dolores voice died down when saw her mother's face streaked with tears.

Abuela stood in fear looking at the empty ledge, her mother was beside her. Her mother was being comforted by her father, common clouds were no longer seen above her head. 

“Mamá?” Dolores called out. “Dolores? I didn’t expect you to be up yet.” Her mother said solemnly. “It’s 12:30, why wouldn’t I be awake? What’s happening?” Dolores wrapped her hands around her mothers back, concerned with the vague situation.

“The miracle, it’s gone.” Abuela said with a heaviness in her voice. 

Dolores froze. Gone? Stolen? Where did it go? She surely would’ve heard someone go up to the ledge. No one in Encanto would steal the miracle, so what happened?

“For today, we’re staying home. We’ll tell the village we wanted to stay with Antonio for today.” Abuela said passively. Her expression didn’t prove much, but Dolores didn’t like how she seemed to be taking this situation lightly. “Dolores, please wake up the rest of the family for me.” Abuela left the Casita and left to go to the kitchen with her tiá.

Her mind was reeling. Things like this didn’t just randomly happen. She went up the stairs and slowly made her way to each door. “Wake up ‘Tonio!” She knocked on every door, til she reached the nursery. “Mirabel? Wake up!” Dolores left the nursery door with a lingering feeling. Could she hear Mirabel?

“Vamos todos, lunch is ready!” Her tiá called out. The rest of the family went outside to the near table, some were barely even dressed. 

“This morning we found out that the Miracle is no longer within the Casita.” Chatter broke out through the entire table. 

“Wait, what do you mean it’s gone?” Isabela yelled. 

“Exactly, candles don’t grow legs and just walk away!” Camilo said exaggeratedly.

“How did no one realize this sooner?” The voices of the family started to jumble and mix together. It became increasingly difficult to figure out who said what.

‘Ahem!’ The mutterings of the family ceased at once. “We don’t know how. But we do know that the magic of the miracle is still present with us.” 

Dolores' mind started to spiral. ‘But for how much longer can we guarantee the miracle’s magic won’t fail randomly?’ 

“For the rest of the week, we should keep up appearances within our Encanto. We must not let the people within the town know about the disappearance of the miracle.” Abuela said firmly. 

The family sat in tense silence for a few beats. Dolores took a bite into the food on her plate, only her face soured at the foul flavor. 

“Julieta, why does the food taste off?” Abuela had her palm to her mouth, apparently she wasn’t the only one who thought it tasted off. 

Julieta tasted her food and ate it with a frown. “I don’t know? My food never tastes like this!” Agustín rubbed his wife’s back in comfort with understanding. Everyone makes mistakes (especially him).

Alma’s face twisted into confusion. “Lus—, wait where is Lusia and Mirabel? Dolores, did you wake them?” Alma looked at the two empty seats at the table, the rest of the table noticed them as well. “I knocked on everyone’s door. Maybe it’s a miracle keeping them in bed late?” Dolores squeaked behind her cup, she didn’t like the sudden attention.

“Can you listen for them to see if they’re awake?” Abuela said. Dolores closed her eyes in concentration and tried to listen into the house. But, she showed up blank. She couldn’t hear either of her primas. 

There was no sound. She couldn’t hear the town's lively chatter, the surrounding rivers, or even the birds. All she could hear was the subtle waves of white noise. 

“I can’t hear anything. I can’t hear them.” Dolores froze in shock. She questioned how she wasn’t able to detect that anything was wrong earlier. Her gift was the first thing she took note of every morning and night— how did she forget?!

“What do you mean you can’t hear?” Abuela said in concern. “My gift isn’t working.. I c-can’t hear the town.” Dolores’ hands shakily flew to her ears. She truly couldn’t hear a thing. 

Chapter Text

All of the adults of the Madrigal family sat together in Alma’s room. 

“Are you really sure she’s missing?” Pepa sat near Félix in an armchair. 

“Of course!” Julieta and Augustín stood in the furthest corner of the room. “ Mirabel is our daughter — she wouldn’t leave on her own!” Julieta bit. 

The couple were left in grief when Mirabel was declared missing through the village. Nobody had seen her since the night of Antonio’s Ceremony. It was almost as if she entirely disappeared from Encanto.

Dolores was quiet during the entire affair. She felt at fault for Mirabel’s sudden disappearance. Her gift allowed her to hear from furthest distances, but she couldn’t even hear her own cousin leave from their own home.

(Her gift was both a blessing and a curse. It left her overwhelmed day and night, but with it she might’ve been able to locate Mirabel)

“Julieta, you know about the prophecy.” The family had been trying to avoid this particular topic the whole night. Talking about Mirabel and Bruno’s lost vision never ends right for any member of the Madrigals.

“Pepa, you better not be insinuating what I think you are about my daughter.” Julieta’s and Pepa’s relationship had been on the rocks ever since Alma came clean about Bruno’s vision. Both of them had opposite views of what the future could prove to be. 

“Let us all be rational here.” Isabela spoke up. “Mirabel and the Miracle going missing at the same time can’t be a coincidence.” Isabela’s voice was croaky and gruff, unlike the silvery tone they were all accustomed to.

( Isabela avoided the look of betrayal displayed on her mother and fathers face. It pained her to say it, but it was the truth)

Everyone was tense. It was almost as if everyone could sense the anxiousness and fury coming off from each other. The Madrigals were in an invisible standstill.

Dolores was the one to break the silence. “I wouldn't blame her.”

You could hear a thread just snap within the room.

“Excuse me?” Alma’s expression mirrored the rest of the family's faces, complete shock.

“If Mirabel actually ran away she had a good reason to.” Dolores responded passively.

“Dolores—!” Julieta yelled back in anger.

“No! Mirabel has been neglected from this family for years and it’s all because of some vision?” 

“We had to do it for the miracle, it was too much of a risk to take on our family— and the Encanto.” 

“How could you say that!” Dolores’ face hardened. “ Mirabel is apart of this family as well! We’ve basically ignored her for all her life.” 

Dolores choked out a sob. She had known the feelings her prima had harbored for their family. The things Mirabel muttered had never made sense to her when she was younger. But when she learned about Bruno’s Vision, everything had connected together.

She ran straight to her room. She had let Mirabel go through everything in her life alone! What type of cousin would do that? Staying silent only deepened the burden Mirabel had to bear. 

And it was all her fault.

Chapter Text

The family found out that their gifts didn’t work as they usually did.

Julieta’s gift made it so that when people ate her food they would become temporarily ill or come down with a fever. They figured that out after the family became sick the aftertoon of eating. Dolores and Felix had to take over cooking for the family.

Dolores couldn’t hear people from great distances anymore; they shortly learned that her hearing is actually far worse than what the average hearing is.

Lusia was now incredibly strong. She could barely apply any pressure to an object or it would break. She stayed holed up in her room once she broke most of the surrounding objects by her bed. He heard from muffled cries that she was in fear of not being able to touch or even hug anyone again.

Isabela could no longer grow flowers on will, but instead they sprouted from her lungs and pores. White tulips, Striped Yellow carnations, and Pink Camellias were seen over her body throughout the day. Isabela didn’t utter a word about what the flowers meant.

The family was uncertain what Pepa’s gift turned into. It wasn’t until a few days later they found out she made plants and produce slowly spoil if she was left with her emotions gone wild. Due to this, she and Isabela couldn't be near each other for long or Isabela's state would suffer.

Camilo couldn’t shapeshift into anyone. Neither his wonderful family nor his comunidad. Though as the days went on, his personality changed. He went from acting like Dolores, Isabela, and even Caffeine Boy! Slowly at a time the family had trouble deciphering his true personality. 

Small Antonio seemed to not be affected by the stolen miracle. His gift was slightly weaker, but the income could've been much worse. He was confused at the sudden change in his family's gifts. He wouldn’t admit he was upset with them not telling him.

-

Antonio watched as his family fell apart. They stopped going outside to the town center. Everyday he would hear frantic knocks at their door trying to get their attention, but he would get a “No, no, no abras la puerta. Just ignore it for now.”

The animals around him were quieter than they were at his ceremony. Are they supposed to? Was he exaggerating how his gift worked, or did he just forget? He had so many questions but little answers. 

He found himself crying each night. He barely saw his primas. He missed Luisa’s strong hugs and the amazing stories she would always tell him. He missed it when Isabelas flowers would sprout through the Casita, making it burst with color. And lastly, he missed his Mirabel. He  heard the adults say that she ran away. But he didn’t understand. Why would Mirabel run away? She was just here! What happened to her? 

Some nights he would walk to the empty nursery and look at her bed. His mother would look at him with weary eyes and would try to gently coax him from the nursery. He would ask again and again “Mamá, when are we going to see Mirabel again, I miss her.” Her eyes would tear up and she would respond with “I don’t know ‘Tonio, I don’t know.” She would have to sit through his tears and carry him back to his room.

And the last thing he noticed. The Casita was so quiet. He had seen the house interact with Mirabel more times than he could count but now, the Casita had barely interacted with them. He tried to talk with the magical house but only a few times would he get a small rattle with its floor boards and shutters.

Today he rested over the Casitas banisters, looking longfully at the blank ledge. It was a quiet day, which seemed to be the new normal. His tía would be in Isabela’s room trying desperately to make her feel better. His tío would stand by Lusia’s bed frame and would listen as she gently cried (She cried when he gave her his stuffed cheetah. He remembers her attempts to tell him that they were happy tears). His mamá and papá would spend their time with Camilo, just to talk with him. Nowadays, it was just him and his hermana. She mostly carried out the conversations while he listened carefully. He had never noticed how many things Dolores wanted to say, and now she could do so freely. 

He said bye to his hermana and walked to the nursery as he usually did. He looked over at the blue wooden door with a red ‘Mirabel’ written in cursive on it. He thought back how this used to be both his and Mirabel's bedroom. He opened up the door to the nursery, only to see a small figure standing by the bed.

“M-mirabel?…”

Chapter Text

Violet eyes stared back into Antonio’s umber ones.

Eyes that looked so familiar, but at the same time so distant to him. 

“M-mirabel?”  

He said with a quiet whisper. He slowly shuffled up to the figure with small steps, nervousness gripped tightly at his chest. 

“Antonio.” The figure slowly stepped towards him. Slowly the light uncovered his prima. 

She looked so different from how she usually did. Mirabel looked fragiler and smaller, almost as if the smallest touch could harm her. Weirdly enough, her hands to her forearms were wrapped in bandages. 

He wanted to cry. He was so scared that she was gone forever. He didn’t know what happened to Mirabel. One day she was walking him to his ceremony door and hours later she was missing. 

“Mirabel!” Antonio scrambled up to meet his cousin's chest. Comforting arms wrapped around his body, filling him with warmth. “W-where were you! I misse-d you!” Antonio broke down into small sobs into Mirabel’s dress.

“I’m so sorry Antonio, I didn’t mean to worry you.” Mirabel said the words with little comfort, but her face provided empathy for her primo. She didn’t know that her cousin would miss her that much but in the end they always had a strong bond.

“The family has been acting so weird! They barely talk to me anymore.. I think they’re worried about the gifts.” Mirabel’s attention flickered back quickly to her cousin. Why aren’t any of them comforting Antonio? He deserves an explanation! But one thought crept on her mind. ‘The gifts? What does that have to do with anything?!’ 

“Wait.. What’s wrong with the gifts ‘Tonio?” Mirabel wiped the tears from her primos eyes. She made sure his focus was back on her.

“The gifts changed! It’s hurting the family. Isabela is coughing up flowers, Dolores can’t hear, and Tiás food doesn’t work anymore!” Mirabel cradled Antonio into her chest. The gifts? They changed? Her mind flew to a billion thoughts at a time but she fought to keep herself focused. Why didn’t Bruno tell her anything? 

“Mira?” Mirabel made eye contact again with her primo. He wore a weary expression on his face, one that matched the expression he wore before his ceremony. “Yes Antonio?” She took his hand and settled it in her lap.

“Are you coming back?” There was the question that broke her heart. Small tears started to flow from her eyes, but the frames of her glasses stopped them. “Not right now, but I’ll be coming back soon.” Mirabel gave him a small smile, but then her expression shifted into something serious.

“Please don’t tell the family that you saw me, just keep this between you and me, Pinky promise?” Mirabel held out a pinky to her primo. Dolores might be the smartest in the house, and Camilo the sneakiest, but Mirabel knew that Antonio was more than he let on.

“Pinky Promise!”

Chapter Text

‘Shoot, What happened!’ Tears threatened to fall out of Mirabel's eyes. Mirabel knew that the miracle had changed, it was black and she‘s the one who has it! 

But the miracle is now actively hurting the family? She wanted them to see how their gifts weren’t used for good. It was the Miracle that made their community depend on them in the first place.

“Mirabel! Slow down, you’re still weak!” Tió Bruno ushered Mirabel to one of the old chairs within his makeshift living space.

Mirabel had only woken up a few days ago. The Miracle had sapped all of energy— leaving her weak and unsteady. It was apparent in the way her chest heaved and the permanent chill that stayed on her palms. 

“What’s wrong? Why are you running?” Bruno tried to calm down the younger. But comforting words were never quite his forte. 

“Antonio saw me, I kept him quiet..” Mirabel whispered through clattering teeth.

“Antonio, how did he see you?” 

“That’s not the point! Something happened with the family’s gifts, Antonio said they’re hurting them. Did you know about this?” Mirabel looked at Bruno. Her eyes looked like flames, she looked haggard and everything on her face screamed ‘Wrathful’.

Bruno inched back into his seat and put up his hands. “It was an involuntary vision! It was too distorted to make out a few of the images. I saw Isabela and Mamá, both of the images were too spaced out to be related.” 

Mirabel raked a careful hand through her hair. With a harsh sigh she rose her legs on the creaky couch. 

“I’m sorry Mirabel, I could've warned you.” Bruno looked down at the floor with a shameful expression. Out of the corner of her eyes, Mirabel could see the subtle knocks he did on the old wall.

“Don’t apologize, please. I shouldn’t have accused you or yelled at you— I don’t have an excuse, I shouldn’t have done it.” Mirabel's hands shook in her lap. She knew her tió had a bad past with his visions, and she just acted like all of them! The townspeople, her family, and Abuela..  

Time went by as the two sat in peace. Eventually Bruno got unnerved by the awkward silence. 

“We can see the vision again if you’d like? It could help if I had another set of eyes.” Bruno silently offered. It wasn’t a bad idea, seeing the vision again could give them a better perspective.

“That might help, maybe it’ll tell us something about the miracle. But only if you're okay with seeing the vision again.” Bruno seemed to contemplate making the vision. 

“Where are we going to do the vision? We don’t exactly have the most space within the Casitas walls..” 

“We could go by the river, it’s quiet enough.”

“We could risk being seen by someone— it’s not exactly the best way to lay low.”

“… I have an idea.”

—

Mirabel hid between the vases that blocked the rails of the stairway. “‘Tonio! 'Tonio!” She whispered loudly. She was careful not to alert Dolores— hanging closely by Antonio. 

The little boy turned his head to the noise until he saw her. 

“Mira!” Antonio barreled straight into Mirabel. 

She couldn’t help for a small laugh to escape her mouth. “Shh!” Mirabel carried the boy into the nursery.

“When are you coming back, it hasn’t been the same since you’ve been gone.” Mirabel’s heart cried for her primo. He didn’t have a clue of what was going on.

“I don’t know.” Mirabel patted Antonio’s head. “But it won’t be long.”

He looked at her with a confused expression. “Why are you here?”

“Well… I need a favor from you.”

--

Animal squawks and roars filled their ears. Antonio’s room had barely changed since his ceremony. At least the magic hadn’t interfered within the Casita. 

“Knock, knock on wood..” Bruno muttered and tapped on the tree trunks they happened to pass by. 

Antonio led them to an open spot near the center of his room. Bruno sprinkled sand around in a circle, marking the bounds. Finally he threw salt over his, Antonios, and Mirabel's shoulders.

“Wait, Antonio is going to view the vision?” Mirabel looked pointedly at Bruno.

“O-only if he wants to of course.” Bruno said with a nervous laugh.

Antonio’s face was screwed in confusion. A few beats passed by before his toucan perched on his small shoulder. 

“Sorry! I’ll pass, Pico doesn’t think it’s the best idea for me to stay.” 

“Alright, ‘Tonio. Stay safe.” Mirabel’s eyes followed his curls until eventually they disappeared from sight.

“Grab onto my hands, my visions tend to go a little askew…” Silence filled the once alive room, then wind started to pick up around the artificial jungle. Bruno’s eyes shot open like emerald beacons and the sand started to whirl and turn green.

Images started to pick up as the sand blew past their heads. Multiple silhouettes seemed to be featured in the sand, none of them had a discernible face to make out. 

“Mirabel! I c-can’t see— It’s all the same!” The sand moved violently against the two of them. Bruno’s control on his vision started to falter. 

“Just a little bit more!” Mirabel’s eyes skipped over images glowing in the sand. Suddenly, the images started to slow.

There! The miracle was shown on the vision, glowing dangerously. It wasn’t on its ledge and it looked as if it was dissolving in the sand.

The sand whirled fiercely against them; the candle was now gone. It seemed as if the seconds flew the vision became harder to decipher. 

“Bruno! What’s going on!” The sand flew together and seemed to merge into one sphere. “Mirabel! Step back!” His hand reached to grab her arm, but she was too far.
She didn’t listen. She sat frozen in place looking at the vision. Slowly, the sphere started to unravel. Then it happened.

A flower made its way visible in the sand. But it wasn’t any flower, it was an Orchid, specifically a Christmas Orchid. There was only one person in Encanto who was known for their orchids.

Isabela

‘Huh.’

“Well Bruno, looks like me and you are going to be seeing the family earlier than expected…”

Chapter Text

Mirabel and Bruno prepared leisurely for the rest of the day. 

Mirabel knew that today would be one to remember. So of course, it would have to be the statement piece in her plan.

She wore a dark teal skirt with the darker color matching closer to Bruno’s. Of course her trademark embroidery was still there but it was more subtle along the skirt’s side.

Bruno kept his forest green ruana that they washed over the night. When he recovered his ruana he discovered repatched borders and new embroidery. Even though they were unseeable, tiny dark green butterflies were found in the inside of his ruana.

“Sobrina…” Mirabel found a teary gaze cast upon her. 

“Hey, don’t cry on me tió! It was the least I could do!” Mirabel gave a small bright smile as she lifted his ruana for him to put on. Thankfully the ruana fit better on Bruno than it did before, it looked better too! (Maybe all it needed was a small wash..)

“Tió, you should wait inside here… If we randomly appear they’re bound to have more questions than we want.” Mirabel paused. “Once I visit Isabela I’ll come back.”

“That’s alright— I doubt it’d be a happy family reunion if we did that.” Bruno said with a small chuckle. Inwardly, both him and Mirabel cringed.

“Well.. I have to go get the candle.” Mirabel gave a somewhat awkward-pained smile in his direction. But it seemed as if Bruno understood immediately. “Of course— don’t rush yourself for me!” He returned.

Mirabel pushed back deeper into the walls of the house. The shadows seemed to swallow all of the available light within her vicinity, except for the bright beacon in the distance. 

The candle seemed less… wicked than when it first was made. It’s aura still did something to her, but she just couldn’t place it. The wax, the cries of her tío, and the shuttering of the Casita flushed back to her head at full pace. It put her within a trance of some kind— one filled with regret, sorrow. 

She grasped a soft hand around the black candle. She traced her hand around the carved markings of the candle. Then, she closed her eyes. She was plunged into a world of darkness. Whispers began to rise from each side of her body until the scene was illuminated fully. It was her ceremony. 

Little Mirabel stood at the bottom of the stairway. Her family stood at the beginning at the staircase. She rememberers wanted to be held, wanting this to end— she wanted this to end now!

Nausea filled her slowly as little Mirabel began to ascend the stairs slowly. She started to fidget with the middle of her dress, akin to what younger Mirabel was doing at the moment. 

She finally stood at the top of the stairs in all of her innocence. Small brown eyes glazed over the crowd then to her family. Quick smiles and a thumbs up from her Tió Felix were thrown out to her. Then her eyes finally landed onto her Abuela. She remembered how much she wanted to prove to her that the faith she put into her was well placed— that she was worthy of her love.

Small hands touched the golden candle, then they were placed onto the doorknob. One by one the glistening door flew away into flickers of light. Hushed whispers went over the crowd. She saw little her look at her Abuela in fear, but she quickly backed away from Mirabel.

Darkness flew back over her vision, then she was back in the walls of the Casita. Her hand was still on the candle, but now a light layer of wax covered it.

She lifted the candle into its holder. She then placed the candle into its capsule. She grabbed the capsule by its handle then quickly left her spot. 

She found Bruno by the entrance of the walls to the Casita talking to one of his rats. She couldn’t pick up much of the conversation before he noticed and the rat seemed to scurry away into the house.

“Are you alright Mirabel?” She could tell he picked up on her taking an extra amount of time to retrieve the candle. “It’s nothing, I promise. I just got lost..?” Mirabel gave a small laugh and Bruno seemed to buy it… maybe.

“I’m ready to see her, just please wait here for me.” 

Mirabel traveled from inside the walls until she was near the nursery. She knocked on the Casita’s wooden walls once to let her out of its walls.

Easing her ear on the blue door, she checked for any sound. 

‘Weird’

Now, Mirabel was used to being in an entirely silent house. The feeling had made up most of her childhood. 

But now? It was this eerie feeling— like knowing someone’s in a room with you but no one’s actually there. 

She held onto the candle’s holder with a vice-like grip. Mirabel slowly turned her hand on the door handle and stuck her head from the crack.

‘All clear’

Squeezing herself from the doorway, she shut it with all of the secrecy she could muster. That was one step down and many more to go. Great. 

She slinked along the middle of the upstairs corridor, careful to avoid staying too close to the doors and banister. 

Finally, she was in front of Isabela’s room. 

She observed the mural of the door closely. Orchids and gardenias lined around the magical door frame. The magic adorning the handiwork of the mural pulsed slowly. Another change since she got the miracle.

She was already in front of the door, there was no going back now. 

Mirabel clicked the door open and shut it just as swiftly as she came in.

Isabela’s room was filled with pink and purple flowers and blossoms. 

There was nothing unexpected there, she did grow them.

She hadn’t been in Isabela’s room since she was a toddler, and it had changed quite a lot since the last time she visited. 

Her room was silent. Nothing in her room signified her presence, except for the silhouette that appeared on top of her bed. 

She swept the entire room with her eyes. High walls, flower statues, and beautiful flower arrangements. Everything looked fine, that is until she looked at the ground.

Yellow and white flower petals made a scattered trail to Isabela’s bed. There were also pink petals on the ground, but maybe that wouldn’t be unusual. All three of those petals were something she had never seen Isabela make. Is it possible that she could be experimenting?

Mirabel’s gut twisted as she stalked against the trail of petals. Unconsciously, she fiddled with the candle’s capsule. 

Isabela’s silhouette crept clearly into view. She was hunched over, creepily still.‘ What could she possibly be doing?’ 

Mirabel swiped at the curtain to Isabela’s bed.

“I-Isa?”

Chapter Text

“I-Isa?”

She was hunched over on her bed. The original trail of flower petals led to Isabela’s small figure. And then those trails of flowers came from tangled loops that sprouted from her skin. 

“Mirabel?” 

Her face was one of shock, unsurprisingly, but she also looked weak. Her face was blotchy red all over and it looked like she could barely hold her eyes open. Instead of wearing her iconic lavender dress she wore a white nightgown. 

The second Isabela got a good look at her she shot up from her bed. 

“What happened to you?”

Isabela was still frozen in shock. Her body shook slightly in an erratic manner. Mirabel saw the way her eyes glazed over her body before locking with her own. 

“Isabela?”

Mirabel took a step forward. 

Isabela took two shaky steps backwards. 

“You’re sick, aren’t you?” 

Isabela didn’t answer. 

Mirabel walked closer to her sister. Isabela kept backing up until she eventually met the wall.

“ Please , let me help you.”

“Y-you.” 

‘Gods, there’s even something wrong with her voice.’ Isabela’s face snapped out of confusion into fury. Her knuckles were white as she continued to stare into her eyes.

“This is all your fault, isn’t it?”

Her shaking wouldn’t stop, in fact it got worse. 

“You're the reason t-the miracle is missing.” 

Mirabel slightly backed away from Isabela. It was obvious that she was sick and acting in anger. Standing too close to her would only freak her out more.

“I didn’t do anything I didn’t have to.” Isabela stopped looking her in the eyes. Instead, Mirabel realized what she was actually looking at.

The Miracle.

Isabela started to chuckle. A chuckle turned into a laugh. “I knew you stole the Miracle!” Isabela cut off her laughing and shouted loudly in her face. 

“Isabela, you need to calm down.” Mirabel remained passive. 

“Calm down? Calm down ?!”

“Yes. We need to have a rational conversation, sister to sister.” 

The room was filled with a dense silence. It felt like hours passed by as the two continued to stare into each other's eyes.

“Mirabel.” Isabela paused. “Y-you need to give me the candle.” 

“Absolutely not, I know you would give it back to Abuela.”

“ Pl— ease Mirabel.” Isabela looked worse than she did before. Plus, she knew her sister, she was never one to ask politely.

“No.”

Stillness filled the air between the two girls. 

All of a sudden, Isabela swiped at the Miracle’s holder. 

Mirabel forgot just how sly Isabela could be sometimes. She was both agile and cunning. Nothing unexpected from the eldest Madrigal daughter.

Isabela, The Graceful Madrigal. 

.

.

.

Well, it was hard to compare that persona to the Isabela she was face to face with now. Isabela might’ve caught her off guard, but she was far more sluggish than usual.

Invading Isabela’s attempt to take the Miracle, she took a few cautious steps backwards. 

But that didn’t matter, Isabela rushed at Mirabel once again. She reached out once again for the candle. In return she held the candle farther away from her. 

Isabela’s outstretched hand switched into fist, and without hesitation, she punched Mirabel in her face. 

‘C-Christ—’ Mirabel stumbled backwards. Her glasses flew off her face once Isabela’s fist connected with her face. She was dizzy and only had one hand to hold her sister back. 

Mirabel ran to put space between herself and Isabela.  She placed the Miracle’s capsule a considerable distance from herself. 

Not even a second after the Miracle left Mirabel’s grasp, Isabela had tackled her from behind. The two sisters fought on the ground. Isabela was sick and slower than usual. Mirabel couldn’t see and Isabela’s initial attack left her dazed.

“Just giv-e it up, Mira—bel!” Isabela tried to hold Mirabel’s hands down long enough for her to grab the capsule. Mirabel kept jerking away from Isabela’s grasp.

Isabela’s hands kept getting closer and closer to the Miracle. 

She’s trying to steal it from you

Mirabel snapped out of her trance and wiggled her way until she was kneeling on her knees. Isabela wrangled her arms around Mirabel’s neck. Once again, Mirabel was caught.

She desperately clawed at Isabela’s skin, but she simply wouldn’t let up. Her balance started to let up. She couldn’t breathe, nor see. Nausea started to crawl up her throat.

She couldn’t breathe

She couldn’t breathe

She couldn’t breathe

She couldn’t breathe

Make it stop.

Mirabel elbowed Isabela in her side— and did it hard. Once the impact hit, she fled from Isabela’s grasp to the candle.

She cradled the Miracle in between her hands. She was so close, so close, to losing it. Her vision and hearing weren't it’s best. Mirabel’s glasses were somewhere in this room and her ears were still ringing.

It took her a while to grab her bearings before she took in the fact that Isabela stopped charging at her. 

“I-Isa?” She walked closer to where a blurry form laid on the ground. As she got closer, Mirabel realized that Isabela was coughing terribly . She saw that Isabela was holding onto something green as well. ‘My glasses…”

Mirabel snagged the glasses from Isabela’s ( weak ) grip. Her vision started to clear once they were firmly back on her nose.

With her vision back in order, she was able to properly observe Isabela. She was a crumpled heap on the bed of flowers— mirroring how she looked earlier. 

But she was coughing, coughing up bloody flowers.

“ Isabela !” She ran to her sister's side. It all made sense. Antonio had warned her that her family’s gifts had changed, but this? 

The coughing fits?

The dizziness?

The trail of flower petals?

Isabela looked at Mirabel straight in her eyes. “Don’t you see?” She let out a bitter laugh. “Ever since you took the miracle I’ve been like this .” She waved her hands at the fallen petals.

“Màmà said that if my state keeps getting worse I could possibly die, Mira.”

Mirabel froze.

“I’ve studied old books detailing this type of ‘thing’ before. It starts with petals, the flowers, and then the whole root of it all.” 

“The disease progresses from your throat, then to your lungs. Eventually, the flowers could constrict my lungs, killing me from suffocation.”

Tears started to leak from the two sisters' eyes.

“I thought that entire book was some fairytale.” Isabela looked at her sister with a teary look. “I guess something like that wouldn’t be too far off, considering the entire family has gifts.” Mirabel squeezed her shoulder (comfortingly?). “ Well, except for you.”

“I’m sorry, Isabela.” Mirabel was crying next to Isabela’s side. Her sister was slowly dying. The Miracle, her gift, was killing her. She might’ve not interacted with Isabela as much growing up, but she still loved her.

“You shouldn’t be saying sorry.” Isabela’s heaving from earlier had calmed down— it made her voice meek and quiet. “Look at the flowers on the ground closely.”

Mirabel looked down at the flower-filled ground. It pained her to look at the flowers that caused her sister pain. Three flower buds immediately stood out to her eyes. 

White, Yellow, and Pink. All three of the flowers were different sizes and types. 

“Abuela made me study flower languages when I was younger, now , they actually came in handy.” Isabela took the yellow flower from Mirabel’s hand.

“This is a Yellow Striped Carnation.” Isabela toyed with the wilted petals. “It signifies refusal or rejection. I believe that this flower is for Mariano, I’ve never liked him— to me it was just a way to grow our family’s connection.” 

“Really?” Mirabel was confused. “You’ve always acted like you loved him.” 

Isabela chuckled bitterly. “After a while of doing this you become a good actress, hermana.” 

She tossed the yellow flower behind her while grabbing the pink flower in Mirabel’s hand. 

“Pink Camellias, these are for Abuela. I’ve always wanted her true love and respect.” Isabela leaned on Mirabel. “I guess after Abuela shunned you from the family— I figured anyone could be next.” 

Isabela wordlessly sat the flower next to her legs. She plucked the last flower from Mirabel’s hands.

“Lastly, all of these White Tulips are for you.” Isabela started to cry again. “I was always scared. For me, for the family, but especially for you.” 

Mirabel quirked up an eyebrow. “You? Worried for me— I find that hard to believe.”

Isabela ignored the subtle (but well deserved) jab at her.

“If I did one distasteful act in the eyes of the family I could end up just like you.” 

“Thank you for putting it… bluntly, Isa.”

Isabela glared weakly at Mirabel. “What I’m trying to say is, I’m sorry.” 

‘Wow, revelation after revelation… What a morbid way to say sorry...'

“Nothing will ever make up the years of neglect you went through.” She started to hiccup. “Despite that, I want to take the first step to help you again.” She said quietly.

.

.

.

‘Oh, Oh. Isabela was crying. I guess this is the part where I have to say something… ’

“I understand that you're… upset? But, I know the perfect thing to cheer you up.” 

Isabela looked at her from underneath her tears.

“How about…. A warm embrace?” 

“W-what?”

“You heard me, bring it in, Isa.” Mirabel shuffled the candle to her right arm, opening her left for a hug.

In a heartbeat, Isabela was crying— sobbing in her arms. “I-i’m so s-sorry, Mi-rabel!” 

Now, Isabela was babbling inside her arm. Mirabel had never seen her sister be so… vulnerable— it was a different sight for her.

She decided just to have this one. (Later she would deny the tiny smile that was plastered on her face.)

Time passed by between the two sisters as they stayed in their embrace. Isabela broke the silence.

“You’ve changed.” Isabela tilted Mirabel’s face closer to her, inspecting her like an overprotective mother.

“You have as well, your point?” Mirabel said that with more venom than she intended. She tried to avoid Isabela’s gaze.

“I know your eyes aren’t naturally purple. I know that you don’t look this fragile, Mirabel.” She didn’t answer Isabela. 

“Looks like the miracle is changing you as well, hm?” Isabela looked pointedly at her younger sister as she broke away from the hug. Mirabel hated to say it, but she was right, she was changing.

The two stared at each other awkwardly. 

“Everybody in the family has apparently changed, why wouldn’t I?” Now it was Isabela’s turn to shift underneath the question.

“I can’t make flowers anymore since the ‘incident’ . Unless you count the fact that they’re growing from my body.” Isabela changed the subject subtlety. Mirabel didn’t notice it.

“Have you actually tried since then?” 

Isabela frowned. “Of course! How do you think I noticed in the first place?” 

“ … ”

“I never understood why you would limit yourself to just flowers. Your gift has so much potential.” Mirabel lightly elbowed her, in the arm this time.

Isabela scoffed. “Blame that on Abuela, it’s all she wanted me to make.”

“Well, Abuela isn’t here right now, is she?”

“Uhm, no gift, remember?”

“Just try , trust me.”

Mirabel pulled Isabela to the flowery steps that led to her bed. The two sat down in silence. Time flew and nothing happened.

.

.

.

“What am I trying to do again?” Isabela said, confused.

“Make something different, try and surprise me.” 

“ I get that , but how?!” 

“What’s the feeling you get when you make your usual flowers?” 

“Nothing— I just make them to appease the town.” 

“Now, try to make it for yourself. It’s your gift.” 

Isabela took a deep inhale and closed her eyes. She tried to focus on the fascinating flowers and plants she read on. Yellow…. Blue.. Red— Green.

—Plip!

“Huh.” Mirabel looked at the plant. “A cactus—  that is pretty new for you.” 

In the center of the girls there was a small cacti. It wasn’t entirely devoid of flowers, a spiky red flower sprouted from its side.

“ Wow..” Isabela’s finger reached out to the interesting specimen. The cactus pricked her finger with one of its many needles. Surprisingly, the cacti grew from Isabela’s reaction.

Mirabel looked at her sister. Isabela was looking at the cactus with such amazement. It was hilarious, almost like watching a baby try ice cream for the first time. All of a sudden, Isabela went entirely silent.

“What else can I do…?” Isabela looked at the rest of her room. Everything was the same. Pink flowers and grassy statues. Maybe it was time for something different.

Isabela closed her eyes once again. There were many plants she could grow… How about something carnivorous? 

Pools of Sundew rained down from her room. They came off in yellow spirals with its red fringed leaves hanging off. They looked dangerous to Mirabel.

“Isa?” Mirabel inches away from the snapping plants. Her sister didn’t hear her nervous plea.

“What else can I do!” 

A gust of air blew Mirabel from the stairs. Blue flowers consumed her figure as she laid on the ground. ‘She definitely went overboard with these flowers.’ Isabela was prancing around her room, not even in a few minutes, her room had gone from pink to a vivid explosion of color.

Something averted Mirabel’s attention from Isabela. She uncovered herself from the stack of blue flowers. 

The Miracle was burning brightly inside its holder. The heat radiating from it alone felt like it could burn through the glass entirely.

‘Was Isabela doing this to the Miracle?’ Mirabel felt the power emitting from the candle. She was strengthening the Miracle. 

Isabela came barreling into Mirabel, causing the younger to stumble slightly forward.

Isabela was completely covered in pollen ( Mirabel was concerned for her lungs at that point ). Her white nightgown had been stained blue, with multicolored streaks going through it. Even her hair was a mess! Her room mirrored the state of her clothes. 

Isabela didn’t seem to be worried about her looks, in fact, she had the brightest smile Mirabel had seen on her face in ages. 

“Thank you so much!” Isabela enveloped Mirabel in a tight hug.  

“Don’t thank me, Isa.” Mirabel looked back down at the Miracle. “You’ve helped me more than you realize.” She said while returning the sisterly hug.

‘I know just how I can save our family.’

Chapter Text

The dining table was filled with Madrigal's favorite foods for breakfast. Honestly, Mirabel was impressed with how good of a cook Bruno was. It seemed like her Mamá’s skills rubbed off on him after all. 

Looking at the sight was almost bittersweet . 

Long had she wished to create a perfect atmosphere to spend time with her familia. But now? They probably hate her! Would she even have a family to cherish at the end of this? 

Talking with Isabela had been.. rough— now she had to handle all of them?

‘Honestly, I’ve ever had realized how often I’ve counted my chicks before they hatched… I guess Mamá was right about that part of me…’

Dust had begun to rest onto the wooden planks of the house. It was obvious that Casita’s spirit had faded, and so had the Madrigals. She’d cry on the day when the house resumes its bustling nature. Until then, she walked through the house with baited breath.

“Are you ready for this, Mirabel?” Bruno avoided eye contact, giving the plates around the large table a final touch up. He’d looked healthier since his last vision. It might’ve been small to anyone else, but it meant a lot to Mirabel that her Tío was getting better.

’One could only fathom how staying inside your family’s walls for over a decade can do to the mind.’

Mirabel decided that, yes, she really needs to check in on Bruno more. 

“Yep!” Mirabel chirped, whipping around to face her tío. She really hoped that the fear wasn’t evident on her face. “Go ahead and wake them all up— I’ll be here!” With that, Bruno strolled towards the rest of the family's rooms.

Taking a deep breath, Mirabel summoned just a little of her will for this family(?) reunion of a breakfast she decided to put together. 

For one last touch-up, Mirabel grabbed the candle holder and put it in the heart of the dining table. If it weren’t for the candles’ bizarre coloring and sporadic flaring, the scene would’ve looked… normal. But of course, Mirabel knew this would be the only time it would come close.

‘Dios mío, I hope I don’t come to regret this.’