This chapter is coming out earlier than expected, but this wont happen regularly. Next chapter will be Friday, note I don't own Encanto, Disney, or Marvel. Sorry for shuffling so many changes to the story, just figuring that I should follow the rules set by the actual challenge.
"We don't talk about bruno no no no no. Except… when he talks about you."
Chapter 2: Meeting a new Friend
Deep into the walls of Casita in a room hidden behind the family tree laid Bruno Madrigal sleeping in a Hammock. Behind his eyes started to glow a toxic green as he began to shuffle, his rats waking up and watching their friend in turmoil not knowing what to do.
In Bruno's dream he was having a night vision, it was the same vision he had on the night of Mirabel's gift ceremony. However, it was slightly different. Looming behind Mirabel was a shadow with white eyes, many rows of sharp white teeth, and a long fleshy pink tongue. And Mirabel, the determined face she healed as the Casita flickered in and out of disrepair that once healed her determination was no longer there, but there was an undergone of anger under the scowl she now had on her face.
"Whaa!"
Bruno shot up, scaring his rats off his body and out of his hammock.
What does it mean?
He looked over towards his rat companions, picked up Jose and started to pet him.
"It was just a dream," said Bruno. But even though he knew that was a lie, he was worried, what do these new alterations mean? "What does it mean?" Bruno wondered as he started to unconsciously move his hand to a wooden plank kept next to his bed.
Knock knock knock on wood.
He only hoped and prayed his family was ok.
Mirabel woke up the next morning, oh her whole body ached. Her muscles, bones, and head were throbbing in pain and she was covered in sweat and shakes but she knew she had to do her chores. So she shook Antonio to get him up, and slowly got up as she limped towards the door.
"You ok Mira?"
She turned around to see her bunkmate Antonio's half asleep face, she shuffled over to him and rubbed his head slowly with her hurting hand, every muscle felt torn with a stabbing feeling.
"I'm fine Tonito," said Mirabel with a slow, pained voice. She then slowly walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. Antonio looked over to her worryingly, he looked over as Casita's tiles shook worryingly.
She walked down the hallway and slowly knocked on each and every door, she was missing her usual chipper demeanor and accompanying song. As everyone got up they worriedly watched as Mirabel painfully walked down the hall, a slight frown marred everyone's face, except Abuela who was too late to the door to see Mirabel walking down the hall.
Julieta looked over to Augustine and nodded, she quickly ran down stairs and walked into the kitchen. As she walked by the dining room she saw Mirabel setting the table looking like death, she would talk to her after breakfast.
As everyone made their way to the table they each looked quickly at Mirabel and gave a worried glance. Everybody sat down at the dressed and set table, everybody straightened themselves as Abuels walked in. She slowly walked towards the head of the table, each step with a choking air of authority in the room of superhumans.
"Buenos Días mi Familia, today Julieta will man her stall as usual, Isabella will help the Lopez family with their garden, Luisa will reroute the nearby river for the farmers, Pepa you need to keep today as sunny as possible as there is a wedding today, Camilo you will watch the village babies when the adults need a break, and Mirabel… you seem sick," said Alma. She glanced over to Mirabel with her nose facing up in stuffiness, slight concern twinkled in her eye. "Why don't you get some of your mama's cooking to clear up your bug."
"Sí Abuela," said Mirabel as she scarfed down as much food as she could, an unbearable hunger like she never experienced haunted her. As she picked up an apple ready to devour it Isabella reached for her arm to get her attention, she yanked her arm back, she bared her teeth and slightly growled at Isabella and accidentally crushed the apple into paste.
"Mirabel!"
"Bitch!"
Mirabel looked up from both the voices of Abuela and whatever just spoke, everyone was giving her cautious looks. She looked at Abuela who had a narrowed brow and a look of scorn on her face, although she could feel a slight spark of worry from the old woman, she looked to her Papi and Mami who both had slight tears in their eyes.
She opened her hand and realized that she crushed the apple she was reaching for, she was shocked and panicked and she immediately pushed herself from the table and rushed to her room leaving a questioning family in the wake.
"Cariño, can I come in?" Asked Julieta.
A groan was her answer.
She opened the nursery with a tray of Chocolate Santafereño. Mirabel groaned face in the pillow and body under the blanket. Julieta, walked over placing the tray on the little chester drawers. She sat down on her bed and gently rubbed her back, and honestly Julieta was worried for her niná so she had to ask her a question.
"Are you sick?"
Mirabel slightly peaked her eyes out and slowly turned herself around and sat up. Julieta watched her youngest as she moved slowly and painfully, she was soaked with sweat, she put her hand over hers and squeezed. She didn't expect her to squeeze her hand with an unknown strength, she winced a little as she felt her knuckles pop.
"I don't know what's wrong Mami, my body hurts, I'm soaked with a consistent sweat, I'm starving, and I just felt a buzzing annoyance when Isabella tried to grab my arm," said Mirabel. She swallowed a thick amount of spit in her dry mouth, her voice was hoarse.
"Here drink," said Julieta as she handed her niná her Chocolate Santafereño. She watched her daughter raise the glass to her lips and take a sip, and all of a sudden she started practically glowing. Her daughter practically vibrated as she chugged her sweet treat with a gusto greater than at breakfast.
"Ooooh that hit the spot," said Mirabel.
Julieta looked at Mirabel and smiled, happy knowing her drink worked.
"You know you can talk to me whenever you need it, right?" Said Julieta. Mirabel mumbled a bit under her breath, the brief spark of happiness dulled in her eyes and Julieta sighed. She got up taking the tray and empty cup after brushing her flour encrusted hands on her apron, her joints aching with her age, and she walked out of Mirabel's room.
"Si Mami, I know," said Mirabel whispered quietly after her door closed and her mom's footsteps faded from earshot..
"You have a good mother," Mirabel heard in her head. Her eyes shot open as she looked around, gripping her embroidered quilt so hard her knuckles popped. Her brow began to sweat, oh God I've finally gone crazy thought Mirabel.
"You are not crazy," said the voice again. It sounded deep, masculine, and slightly demonic. Mirabel began to open her mouth to scream only to be frozen, she couldn't move as she looked over to her shoulder and saw something black begin to leak out. Slowly it took a form with a serpent-like neck and formed a head with blank white eyes and multiple rows of large white, sharp teeth.
"Oh god I've been possessed by a demon!" Mirabel began to hyperventilate getting ready to call out for her mom, all of a sudden she felt really calm. Her body relaxed starting from her head to her toes, a calm logical cloud formed around her consciousness.
"Now will you let me explain? I am not a demon," said the forgin being in front of her. Unable to do anything else she nodded her head. The being in front of her huffed, but continued.
"My name is Chomper, I am a Klyntar, not a demon! I am an alien from another world." Chomper kept the fact that he was a reincarnated human a secret for now, not sure if she would believe him. He narrowed his eyes at Mirabel in slight annoyance, she stopped worrying and looked at the now dubbed Chomper carefully.
"So like those creatures from the H.P Lovecraft books Dolores reads?" Asked Mirabel. She knew Dolores liked to trade small gossip for books brought into the Encanto, and happened to Stumble upon one of her books left on the coffee table. The being in front of her tilted its head like a curious puppy, concentrated for a second and began to answer.
"Exactly, I am a being from the planet Klyntar. We are more commonly known as Symbiotes, we need a host to survive forgin environments and obtain nutrients and chemicals like phenethylamine. In return we provide our host increased strength, speed, durability, senses, shape shifting, combat tendrils, a healing factor, health and vitality, and a constant companion."
Mirabel began to question in her mind, adding all the new information presented to her. So it needed a host, and presented a slew of 'supposed' benefits in return for hosting it.
"First question, why me, how did you even bond with me?" Asked Mirabel.
"You came upon my crash sight when you checked out the meteor, the burning from the entry of the atmosphere and crater burned away most of my mass. When I crawled out I was cold and hungry, I instinctually latched onto you, trust me I feel like a creep doing this and I'm so sorry I did so without your permission."
Mirabel remembered that chill up her spine after nearing the meateor, she thought it was nothing but the chill of the cool Colombian air.
"Second question, What do you mean by phenethylamine? What is it?" Asked Mirabel.
"It is a chemical naturally produced in the body as a stimulant in the nervous system, found in brains and chocolate." This worried Mirabel for a brief moment before she remembered eating the chocolate last night and the Chocolate Santafereño a moment ago.
"That was you! You were the one who made me eat Isabella's saved chocolate bar!" Scolded Mirabel, her eyes narrowed. She loved chocolate but her elder sister loved it. She knew something was wrong when she started to love it that much.
"It was either that or brains! Trust me I didn't want to eat anyone, so, I took the better option!" Groaned back Chomper. Mirabel coincided with that logic, and couldn't fault him for his hunger.
"Third question, why was I in such a bad state this morning?" The being stopped for a moment, a grimace forming on its face. Its head tilted down in perceived shame.
Mumble mumble mumble
"Speak up, I can't hear you!" Mirabel said.
Mumble mumble-make-mumble mumble-better-mumble
"What!" Said Mirabel, fed up with the mumbling.
"I said I did it to make your body's condition better!" Yelled Chomper, his head shooting up and quietly yelling it into her face. This shocked Mirabel for a moment before she fired back.
"What do you mean Improve my body?!" Said Mirabel, concern and suspicion lacing her voice.
"You saw how you crushed that apple at breakfast?" Mirabel nodded her head, she flashed back to that breakfast. She was shocked, crushing that apple, that was not something a normal person could do, definitely Luisa, but not a normal person.
"That was you?" Asked Mirabel. The alien nodded his head, she looked at her hand in amazement. Reaching over to her sowing stand she took an empty metal spool of thread, placing it in her palm and squeezed.
A loud CRUNCH and GROAN was what greeted her.
Opening her hand she saw the empty metal spool crunched up like tinfoil, shocked, she dropped the former sewing piece on the bed.
"I made your base ability better, made your muscles stronger, bones stronger, mind faster, and your tendons tighter. This is nothing compared to when you wear the suit," said Chomper.
"What suit?"
"I can cover you in my biomass, this black gunk I'm made of, and increase your strength to heights even greater than your sister Luisa," said Chomper. Mirabel looked at her arm and noticed muscle that wasn't there before, nothing like Luisa, more like a swimmer's build, but muscle nonetheless.
"How do I know you're not lying?" And Chomper had to admit, she just needed to let her see for herself.
"If you go down the path to the forest Luisa goes to gather the donkeys you will see boulders in the clearing in the forest you used to play as kids, and a whole bunch of trees. You can see for yourself by practicing on those." Mirabel thought about it, so she got up, and opened her door as Chomper sank back to whence he came.
"Hm!"
Mirabel's eyes shot open and across the Casita she saw Dolores with wide eyes, panic seized Mirabel's heart as she saw Dolores book it and instinctually ran after her.
Suddenly, she was behind Dolores, grabbing her hand. Grabbing her cousin in her arms she suddenly became a black blurr, jumping over the railings of the top floor of Casita and landing in the courtyard. The world became stretched like a tunnel as she raced out of Casita, her vision tunneling. She was suddenly standing outside the forest she and Chomper talked about.
"Mirabel!" Dolores whisper shouted, looking back at her cousin she saw her entire body covered in black gunk like a suit except for her head, a large white butterfly proudly stood on the chest.
"Dolores, it's not what you think!" Mirabel shouted.
"Mirabel you have an Alien Parasite!" Dolores said slightly louder, suddenly the black gunk surrounding Mirabel sprouted a familiar head.
"Parasite! Apologize!" The head that burst from Mirabel's shoulder frightened Dolores, she slowly began to scream. And suddenly everything was pain, looking with what little strength they could muster seeing sound waves bellowing from Doloreses mouth.
They screamed.
Mirabel began to convulse, shifting between Chomper and herself. Screaming in anguish as they dropped to the ground, Dolores, shocked and horrified, ran over to Mirabel and wrapped her arm under hers and lifted her up.
"Let me explain," said Mirabel faintly. Dolores, apprehension on her face nodded. "Head into the forest, into the clearing we used to play explorers as a kid." And they started to trek deeper and deeper into the woods as they heard panicked voices of villagers in the distance.
They made it to the clearing, having lost the villagers, and Dolores laid Mirabel down on one of the boulders they used to climb as children, she looked at Mirabel. She was breathing heavily and looked to be in pain, she was worried,she didn't know what was attached to her little cousin. She honestly was worried, were the words that it told her lies?
"Ok, ask away," said Mirabel. She sat up straight, brushing off her dress as she looked Dolores in the eye.
"Not you, I want to talk to it," said Dolores.
Suddenly Mirabel's shoulder rippled, and out popped a familiar head as before. Dolores stared at it in its eyes. It looked to shift under her gaze, weird, she wondered.
"Is what you said to Mirabel true?"
"Yes," replied Chomper. "Every word of it."
"How do I know you're not lying to her?"
"Let me show you," said Chomper. A black suit formed over Mirabel except her head, her eyes went blank like she was deep in thought, or having a conversation.
Slowly Mirabel came back into focus and smirked at Dolores, she stood up and walked over to the boulder next to the one she was laying on. She reached over and her hands dug into the stone, she lifted it up, tossed it in the air, and shattered it with one punch.
"Hm!" Dolores squeaked, in awe of the strength coming from Mirabel. She expected this type of thing from Luisa, but Mirabel? This was a shock for her. Slowly Mirabel turned around, and the black bodysuit sunk back into her skin and a familiar head popped out of her shoulder.
"Is that good enough to show the benefits I can give her?" Asked Chomper, Dolores looked at him, eyes re-narrowing. He sighed, so he looked at Mirabel and she walked over to Dolores. "Can you stick out your arm Mirabel, like a handshake?" Mirabel nodded and did so, and a black sludge formed in her palm. "Shake my hand, I'll let you feel my emotions and intent. Then tell you my weaknesses."
Dolores looked warely at the offered hand and slowly took it. And she felt his emotions, fear, anxiety, uncomfortability, and unease.
"My weaknesses are fire and loud enough noises, the latter more than the former. If you ever suspect me of hurting her, you have one of my weaknesses at your beck and call, you can blast me with your sonic scream," said Chomper.
Truth
Dolores was surprised and slowly her body's tension left her and let go of the hand shake. Knowing Mirabel would not be hurt. Suddenly she shot up in worry and looked at the host and symbiote.
"I'm so sorry! I hurt you both with my scream! I didn't mean to, I didn't even know what happened!"
Mirabel and Chomper faintly smiled, and Chomper responded.
"It hurts, but I understand. All is forgiven, when I saw all of you in Mirabel's memories I kinda suspected there was more potential to your gifts than what you normally do," said Chomper.
Dolores tilted her head like a puppy hearing a squeaky toy for the first time, Chomper chuckled and began to explain.
"When you look at your door and see sound waves, it seems suspicious, why add that little detail if you just have super hearing? So by logic it looks like you have the ability to manipulate sound, not just super hearing. And, I was right."
Dolores looked at her hands in shock, her mind struggling to understand what was just told to her. "When you first got your gift, all you thought when you saw the door was hearing, and all your Abuela wanted you to do was hear everything. So you limited yourself, you put shackles on what was a Semantic gift. Try closing your eyes and visualize a dome around yourself, devoid of all sound," said Chomper.
Dolores did so, and all of a sudden from the sound of armies of ants clashing, birds chirping, hundreds of heartbeats great and small, and the chatter of the residents of the Encanto, and that one annoying couple who make the bed creak every afternoon, all was silent.
And Dolores, for the first time in a long time, fell to her knees and wept.
