I own nothing in this story. I hope you enjoy, also to answer a question I got last chapter, Ants are like the chihuahuas who think they're Great Danes, they listen to no one because they think they're the strongest creature just because they can carry fifty times their own weight. But that's really nothing in the grand scheme of things. In short ants are jerks.
The three girls and the hippo walked to Mirabel's sewing room.
"If this is going to work, Dolores needs to be as eye-catching as Isa, I doubt she'd say no to a new dress," said Mirabel.
She grabbed several yards of gold silk, and ruby red satin.
"We only have 5 hours Mira, that's not very long to make a brand new dress," said a worried Isabella
"It's plenty of time for me, especially when I have help," said Mirabel
"But I can only do basic mending and Isa doesn't sew," said Luisa with a frown.
"You can pin and Isa can cut, leave the actual sewing to me," said Mirabel. She had selected a pattern from a book on a shelf and began laying out the pattern onto the gold, using chalk to mark out her lines. She knew Dolores and Isa were almost the same sizes and a coati had swiped Dolores's Sunday outfit for a better reference. She planned on alternating the skirt in red, gold, red, gold ruffles to be more like sound waves.
Luisa and Isabella had never seen Mirabel work so fast on something, the whirr of the sewing machine filled their ears as the concentration on Mirabel's face was total. It took much less time than they thought it would, even the embroidery was swift as the needle flashed in and out of sight with Mirabel's skill.
When the dress was done Mirabel admired her handiwork with only an hour to spare.
"How? Not even the seamstress in town works that fast!" exclaimed Isabella
"I've spent nine years perfecting my skills and figuring out tricks with the machine to make the process faster," said Mirabel
"Let's go bring this to Dolores and get that dress from your closet for mama," said Isa
"I took care of that, a few coatis took it to bring to her, it's the blue and purple swallowtail one," said Mirabel
"How will she know it's for her?" asked Luisa
"Antonio will translate, they already know to get him for help since I've been busy today," said Mirabel as the girls walked.
As they exited the jungle room to look for Dolores, Isabella saw a ten-foot boa constrictor slither into the dining room.
"Um Mira, does Antonio know about what is going to happen tonight?" asked Isabella
"The snakes told him earlier while I was meeting with the rats," said Mirabel
She knocked on Dolores's door.
"Hi Mira, what do you need?" asked Dolores
"I made you this, I figured since the rest of us have new dresses you should have one too," said Mirabel, handing over the red and gold gown.
"Oh Mira it's gorgeous, I'll put it on right away," said Dolores
Suddenly Antonio came running over.
"Tia loves her new dress, she just didn't like the coatis in the kitchen, we need to keep an eye on them, they like causing trouble," said Antonio, Pico was on his arm and Parce was at his side
"Also Parce stole some queso when she wasn't looking," he laughed
"PARCE! You know better!" scolded River but to the ones who couldn't understand the animals, it sounded like the two felines were going to fight.
"Um, Mira…" said a very worried Luisa
"She's scolding him, she's his mother," said Mirabel, unconcerned.
"This is going to take a lot of getting used to," muttered Isa
Then Dolores came out of her room in her new dress.
"Oh Mira I love it," she said, hugging her cousin.
"Mariano's on his way," came Abuela's voice.
…
Casita was being stubborn tonight, Abuela noticed. First, it wouldn't let Antonio sit next to Pepa or any of his siblings, instead, it kept moving him next to Mirabel. Then it wouldn't let Mariano sit next to Isabella, moving him next to Dolores every time he tried to sit. Abuela tried to tell the house to cut it out but the magical home just wasn't listening. Eventually, everyone had to concede to Casita's seating arrangement, though Antonio seemed very happy to sit next to Mirabel and hadn't even tried to fight Casita as his chair was moved.
"Since everyone has a talent I thought we could see a bit, Luisa, could you bring over the piano?" asked Senora Guzman
"Ok," said Luisa, getting up to go fetch the piano from upstairs.
"Mirabel, we haven't seen you all day, where have you been? The children in town missed you," said Senora Guzman.
"I've been dealing with some problems for the animals around town, the bees had a slight grievance when Pa's ax hit a nest but thankfully they came to get me before stinging," said Mirabel
"It is wonderful that you have found a way to use your gift to help this community," said Abuela
Luisa returned with the piano.
"Sing for us Firebele," asked the butterflies as Agustin played with Felix's accompaniment on the tiple.
"Hm, alright," said Mirabel, standing up
"The butterflies have requested that I sing," said Mirabel
"Oh, they do seem to follow you around a lot after last night, go ahead Mira, serenade us all," said Senora Guzman.
Mirabel began to sing.
Dos oruguitas enamoradas
Pasan sus noches y madrugadas
Llenas de hambre
Siguen andando y navegando un mundo
Que cambia y sigue cambiando
Navegando un mundo
Que cambia y sigue cambiando
Dos oruguitas paran el viento
Mientras se abrazan con sentimiento
Siguen creciendo, no saben cuándo
Buscar algún rincón
El tiempo sigue cambiando
Inseparables son
El tiempo sigue cambiando
Ay, oruguitas, no se aguanten más
Hay que crecer aparte y volver
Hacia adelante seguirás
Vienen milagros, vienen crisálidas
Hay que partir y construir su propio futuro
Ay, oruguitas, no se aguanten más
Hay que crecer aparte y volver
Hacia adelante seguirás
Vienen milagros, vienen crisálidas
Hay que partir y construir su propio futuro
Dos oruguitas desorientadas
En dos capullos bien abrigadas
Con sueños nuevos
Ya solo falta hacer lo necesario
En el mundo que sigue cambiando
Tumbando sus paredes
Ahí viene nuestro milagro
Nuestro milagro
Nuestro milagro
Nuestro milagro
Ay, mariposas, no se aguanten más
Hay que crecer aparte y volver
Hacia adelante seguirás
Ya son milagros, rompiendo crisálidas
Hay que volar, hay que encontrar
Su propio futuro
Ay mariposas, no se aguanten más
Hay que crecer aparte y volver
Hacia adelante seguirás
Ya son milagros, rompiendo crisálidas
Hay que volar, hay que encontrar
Su propio futuro
Ay mariposas, no se aguanten más
Hay que crecer aparte y volver
Hacia adelante seguirás
Ya son milagros, rompiendo crisálidas
Hay que volar, hay que encontrar
Su propio futuro"
She finished and noticed Abuela had silent tears down her cheeks.
"Mira, how do you know that song?" asked Pepa
"Mama used to sing it as a lullaby and the butterflies hum it a lot," said Mirabel as she sat back down.
They all ate with very little chatter until the middle of the meal when no one noticed Mirabel tap her foot three times under the table, no one except the boa constrictor under Dolores's chair. Mariano had just stood up when the snake popped its head out to Dolores.
Her screech broke the glass in Abuela's hand, and she jumped into Mariano's arms.
Mirabel hid her smirk with her juice glass, all according to plan.
"Dolores what in heaven's name is wrong!" asked Abuela
"S-snake!" exclaimed Dolores, clinging to a startled Mariano.
He stood there with a terrified young woman in his arms, totally unsure of what to do. He didn't know if it was Senora Pepa's doing or not but it literally felt like he had been struck by lightning as he stared at the red and gold vision clinging to him like a koala.
"Um, hi," she squeaked.
"Marry me," he said
"Yes," she said breathlessly,
Through the chaos, no one noticed Isabella's victory pump.
"Oh dear, Sol, I thought I told you to stay in the room," said Mirabel, no one saw her give a small wink to the snake.
"I'm so sorry Dolores, he is a very friendly little guy and I think he wanted you to scratch his head, he wouldn't hurt a fly though," said Mirabel
The snake nodded enthusiastically before Antonio stroked the scales on his head.
Mariano set Dolores down.
"Mama, Senora Madrigal, I have decided I wish to marry Dolores instead, no slur on Senorita Isabella but I feel I may have been blinded to the beauty of Senorita Dolores until she trusted me enough to protect her from perceived danger, however, I must say that it may have been me who jumped if it had been a spider," said Mariano
"No hard feelings Mariano, Dolores needs a knight in shining armor more than I do, I'm sure you two will be good for each other, she adores poetry," said Isabella, not breaking her composure.
"I can't believe that actually worked," Luisa mouthed to her little sister who just smiled.
Abuela just stood there shocked, with no idea what to say or do. But nothing looked ruined and Mirabel did scold the snake and Isabella didn't look upset in the slightest.
"Is it just me or did that all seem like something out of a fairytale?" asked Camillo
"Says the shapeshifter who got his gift from a magic candle and lives in a sentient house," smirked Mirabel
…
Later that night Mirabel was tucking Antonio into his hammock when Dolore walked in.
"Thank you, Mirabel, I know you planned all of that, but next time please don't try and give me a heart attack," said Dolores hugging her cousin.
"How did you know it was me?" asked Mirabel
"Because Casita wasn't listening to Abuela and the only other person who talks to it is you, the moment it kept moving Mariano next to me I suspected something was up but no more snakes next time please," said Dolores
"Why not? They're as cute as puppies when they want attention," said Mirabel
"I don't doubt that but I'm fine staying 100 ft away from them," said Dolores with a shiver.
"You're lucky Sol was so willing to help, my next bet would have been the spiders and your prince would have ended up in your arms," laughed Mirabel
"Or both of us on the floor," shuttered Dolores