.｡.· ਉl̈́ਉ ﾟ ʚῖɞ.｡.· ਉl̈́ਉ ﾟ ʚῖɞ.｡.· ਉl̈́ਉ ﾟ ʚῖɞ.｡.·
Dolores was woken by the sound of grain being tipped into a feed box. Standing up she saw Mirabel leaving one donkey stall and entering another depositing grain into that feed box as well "Well look at scary evil Mirabel now. Part time villain part time donkey caretaker." she chuckled.
"I tend to the donkeys in exchange for getting to sleep here otherwise I would be sleeping on the side of the road." Mirabel exited the stall "I still think they are dumb stinky animals though."
"So the donkeys get to eat everyday but we don't?"
"Well there's plenty of grain and hay around here, help yourself."
Dolores gave a snort of mild amusement reaching up to pull the straw out of her hair "Can I borrow your hairbrush?"
Mirabel frowned "What hairbrush?"
"You don't own one?"
"I thought it was obvious."
Dolores scanned Mirabel's unkempt hair and smirked "Oh I thought that was a style choice." ignoring the look Mirabel shot her she used her fingers to comb the straw to comb the straw out of her hair, once done she went to tie her hair up in her usual style when she noticed Mirabel watching her "What?"
"I like your hair down, you should keep it like that." Mirabel turned away climbing up to the hayloft.
Dolores looked down at the bandanna in her hand deciding to leave her hair down but still tying a bow in her in hair and if Mirabel said anything about it she'll point out Mirabel has a bandanna bow herself. Looking up she was surprised to see Mirabel sitting in the rafters "Is that safe?"
"Probably not."
Dolores shook her head as she found a spot to sit down. Now what? She listened in to the Madrigals who were just sitting down for breakfast she heard her name and became more interested.
"Dolores didn't come home last night." Pepa said.
Pepa felt a tug of guilt when she heard the worry in her mothers voice but it was replaced by anger with Alma's comment.
"I keep telling you she's doing it for the attention once she realises it's not working the way she wants she'll come back. And is in some serious trouble when she does. Disobeying my direct orders like that."
Dolores rolled her eyes gee glad to know you're so concerned about my welfare Alma she scoffed "Alma is saying I'm doing all this for attention. Ain't she going to be in for a surprise."
Mirabel chuckled from above her "Alma Madrigal deserves everything coming to her. What else are the Madrigals saying?"
Dolores listened a smile of amusement forming on her face.
"If Mirabel punches me again I'm going to punch her back I don't care what you say Julieta." Bruno snarled.
"I refuse to believe Mirabel would just 'attack' you for no reason Bruno. You did something." Julieta snapped back.
"But she did! I accidentally bumped into her I apologised but she punched me anyway."
Dolores snorted "Bruno said he 'accidentally' bumped into you and he apologised but you still punched him anyway."
"Oh of course that's the story he is spinning." Mirabel scowled "And Alma is just lapping it up isn't she?"
Dolores listened for a moment looking up to Mirabel "Of course she is, she is calling you a monster."
Mirabel sighed rolling her eyes "I won't deny that but monsters don't just happen, there is a reason why I'm bad. It's her own dang fault." Mirabel looked down at Dolores with narrowed eyes "I'm the 'tainted Madrigal', a stain in a perfect family. Alma only wanted perfection, but a monster was all she released and soon they will all know the toll."
Nodding in silent agreement Dolores continued listening but nothing interesting seemed to be happening, Alma just assigned everyone their chores for the day and dismissed the family ignoring Pepa when she asked if she was going to send out another search party for Dolores. Dolores leaned back with a frown she knew if it was Isabela that was missing Alma would be throwing everyone out the door to search for her. Not that she really cared, she wasn't a Madrigal anymore. She was a...well she wasn't exactly sure. "Madrigals are out and about."
"And that is my cue." Mirabel climbed down from the rafters and headed towards the barn door.
"Where are you going?"
"Out." was all Mirabel would say as she closed the door behind her.
"Oh don't tell me to much now." Dolores muttered sarcastically rolling her eyes. Now left alone in the barn Dolores noticed one of the donkeys staring at her "What? Why are you staring at me like that? Mirabel making you stay in your stall today huh?" the donkey blew out of it's nose and turned away "Nice talking to you to." she looked up back to the rafters and noticed the hole in the roof noticing if she sat in a particular spot she can look right out of it. Ah so that's what Mirabel does with her day. Climbing the ladder to the hayloft she tried to work out how Mirabel did it climbing onto a box she found Mirabel's foot hold and pulled herself up and was soon looking out over the town. A look of disgust spread across her face as she watched a crowd gather around Bruno.
Even from here she could recognise Mirabel leaning against a wall glaring at Bruno with as much hate she could muster before walking away Dolores following her with her eyes until she went around a corner out of sight. Returning to staring at Bruno. Why did people like him so much? She didn't get it.
She focused her hearing on Alma finding she was talking with Isabela with private...well private to everyone except Dolores.
"Isabela has Dolores said anything to you that would indicate anything?"
"No...oh wait. I did hear her about talking about Mirabel."
"When was this?"
"The day she took off with Antonio, I overheard her telling him about her while waiting for dinner."
Dolores could almost hear the frown she knew was spreading across Alma's face.
"What was she saying exactly?"
"She was saying for Antonio to stay away from her but I have reasons to believe she knows more about what Mirabel is up to than she is letting on."
"What do you mean?"
"She admitted to me that she hears Mirabel rant about us every day. And looks like she isn't reporting it to you. Dolores knows much more than she's telling you Abuela."
"How could she keep something like this from me?"
"Maybe she's not loyal to us after all, maybe she's on Mirabel's side and is protecting her and this whole time she's being spying on us for Mirabel. And think of it we all checked everywhere yesterday expect for one place...that barn. I bet you she has run to Mirabel."
Dolores would laugh at the accusation but it was the truth..now anyway. She was on Mirabel's side and she was spying on the Madrigals for Mirabel. She was impressed though Isabela figured it out so quick, maybe she was smarter than Dolores gave her credit for. Realising she had missed the first part of what Alma had said in response she turned her attention back to that.
"...but if Dolores has truly betrayed us then she shall be considered to be the same as Mirabel. She shall forever been known as a traitor to the Madrigal family she will never be allowed to return to Casita. Never to be be associated with us again."
Aww you make me not having to deal with your crap anymore sound like a punishment. Dolores smirked.
"Right well you go see Mariano, Isabela. I'm going to check that barn for Dolores...if she's there I swear to God..."
Crap. Dolores looked down she had to hide she slowly lowered herself down to the box she used to climb up on hiding behind a large stack of hay that would hide her from view to anyone on the ground floor below waiting as she heard Alma come closer and closer.
Alma barged through the barn door turning her face up in disgust the moment the smell hit her eyes scanning the barn searching for any sign of Dolores but there was nothing there, no sign of Mirabel either. Alma's eyes landed on the bag of fruit Mirabel stole the day prior and huffed as she walked over to pick it up "Stolen goods no doubt." she looked around the barn again "Hmph she's not here after all." turning around she left taking Mirabel and Dolores's whole food supply with her slamming the door behind her.
Dolores looked out from behind the hay a instant scowl on her face when she realised that yes Alma had indeed taken their food. Even if she didn't know about Dolores living here now she at least knew that was all the food Mirabel had. She took it to starve Mirabel even more. Wow...just wow hope she chokes to death on her next meal. Dolores looked down at her stomach as it growled she was not used to skipping meals she was hungry. All she had since breakfast yesterday was a single piece of fruit and now their entire food supply was gone.
Dolores didn't need the gift of seeing the future to know this was going to piss Mirabel right off.
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Interesting...they are just going on about their day like nothing has happened Mirabel mused to herself as she watched the family aside from the cloud that followed Pepa everywhere she went the Madrigals were going about their day like nothing was wrong.
Was she surprised though? Not really the perfect Madrigals will never admit something is wrong. Mirabel finding nothing interesting she decided to just return to the barn to find see if Dolores had heard anything. Pushing her way through the door she was greeted by scowling Dolores.
"I heard Isabela tell Alma that she thinks I'm loyal to you and am spying on the Madrigals on your behalf so Alma came here looking for me. I hid."
"So nothing came from it?"
"Alma stole our food."
"What. Are you serious right now?"
Dolores gave a slight nod "Took the whole lot calling it 'stolen goods' but if you ask me it's not the fact you stole it she is worried about. She just wants you to starve."
Mirabel hit the wall in frustration "That was supposed to last us a few days."
Really? That was a few days worth of food for two people? Dolores scoffed "Well Alma doesn't care about that does she? You could drop dead from starvation right now and she wouldn't care. Probably wants that."
"I'm going to have to go out again tomorrow and get more." Mirabel growled "Hear anything else interesting?"
"Nope, when I do I'll tell you." Dolores could tell just like she predicted Mirabel was in a foul mood over the food she did not speak but her body language told her all she needed to know. Her eyes suddenly rose and she looked towards the door before running for the hayloft to hide.
Mirabel watched her in confusion before the sounds of footsteps and the familiar whistling came into her hearing range. The door was pushed open and Elonzo Pérez entered completely unaware his barn now had a new resident. Mirabel's eyes followed him as he entered a stall and harnessed up a donkey, he must of felt her eyes on her because he turned to look at her. Mirabel gave a small nod as a greeting but didn't speak just watching as he lead the donkey out closing the door behind him. She leaned against a wooden pillar "You're clear."
Dolores climbed back down grumbling "That is going to get real annoying real fast."
"Hmm well you don't have to run and hide like a scared little mouse."
"I'm not scared, but if he saw me in here he'll run right to Alma and blab to her about where I aim." Dolores used her hand to mimic a mouth moving to speak "Why would I be scared of that idiot? Never stopping to question how his stupid donkeys keep getting out just getting Luisa to bring them back. Which by the way I know you let them out on purpose."
Mirabel chuckled "Well I have to do something to entertain myself don't I? Try it sometime it's quite fun."
Dolores just rose an eyebrow as she went to sit down. She started to wonder about Antonio. She was worried now she wasn't there she couldn't save him from the toxic influence of the others. How could make sure he falls under the influence of herself and Mirabel without the rest of the Madrigals finding out? Did she feel bad about manipulating and tricking Antonio like planned? Of course she did and it's going to end with them basically kidnapping him. But it was it was for the best. For them anyway...for the rest of the Madrigals not so much.
She looked down at her scars, how was she going to explain them to him? They were impossible to miss even if she did get something to cover the ones on her arms and legs there was still the scar on her face, head and neck. Would he be scared? He wasn't scared of Mirabel with the scars but that is the only way he has ever known her. But if she was suddenly to appear to him all scarred up it would be different.
"How long are you planning on hiding from them?"
Mirabel's voice startled Dolores "I...don't know."
"Well the sooner you reveal whose side you're now on the sooner you can stop hiding."
"Thanks for pointing out the obvious."
"Well, I'm just saying. Unless you're afraid of the Madrigals."
Dolores snapped her head around to give Mirabel a look "I'm not scared! Why do you want me to reveal myself so bad anyway? It's only been a day."
"I want to see their reactions." Mirabel chuckled under her breath "That's all, it's going to be the best thing I have seen in years."
"You'll get to see it. Don't worry."
Mirabel smiled "And I do look forward to it." she began to pace back and forth "And I have been thinking..."
"You've been thinking? Well that can't be good."
Mirabel ignored Dolores's comment "You know in my own opinion I have a way with words...I can make people feel a certain way about themselves."
"What's your point?"
"I'm just thinking I could mess with the Madrigals kill their spirit just like they killed mine. And I don't have to make it obvious either."
Dolores rose an eyebrow in confusion for a moment before she realised what Mirabel was hinting at "You want to gaslight the Madrigals?"
"Something like that."
"Whatever for?"
Mirabel chuckled again "For fun. And you're more than welcome to join in."
Dolores watched as she continued her pacing "You're going to wear out the floorboards if you keep pacing. Sit down and let us chat. I would love to get to know my long lost primita." a smile was on her face as she leaned back arms folded.
"Primita?" Mirabel tilted her head "Could it be? A Madrigal actually admitting relation to me?"
"I'm not a Madrigal anymore." Dolores reminded her as she gestured with her hand for Mirabel "So sit down and let us have a friendly chat just cousin to cousin."
"A friendly chat?"
"We are partners now aren't we? If we are really going to do this together we need to be able to work as a team and to be able to work as a team we need to know each other. So..."
"Fine." Mirabel groaned and sat down next to Dolores "But there is not much more to tell you that you don't already know. I live in this smelly barn and have since my fifth Birthday. I'm forced to steal to be able to eat, I had to teach myself to treat my injuries and teach myself to make the clothes I'm wearing right now. That's my life."
Dolores's eyes scanned the rauna Mirabel was wearing the detailing impressed her she would admit "You made that?"
"Mhmm. I made all my clothing."
"Wow." Dolores looked at Mirabel's skirt pointing at it "Your skirt is really nice, I like the little tassels."
Mirabel glanced over to Dolores "Oh and I just love what you did with your skirt, the huge rip in it really adds to your whole look." Mirabel's voice dripped with sarcasm "Seriously though I can fix that."
Dolores looked down at the huge rip "It's fine for now."
"Suit yourself."
"Hey hey I think I hear something." Dolores titled her head slightly to the side "And I'm so dead."
"What is it?"
"Isabela went into my room...she found my diary...and Alma is reading it."
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Alma's scowl grew deeper and deeper with each entry she read. How could Dolores write such vile things about her own family? As she progressed she found Dolores had starting writing about what she would hear Mirabel muttering about. "How could she not report any of this?"
Isabela was smiling pleased at her discovery "Like I said earlier, she is probably protecting Mirabel we all know she has been acting oddly lately, always moody and temperamental. Just because she wasn't at the barn today does not mean she isn't involved in some manner. I say it's worth investigating at the very least, but of course it's up to you Abuela."
Alma kept reading as Dolores's words became harsher and harsher she could almost feel the resentment behind the words she paused at page not believing what she was reading in the form of Dolores distinctive handwriting.
With each day that passes the more I'm starting to see from her point of view.
I mean I would hate us to if I were her, living in that damn barn never knowing the feeling of a full belly.
I don't regret buying her that meal from the café nor letting her take the food from Antonio's ceremony and I have entertained the idea of dropping food off for her but if I got caught I'll be so dead and Mirabel probably wouldn't accept my help anyway prideful as she is.
I can't help but wonder though...about this family...that maybe Mirabel is right. The things she says intrigue me.
"Dolores thinks that maybe Mirabel is right?" Alma snarled "She thinks that devil is right? She's intrigued by her words? And she knew she was here at the ceremony and not only didn't she say anything she let her take food and even bought a meal for her." she threw the diary to the ground "Dolores has betrayed us."
Isabela smirked "I hate to say I told you so but I told you so. What is going to happen to Dolores?"
Alma took a deep breath to calm herself "Oh she is done, she is no Madrigal if she knows what's good did her she won't come back here."
"And if she does?"
"She can turn right back around and get out of here, she's not one of us. She wrote in her little diary that she wished she could get away from this family, so she will get her wish. Dolores is no longer apart of La Famila Madrigal."
"WHAT?!"
Alma and Isabela turned to see Pepa standing there storm cloud forming.
Pepa had only heard the last sentence of what was says "You're kicking Dolores out of the family?!"
Alma bent down to pick up the diary "Dolores has betrayed this family." she threw the diary towards Peoa "Just read this."
Pepa did so cloud growing bigger as she read her own daughters words. Was this really how she felt towards them? She secretly hated them? She wanted to leave them? When she got to the parts Dolores wrote what she would hear Mirabel saying and worst with each page Dolores seemed to be in more and more agreement with her.
"Dolores wasn't actually loyal to us this whole time, she knows Mirabel is the enemy and yet she is agreeing with her!" Alma's voice cut through Pepa's thoughts "If she stands with Mirabel she can fall with Mirabel."
Dolores why? How could you? How could you? "Surely there's an explanation? Dolores wouldn't..."
"It's there in her own writing Pepa."
"Mi vida? What is going on?" Félix came up behind her.
Pepa shoved the diary into his hands "Read this."
As Félix read his face dropped further and further, how couldn't of noticed just how unhappy his daughter was? "I'll find her...bring her back."
"No you will not. Dolores is not coming back, she knew what she is doing. She is not apart of this family any longer." Alma snarled.
"She's my daughter!" Félix protested "You can't do that!"
"I'm head of this family and leader of the Encanto. My word is final, Dolores is no longer a Madrigal."
"You're kicking her out over a diary?!" Pepa's cloud grew as she turned around and headed out of the door."
Alma threw her hands in the air "Pepa! Where on earth are you going?"
Pepa paused for a moment "To that stupid barn, I need to see this with my own eyes." she slammed the door behind her as the thunder grew. She turned her head when she heard footsteps behind her seeing her husband and mother had followed her. Pausing outside she took deep breaths to loose the cloud before she stepped inside. Félix and Alma stopping and standing at either side as Pepa's eyes darted around the barn landing on a person leaning against a wall in the shadows, she couldn't make out the features of their face with the hood over there head but she knew this was not her daughter.
A dark chuckle filled the barn "Why what do I owe such an honour? Not one but three Madrigals." Mirabel's voice was laced with venom not even trying to hide her hatred "And one of them is the great Alma herself stepping out of her palace to mingle with a ruffian such as myself." she began to walk toward "Breaking your own rule though aren't you?"
"Mirabel..." Alma snarled.
"That's my name." Mirabel drew closer "I'm touched you remember me. It's been so long since we've talked..why I was just a little girl and now look at me." she pulled her hood back revealing her scarred face "Are proud of me Alma? Proud of what your precious granddaughter has become?" Mirabel chuckled as a twisted smile spread across her face.
"You're no granddaughter of mine. Just look at you, all I see is the devil."
"Oh?" Mirabel pointed at her scars "You talking about these? Well your precious candle did this to me! And your bastard son's vision got me thrown out into the night. I was five years old you heartless old bitch." her gaze turned to focus on Pepa "I see you brought your weather witch daughter with you."
"HEY!" the cloud starting forming over Pepa's head "Watch what you say you you...UGH."
"Temper temper." Mirabel snickered "You should work on that." turning her eyes to Félix but didn't say anthing just chuckled under her breath and turned away.
"Don't you turn away!" Pepa stepped forward grabbing Mirabel by the arm and turned her around "What did you do to Dolores?"
Mirabel tilted her head the smile still on her face "Why what ever do you mean? I have done nothing to Dolores. Maybe if you weren't such a terrible mother she wouldn't of ran away."
"WHY YOU LITTLE-" Pepa took a deep breath "Clear skies...clear skies...clear skies..." she glared at Mirabel as Félix tried to calm her down "I know you know where Dolores is, where is she? TELL ME WHERE SHE IS!"
Mirabel leaned against a wooden pillar "You have some nerve you know Pepa, ignoring me for ten years then just barging in here throwing accusations in my face." she pretended to wipe at her eyes "Really hurts my feelings you know, you could of just asked nicely if I knew where Dolores was."
"Do you know where is she?"
"Yep." Mirabel looked up briefly and chuckled "She has been standing behind you this whole time."
The three adults slowly turned around and Dolores was indeed standing there a smirk on her face, the sound of horrified gasping came from all three when they saw the scars now covering her body.
Dolores chuckled as she took a step closer "Hello, Madrigals. I hear you been looking for me."
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Notes:
I could kept going but cliff hangers are more fun.