Why do all of these magical people keep appearing to me? Pepa thought. "That book will corrupt your soul," Stephen explained. "I know you're hurting, but that's how it tricks you. The Scarlet Witch isn't your friend."
"She told me she could help me reunite with my husband and children," Pepa said. "She seems like a friend to me."
"Your children and husband are gone," Stephen said. "Other copies of them exist in the multiverse, but they aren't yours. If you take them, you will be making another Pepa go through the same pain you did."
"She won't know a thing," Pepa stated. "I will make sure of it."
"Pepa, you're talking about straight-up murder," Stephen said.
"I will do whatever it takes to get my family back," Pepa said. A storm cloud started to form over Pepa's head. If her powers were affecting the weather all around her usually, this wouldn't happen. It didn't happen on her wedding day or when she watered the field. "You're in my way."
Pepa's lighting hit Stephen. With that, Pepa took the book and left.
Julieta was at her booth, healing the injured. As she shoved an arepa into someone's mouth, she noticed her Hermana walking through the streets. Julieta nearly dropped an arepa as she saw the cloud above her sister's head. Pepa's storm was still going on in the Encanto. Most citizens just learned to adapt to it since they knew it would be like this for a while.
"Hermana, you have a cloud," Julieta called.
"I know," Pepa barked. "Don't follow me. I'm running away!"
"I'll be right back,' Julieta told the next person in line. She chased after Pepa.
"I told you I didn't want you to follow," Pepa snapped.
"You can't just say something like that and not expect me to follow," Julieta explained. "Why are you running away? Where are you even going? You've never been outside of the Encanto. You don't know what's out there. It could be more people like those who killed papá."
"I'll be protected," Pepa declared. "I'll be with the Scarlet Witch."
Pepa outran her sister, going to the mountains.