[One week later]

Alma was helping Antonio get ready for his ceremony, which was to start in an hour.

"You look asombroso*"Alma said, proudly, as she straightened Antonio's bow-tie. "So grown up."

Antonio nodded.

Alma smiled and patted his cheek. Then her face grew serious. "Antonio, sit down. I would like to tell you a story."

Her grandson sat and Alma sat next to him, drawing him into a comfortable hug. "Fifty years ago." She began. "When I was a young women I was married to a man called Pedro-"

"Abuelo?"

"That's right your abuelo. He was a little older than me, but I loved him and for many happy years we were together. We got married and we had children-"

"Mama?"

"That's right, your mama, Tía Julieta and Tío Bruno." Alma took a dep breath and steadied herself. "A few mere weeks after they had been born masked men on horses came into the village-"

Antonio's face looked worried. "This one?"

"No, my old one where your Abuelo Pedro and I lived." Another deep breath. Experience had told her to lighten this next bit up. "They drove us all out of our homes and forced us to leave. But that wasn't enough. They chased us up through the mountains and across the rivers. I was carrying my children at the time..." Here, Antonio noticed, her voice grew distant and she was looking past him into a time he could never get to. "...I was tiering...the children were heavy...Pedro noticed and realised he would have to slow the horsemen down if I was to stand any chance of survival. We knew were were near a gap in the mountains where the horses couldn't follow, so we would have had a few moments advantage while they dismounted. Your Abuelo handed Bruno to me and confronted them. Said he wanted to talk." A violent shudder went through her and Antonio - alarmed - reached out and grabbed her arm. His Abuela seemed not to even notice his touch as she carried on, voice getting more and more monotone. "They killed him. They had no need to, but they did. He wasn't going to hurt them, he had no weapons, but they killed him anyway." Another shudder.

Antonio felt tears pricking at his eyes. He felt them, warm and strangely comforting on his cheeks as Abuela carried on. "Then a marvellous thing happened." Here she seemed to return to the present and, smiling at Antonio, gently wiped his tears away. Antonio didn't understand how she could be smiling, but listened attentively. "The mountains grew, the horsemen disappeared and around us in front of our eyes our Encanto grew. Our house grew in front of our eyes and the first thing she did was wave to me. Ten a few years later your Mama, Tío and Tía got there gifts." A small laugh. "That came out of nowhere, let me tell you, and the chaos was unbelievable, but Antonio-" Her voice grew very serious and she took the young boys hands in hers. "That is why when you get your gift - and you will get your gift - you must promise that of any strangers come to the Encanto you will be prepared to use your gift in whatever way you can. Strangers are no good." She insisted, tightening her grip on Antonio's hands. "And they come here. Why, I don't know, but they do. And they need to be got rid of. They need to be got rid of if we are to be safe, do you understand, Antonio? ¿Lo entiendes?*"

Antonio looked up at her and suddenly - out of nowhere - got a flash of a young women with desperate, hurting eyes in front of him. He wanted nothing more at that moment to make his Abuela stop looking like she was about to cry, so he said. "Entiendo.*"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[The Ceremony]

The entire Encanto was there watching him. Antonio fidgeted nervously and looked round for his family members. Luisa, Isa and Mirabel were standing near him smiling encouragingly. Tía Julieta and Tío Augustin were on the other side, also smiling, although Julieta's smile was a bit more strained.

Obviously this had to go well then. Antonio took a breath and looked up at the stairs. Abuela was there looking down at him with a reassuring smile that didn't quite meet her yes. His Papa was smiling joyfully and, upon seeing his son looking up at him, gave him a thumbs up.

His Mama appeared to be staring into space, a small raincloud above her head. Seeing Antonio's anxious look, Felix gently grabbed his wife's hand and squeezed it. She broke out of her thoughts and looked at him. Felix nodded towards the child and Pepa turned. She smiled at Antonio and gave a little thumbs up as well.

The music started. Feeling slightly better Antonio walked down towards the stairs, tying to ignore the stares from everyone else who wasn't a direct family member. At the top of the stairs he took the candle, marvelling at it's beauty, then touched the handle.

A glow came over the door and an image of himself appeared on the door. Antonio barely got a chance to adjust to that however because a Toucan flew in from the back of the Encanto and settled happily on his shoulder.

"Can you understand me?" The Toucan asked.

Antonio's eyes went wide and excitement welled up inside in. "I understand you!" He exclaimed.

"Can I bring my friends?" The Toucan asked.

Antonio said he could and the Toucan flew off.

About thirty seconds later a whole flock of Toucans, along with more than a hundred other animals came rushing into Casita, weaving their way through people's legs and pushing some of them out the way to get to Antonio's new room. Seeing them coming Felix leapt forward and opened Antonio's door.

Inside was a literal jungle and the next thing Antonio knew a jaguar had appeared out of nowhere, somehow getting him onto it's back and was leaping through the foliage giving him a tour of the whole place.

The voices of everyone else, even his family, was dimmed as Antonio realised that this was his gift. He could talk to the animals! He laughed out loud. His life was complete.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Watching from the side lines, Alma was happier than she had been in a few years. At least with Antonio's gift the magic clearly wasn't fading anymore.

Talking of which, she looked round for Mirabel. The girl was standing to the side, looking tired.

After taking a glance round the room to make sure everyone else was fine, Alma went over to her granddaughter. "Are you alright?" She asked.

Mirabel gave a small laugh and a half-shrug. "H-h-he's got a gift. Again. Why? W-w-why does he have a g-g-gift and I don't?"

Alma sighed. Not this again. "Mirabel, we have been over this. The reason you weren't given a gift must be because you're destined to take over from me when I die."

"So I get your room?"

Alma threw her arms out. "I don't know! I assume so."

Mirabel shook her head and folder her arms. "It's not fair..."

"Life isn't fair." Alma said, briskly. "Now, if you're just going to stand there looking miserable, I suggest you go elsewhere." And with that she turned on her heal and left.

Behind her Mirabel's fists balled. Why did she bother? Every time she tried to bring up her feeling in ANY capacity she was shut down by her Abuela.

A soft hand on her shoulder got her attention. "Are you alright?" Her Mama asked.

Mirabel shook her off. "I'm fine. Obviously." And with that she stalked off back to her room, because really what was the point?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

About half an hour into the celebration Alma excused herself to check how her son was. Bruno was not a massive fan of big parties - or any parties really - and Alma had learned through bitter experience it was better if he was just left to his own devices.

She knocked on his door and received a suspicious. "Who is it?" As greeting.

"Tu madre*"

"Lo siento. Pasa.*"

Alma opened the door and smiled in what she hoped was a reassuring fashion. "How are you feeling?"

Bruno, who was lying on his bed looking up at the ceiling, sighed. "Alright. Antonio got his gift then? I heard the fireworks."

"Sí.*" Alma said, proudly. "Our little one can now talk to animals."

"Grunt, squeak, squawk with the animals..." Bruno murmured.

Alma frowned. "Sorry?"

"Never mind." Bruno pushed himself of the bed and stretched. "I suppose I'll come and see Antonio. Only for a few minutes, mind. Then I'll come back here." He took a deep breath and took a few steps forward.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Trainers walking along the path, a young man holding a map.

A female voice - hard to make out who - swirling around his head. "I...I think I love him."

A young male voice. "Hey. How ya doin'?"

Then a hand holding a knife, the knife swooping downwards and a high-pitched terrified scream from a female.

Then...his name, repeated over and over.

Oh wait, that last bit was real life.

He groaned and mumbled a bit.

"Bruno?" His mothers voice, worried.

Bruno leaned over and grabbed his Mama's arm, nails digging in painfully. "There's going to be another stranger." He gasped. "And this time he'll kill."

*Amazing

*Do you understand?

*I understand

*Your mother

*Oh, sorry. Come in.

*Yes