Alma didn't get any sleep the night of Mirabel's disastrous gifting ceremony. She was far too anxious to even think of relaxing. Their family had been given a gift, a second chance at life, and it was only fair that they use this magic they had to give back to the community. Encanto had saved her family, so now it was their turn to save Encanto
The people of Encanto looked to them and their gifts. They needed to lead the way and set an example. If they didn't have the magic they would let their people down, and they wouldn't have the strength to keep them safe if the worst happened. What if Mirabel's lack of a gift was a sign that the magic was running out? Would the rest of the family lose their gifts? Or would they keep their gifts, but no-one else would receive the miracle? Was Camilo the last Madrigal to be gifted?
Alma didn't know what the future held for her family or her people. She'd lost her home and family once, and she didn't think she was strong enough to go through it all over again. If something was wrong she needed to know about it now, so while she couldn't see the future she had a son who could.
Alma knew that Bruno didn't like using his powers. It overwhelmed him, gave him a bad reputation around Encanto, and confused everybody else in the family, as they never knew whether he was just joking around or if he'd had a vision.
She gave him some leniancy with using his powers, only because the people of Encanto were so afraid of him. Alma knew that Bruno wouldn't intentionally hurt anybody, but when bad things happened people wanted somebody to blame, and her son was an easy target.
Alma hated hearing about all of the horrible nonsense that people spoke about her boy, and she was also worried about how his reputation might come to reflect poorly on the family as a whole. Once Dolores and Isabela were old enough to get their gifts Alma allowed Bruno to keep his glimpses into the future at a minimum.
She believed that if the people went a period of time without having to fear Bruno's visions, and if they could get used to the gifts that the newest generation of Madrigals brought with them, then their reputation could improve once again.
Sometimes though there was an emergency and they needed Bruno to have one of his visions, and tonight was one such instance. Alma needed to know if there was more to fear than just a single child not receiving a gift.
She had asked Bruno several hours ago to look into the future, and she refused to go to bed until she got an answer. It was taking longer than usual for Bruno to come down from his tower. There could be a multitude of reasons for this. He could be dragging his feet and procrastinating because he didn't want to have a vision. His prophecy could have been so large that he was drained of all his energy and needed all this time to recover.
The reason why he was taking so long didn't matter. Alma would be right here as soon as he was ready to report on his vision.
She stayed up all night and barely felt tired when she heard a frantic knocking on her door that was far too harsh to be from Bruno. Alma frowned and tore her gaze away from the candle she'd been watching all night. She stood up, put on her black shawl, hoping that it would give her at least a little bit of strength, and went to the door.
Alma was about to open the door when Félix cleared his throat from the other side.
"Alma, we have a bit of a family situation going on." Félix said. "It's about…well, I think you should come talk to your daughters." Before Alma could even get a word in to ask about more she heard the sound of her son-in-law running off, probably fearing her ire. Félix was far from a coward. If he was worried about her reaction, then perhaps the family situation truly was serious.
Alma clutched tightly at her shawl. She looked at the candle, which was still burning as brightly as it ever did. Flames could be so fickle though. They could go out just as quickly as they could flare up and spread. She hoped that this was just about Mirabel's lack of a gift. She didn't know if she could handle more than one family emergency at a time.
Alma stared at the candle for a long moment before she got herself ready for the day. She would rather deal with the situation right away, but she knew how important appearance could be. Her family looked to her to lead them. If she didn't look in control, their confidence in her might falter and they might panic.
Alma took just a minute or two to get ready. She left her room and found the courtyard and balcony hallways quiet and empty. It wasn't too early in the morning. By now she should be able to see Luisa working out, or Camilo shapeshifting into everybody he could think of, even though his parents told him no shapeshifting until after breakfast. Where was everybody?
Alma couldn't even see Félix, who had just been at her door. He had told her to talk to her daughters. Perhaps everybody was in their rooms. Alma went to Julieta's room and knocked on the door before letting herself in. Julieta was there sitting on her bed. She looked like she'd just been crying.
"Mija, are you alright?" Alma approached her daughter. Julieta wasn't the type to cry. She hadn't even cried last night when they had argued about Mirabel. Was this because of the situation that Félix had mentioned. "What's wrong?"
"Bruno, he-" Julieta started.
"Is this about his vision?" Alma's anxiety about the family's miracle heightened. "Did he tell you about it? What did he see?"
Julieta's brow furrowed as she wiped the tears from her eyes. She sat up and stared at her mother. "Y-you asked him to have that vision." Julieta narrowed her eyes. Alma saw a familiar look of fierce protection in her eyes. She'd seen that look aimed at her a lot last night. "You…this is because of that vision. This wouldn't have happened if he hadn't had that vision."
"What did he see?" Alma asked insistantly. She tried to take Julieta's hands, but her daughter pulled them out of her grip.
"I don't know." Julieta said tearfully. "I don't…I didn't want to hear it, and now…" Julieta's face fell. She looked like her world was falling apart around her. If this wasn't because of a knowledge of something terrible that the future held, why was she so upset?
"This wasn't worth it." Julieta said. "Whatever that vision held, whatever he saw, it wasn't worth this."
"What are you talking about?" Alma asked. What could possibly be so wrong?
"Mamá," Julieta gave her a heartbroken look. "Bruno's missing. None of us can find him."
Hearing that her son was missing would terrify any mother, but Alma's concern was overwhelmed by her frustration with her son.
"Has anybody checked his vision cave yet?" Alma asked.
"I-I checked his room." Julieta said. "I didn't go up the tower though. I think Pepa was searching for him. But Mamá, I don't think Bruno's there."
"We won't know for sure until someone checks for themselves." Alma said. She left her daughter's room. Knowing Bruno, she wouldn't be surprised if he was hiding in his room, too terrified to come down and talk about his vision. Although, he must have come down at some point, as Julieta at least knew that he'd had a vision in the first place. Had Bruno just returned to his room?
Alma made her way to Pepa's room, letting herself in. She could immediately feel the wind whipping around her. Pepa was clearly upset, just like Julieta. It hurt to see her daughters so upset, but Alma couldn't take the time to coddle them. She needed to find Bruno, get him to tell her what his vision was about, and then pull him into the arms of his distressed sisters.
"Pepa, did you search Bruno's cave?" Alma asked. Pepa, who was pacing around furiously while a rain cloud followed her, gave her mother a tense look.
"No." Pepa said. "I'm not going into that room."
Alma knew that her daughters didn't like Bruno's room, but wasn't it worth it to find her supposably missing brother?
"I'll just have to do it myself." Alma left Pepa's room, making her way to the tower. She faltered slightly when she saw Bruno's door. The glow was out. Alma knew that sometimes while her children were using more of their powers than usual then the glow would brighten, but she'd never seen it dim or go out.
Alma could only think of three reasons why the glow would go out completely. The door was connected to Bruno's magic, and the magic was connected to Encanto. If Julieta was right and Bruno had left, he might not be connected to the magic once he had left the valley. Alma didn't know if that was the case, but it was always a possibility.
If Bruno had died, he would certainly not be connected to his magic anymore, but Alma didn't want to even consider that possibility. She needed to believe that her son was okay. She had seen her little boy last night, and she refused to think that he could be gone for good.
The last reason why Alma thought the door's glow might have gone out was because her son had used far too much of his power when he had his vision last night and now he needed a rest before he could use his powers again. Alma hadn't known any of their gifts to have a limit, but Bruno's gift of prophecy had always been different from everybody else's powers.
Alma hoped that last possibility was the case, because the alternatives were not things that she wanted to think about. She pushed aside the feeling of just how wrong this was and entered the room. Sand was falling everywhere, but Alma paid it no mind. She began the trek up the stairs, hoping that she would find her son in his cavern, curled up in a pile of sand, having lost all track of time.
As Alma walked up the stairs she looked back on the last time she had seen her son. It had been last night, just two hours after she'd asked him to have his vision. He'd been so nervous and upset, and he'd said things that made no sense. Alma had thought that he still hadn't had the vision yet, and that was what he was worked up about, but now she wasn't so sure.
Alma spent most of the night in her room, but sitting around just made her feel more nervous. Hours after she thought everybody else had gone to sleep, or at least gone to their rooms, Alma left her own room just to go for a quick walk around Casita. She had planned on just walking around the balcony a few times before returning to her room, but as she went she saw a shadow moving around the courtyard below. It was too dark to see more than just a figure, but there were only five other adults in the house, and only one of them would be hunched in on themself.
"Bruno?" Alma said. Her voice wasn't too loud, but her son seemed to jump out of his skin anyway. He stumbled and tripped over himself, landing on the ground in a painful looking way.
Casita rearranged itself, forming a staircase. Alma made her way down into the courtyard to see her son, who hadn't picked himself up from off the ground. "Brunito, are you alright."
"I-I don't know." Bruno said. He curled his legs up close to his chest and buried his face in his legs. "I don't know, I don't know, I don't…I don't think so."
"Did you have your vision?" Alma asked. Bruno let out a dry chuckle.
"I, uh, I just needed to think for a few minutes. Clear my head a little, you know?" Bruno said.
"It's been far longer than a few minutes." Alma said, unimpressed. She could tell that her son was struggling, but this was important. The good of the family, of Encanto, might rely on this vision. Sometimes people had to make sacrifices and do things that they didn't want to do for the greater good.
Bruno sighed. "I know." He started to uncurl. Bruno very slowly stood up. He looked like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. "I-I know what I need to do, I'm just…afraid."
Bruno took in a shuddered breath. "I-I don't want to do this. I really don't want to do this." Alma couldn't clearly see Bruno's face, as it was too dark, but she could hear his voice break. He sounded devastated, pained, and so heartbroken that it was as though he'd never be happy again. Hearing that tone from her son hurt. Alma had never wanted her children to be in pain, and she especially didn't want to be responsible for it. This pain was necessary, they both knew it, but that didn't make it hurt any less.
"I know, mijo." Alma said sympathetically. She opened her arms. Bruno didn't hesitate to barrel into her and lean into her hug. She ran a hand through his hair. He sobbed and clung to her as though he was planning on never letting go. Alma had never seen him so upset about having to have a vision. Did it really scare him that much? She would have to talk to him about this later, to see if they could figure out how he could use his gift without suffering so much each time.
If they'd been able to figure out how to use Pepa's rain to help the farmers without forcing her to get sad and cry on command, and if they could find ways to provide Dolores some relief when all the noise got too much for her, then they could find a way to help Bruno. For now though they really needed this vision about the future of the family's magic.
"I know it's hard." Alma said. "But remember, this is for the good of the town, for our family."
"I know." Bruno muttered. He tightened his grip on her. "I-I love you, Mami. No matter what happens, no matter what the vision means, I'll always love you, and everyone in this family. You know that, don't you?"
His tone scared her. Alma pulled back and looked at Bruno. Between the moonlight and the light from the candle in her window there was just enough light for her to see his face, and it startled her.
Maybe it was the poor lighting, but when Alma looked at Bruno she didn't see a tired man who was overwhelmed by his gift and the responsibilities that came with it. Alma saw her son and all she could see was the eyes of a man who was terrified, but unflinchingly determined to do whatever was necessary to protect his family. She saw someone who would give up his own happiness, his own life, for somebody else's well being.
She saw Pedro.
"Brunito." Alma said breathlessly. Bruno gave her a very small smile.
"I need to go." Bruno said. He wiped his eyes and took a hesitant step back, and then another, and soon he was walking away from her. Watching him go, Alma was absolutely terrified. Her instinct demanded that she go to her son, hold him close, and never let him go. But she couldn't move. She couldn't do anything but watch as he went up the stairs and disappeared into his room.
Alma's chest was tight and she felt like she was just one disaster away from completely breaking down. The last time she'd seen a man she loved look at her with that look in his eyes as he told her that he loved her, she'd lost her husband.
Alma took a deep breath and clutched her shawl tightly. She was sure that her son was okay. He was just going into his room. Nothing in their home could hurt him. Alma wasn't going to lose her son the way she had lost her husband. He was just going to his room to use his gift and have a vision. Despite his conflicted feelings, Bruno's visions couldn't really hurt him.
Alma blinked back some tears of her own. She had to take a few minutes, but eventually she was able to find the will to return to her room. Everything would be alright. She just needed to give Bruno a little more time, and then he would tell her about his vision. Their family was safe. They had to be.
When Alma reached the top of the stairs her legs were tired, but her soul was determined to continue. The bridge from the stairs to the cave was beginning to fall apart, but Alma was still able to cross it. She found herself in Bruno's cave, and her son was nowhere in sight. There were no glowing visions on the ground. All Alma could see was sand and emptiness.
"Bruno?" Alma called into the room. Her voice echoed through the empty chamber. She ignored the tightening of her chest. "Mijo, answer me, please." There wasn't a single sound, and Alma knew that Bruno wasn't in here. He had never ignored her when he'd heard her calling for him. Even when he was really young and they would play hide-and-seek while he was really good at hiding he would always come out once she called for him, causing him to be the first of his siblings to be found.
If he had answered her call when they were playing a game, then he would answer her at a time like this.
"Brunito." Alma felt like her heart was torn in half. Her children were her family, her life. Everything she had done, everything that Pedro had done, had been for their sake. She didn't know for certain that something had actually happened to Bruno, but even just the thought that something was wrong tore Alma apart.
She couldn't forget that look in his eyes last night. Of her three kids Bruno had always been the one that resembled Pedro the most, and that had never been more obvious than last night. Alma didn't think she would ever be so scared to see Pedro in Bruno's eyes.
It should be a wonderful thing for her children to be living reminders of their father, but Alma would give up every reminder she had of Pedro if it meant that history wouldn't repeat itself.
She needed to find her son. She needed to hold him in her arms. She needed to remind him, as well as herself, that Encanto was their safe haven. They were here so that they wouldn't have to be threatened and chased out of their homes anymore. There shouldn't be any reason for Bruno to look like he was about to march to his death.
He should never have to look like Pedro had that night.
Alma cast one more look around the cave before she hurried back down the stairs. She was tired, both because of the climb and because of the long night she'd had, but she refused to rest. She couldn't. Not until after she'd found Bruno, wherever he had gone.
She had let him walk away from her last night, even though everything in her soul had insisted that she stop him. She wasn't going to make that mistake again. She had to find Bruno, because she wasn't going to lose another family member. She wasn't strong enough to go through that experience again.