Hey there guys! Back again with another chapter! I hope you've been enjoying the story so far. There won't be a song in this chapter, but I believe I'll have one by the next chapter. This one is primarily going to focus on the transition period of everyone adjusting to the Maravillas arrival as well as a new revelation when it comes to Catalina. As always, I'm not part of the Latinx community nor do I speak Spanish, so please be kind if I have any errors as I'm doing my best to be as culturally appropriate as possible. Enjoy!
The next day, the Madrigals and the Maravillas are in the village square, with Abuela introducing the magical newcomers to the villagers as they demonstrate their talents. As the days go by, we see them helping around the Encanto. Miguel is shown with Isabela helping builders with tools and materials. Isabela used her plants to raise up the heavier stuff, while Miguel stretches out to bring them smaller things or to help them up and down instead of using a ladder. Mateo is seen with Antonio riding Parce and a village man carrying a garden hoe in front of a field dotted with many loose leaves, twigs, rocks, and other obstructing bits. He takes a bag from the man and speedily collects all of the loose natural debris and puts them in the bag before bringing it back to the man in less than a minute, which impresses both Antonio and the villager as he shakes his hand. Arohi was seen with Chea and Abuela and was surrounded by villagers as she was demonstrating a schematic of the same cart design she made during the dinner with the Madrigals that was tacked onto a board for everyone to see. Chea used her gift to change a block of wood into a little prototype of the design for Arohi to better explain certain parts to those who watched, while Abuela looked to one of the men and gave him a nod, which he took as the green light to start making these carts and nodded back. Celeste is shown flying over the Encanto with a serene expression, but then sees Camilo shapeshifted as a Andean condor flying next to her, which makes her chuckle a bit before flying faster, initiating a race. The two flew right over Catalina, Pepa, Felix, Julieta and Luisa in an open clearing near the village's edge, with Catalina helping Pepa to learn better control over her gift. Bruno, who is passing by, sees them and Catalina notices him watching them. She gives him a smile and a wave, which surprises him for a moment before giving an awkward wave back and nervous smile but then quickly walked away when he saw Pepa look over towards him. As each day ends, the Maravillas and the Madrigals are shown waving to on another before entering their respective accommodations. Pretty soon, a month has gone by since the Maravillas integrated themselves into the Encanto.
One morning, right as the sun's light began to peak over the mountaintop and start the day, Bruno was up, walking right over to an open balcony. Looking around without much purpose, he gives a small neutral sigh as he sees people in the village begin to rise early and get ready to begin their daily work. He then glances over to the clearing where the Maravillas' ship rested. His attention was caught by movement, which was shown to be Catalina as she magically floated herself down onto the ground. She looked around to see if anyone was watching before taking off up towards a nearby mountainside. This made Bruno's curiosity peak.
On the mountainside, Bruno made his way up to find Catalina. He soon saw her standing amidst some trees, with the sunlight beginning to softly peak through the tree canopies above them. However his eyebrow raised in confusion when he saw what she was doing. She was moving her arms around as though there was someone in front of her but there was nobody. What's more, her tattoos were glowing their magical silver color as she did so. She also began to quietly talk to herself.
"I'm sorry but it's not your time yet. I know…I know. But you still have things to do. Yes, I promise. We'll see each other again one day. Until then, do your best." Catalina gently spoke out to nobody
Bruno slowly got closer to hear what she was saying better, confusion on his face growing even more prominent, standing partially behind a thin tree.
"Oh, it's been a while, hasn't it? It's alright, you'll know where to go. Just follow it and don't look back. Yes, I'm sure it is. Goodbye." Catalina said to one of her empty hands, as though she were greeting someone warmly by the shoulder, before looking to the other side and saying "And hello to you too. You've just arrived, haven't you? …I'm sorry to hear that, that must have been hard for you. But you don't need to be scared anymore. I know…yes, that's okay. Just don't stay here too long. Alright."
As Bruno took a step away from the tree to get closer to her, he accidently stepped on a very dry wax palm branch that snapped very loudly, making him look down in a worried expression to see he what he did. When he looked back up, he saw that Catalina was gone. This made give another look of confusion as he stepped away from the tree and looked around trying to find her.
"Hello Bruno"
"AH!"
Catalina, who had come up behind him, greeted him and made him jump in surprise at her sudden appearance, falling to the ground. This made Catalina giggle some at his reaction before warmly smiling to him and holding out her hand to help him up, which he took after a moment of hesitation and an awkward laugh. She pulled him up with surprising strength to where he was brought up face to face with her in an instant. The closeness made him visually panic for a brief moment as he took a step back.
"I…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt or anything. I was just…taking a walk!" Bruno replied, trying to come up with an excuse on the fly.
"Oh yeah?" Catalina questioned with and eyebrow arch and a smirk, then walked a few steps towards him with the same smirk and asked "So you decided to take a walk this early in the morning and just happened to find me here?"
"I…um" Bruno started to reply but couldn't find the words as he took another step back from her approach, but gave a sigh and finally admitted "No, I-I saw you coming up here. I was…curious about what you were doing"
At this Catalina gave another small laugh before saying "It's alright. To be honest, you're the first to notice. But then again, I do come up here pretty early."
Catalina then turned and walked over towards a set of trees that had a decent view of the Encanto below them and sat on a low curving trunk of a nearby tree. Bruno made his way over, a little unsure of what to say at first but then finally sat next to her and looked to her with a questioning glance.
"So what are you doing up here?"
"Well it's…" Catalina began to reply but trailed off
"Hard to explain?" Bruno finished with a small smile and a sort of knowing look
"Yeah." Catalina gave a small, breathless laugh at this, but then kept looking towards the distance with a neutral expression.
Bruno looked at her for a moment, then began to fumble with his hands before saying "You know I've… I've spent my whole life having a hard time explaining my gift to others without them…what I mean to say is…we may not have known each other for that long, but I'm happy to lend an ear. If-if it'll help, that is."
Catalina looked back at him when he said this, the two of them staring at one another for a moment before she looked back towards the Encanto with a solemn look and said "I come up here because of my talent. I suppose it's… kind of like you and your gift. Others wouldn't understand. And even if they did…they would reject it. Fear it…fear me."
She then looked at Bruno again and said with a serious expression "But somehow I feel like you're different."
"Why?" He questioned.
"I don't know. Ever since I first saw you, I've…never mind" Catalina started to reply but when she looked him in the eye she quickly turned and shook her head to stop herself.
"Me too" Bruno replied, understanding what she was trying to say, but when he saw the confusion flash her face he quickly explained "From the moment I saw you, I've felt this sort of…connection. Like I've known you my whole life even though it's only been a month. Its…"
"Hard to explain"
Catalina looked at him with a smile as she finished his statement, which made him look back her in surprise. The two then started to chuckle a bit at this before Catalina continued.
"Well…I suppose since we've both felt the bond between us…and given the nature of your gift and how others see it…I think I can trust you with my talent's true purpose."
Catalina then turned to him from where she sat and held out a hand to him from the side with a serious expression that spoke volumes.
"Take my hand."
Bruno hesitated for a moment as he looked at her hand in consideration. He then put on a face of determination as he took her hand. She got up and lead him over to where she was standing earlier before he interrupted her. Here, Catalina's silver magic began to glow, starting from her wrist where her tattoos ended and traveling up to her shoulder and face, finally stopping when her eyes were glowing. The silver magic then encased Bruno, which made him glance at his other hand and down at his body to get a better look.
"Oh, you might want to also take off your sandals."
This made him raise an eyebrow at her, but followed her lead as she slipped off her alpargatas. When this was done, Catalina closed her eyes and her magic began to glow brighter around them. Suddenly, their surroundings began to shimmer, as though there was a glittering, translucent curtain surrounding them that began to flutter. Catalina stuck out her hand and "parted" the shimmer, which caused a bright light to pour out of the "parted" column. She then walked towards the bright light, which made him hesitate again and Catalina noticed this.
"It's okay. I'm right here with you." Catalina said to him in a gentle voice while giving him a look of assurance
To this he simply nodded and followed her through the bright light. Shielding away the light with his free hand, his eyes finally adjusted and he found himself in a whole new place. It was a wide open and seemingly never-ending expanse with a blue sky filled with fluffy white clouds above them. They were standing in inch deep water, which reflected the sky like a giant mirror, making it hard to tell what was the sky and what was the ground. Bruno looked around him with wide eyes and an expression of both shock and wonder, which made Catalina give a smirk of understanding at his amazement. However, when Bruno began to let go of her hand as he looked around, Catalina pulled him back to her.
"Don't let go. You're here because of me. If you let go…you could get lost" Catalina replied a with a serious tone
"Right"
Bruno nodded and looked straight ahead, tightening his grip on her hand. As the two continued to walk through the seemingly never-ending expanse, figures of shapeless form began to appear, emerging in and out of the expanse and coming from all different directions. Some of them slowly took shape, revealing themselves to be people off different ethnicities and cultures. They were looking around, with the same expressions of shock and wonder that Bruno had moments ago but also with looks of confusion. Some looked ahead, seeing something in the distance that made them walk towards it before disappearing into a mist, while some appeared and disappeared in a brief moment. Some stayed where they were, trying to make sense of their surroundings. And when Catalina and Bruno walked by, they noticed.
"Where are we?" Bruno questioned as he looked at the people watching them
"El Cruce" Catalina said in a quiet tone
"The crossroads?" Bruno questioned
"That's the name I gave it. It is the place between life and death. This here is all you and I can see. But for them…they can see what's next."
"They're d-dead?" Bruno said with a bit of nervousness tinging his voice
"Some of them. But some will only be here for a short while" She replied, and then continued to explain "You know when people say that they 'saw their life flash before their eyes?' This is what they mean."
Before he could say anything else, some of the people they were walking by came up to them with worried expressions and panicked mannerisms. A pale woman in a slim skirt and shirt combo with flats and her hair tied up in a tight bun came up to her and took Catalina's free hand.
"Miss, please help me. I don't know where I am. I should not be here, I have a family" The woman pleaded, her voice heavy with a thick accent
"I'm sorry. I know it's not fair, but you know why you're here." Catalina replied gently
"I can't! I can't go, my children need me! Please!" The woman continued to plead
"Your time is almost up… but I can send you back for a bit. Long enough to say goodbye." Catalina gave a small sigh in sympathy
Tears began to stream down the woman's face as she lowered her head in sadness. Catalina freed her hand from the woman and drew a symbol on the woman's forehead, which glowed silver before the woman vanished into mist. Another man who looked to be in his thirties with similar clothing and complexion to Sanyu walked up to them but wasn't fully paying attention. Instead he was staring off into the distance at something the two of them couldn't see. He then looked to Catalina, still side-glancing the unseen place that had drawn his attention.
"Where is that?" He questioned, pointing to the unseen place
"I don't know. That's for you find out, Baruti" Catalina replied with small smile and shrug
"How do you know my name?" He asked
To this question, Catalina simply smiled at him, which he then gave a look of understanding before looking back towards the unknown distance he had been staring at.
"Will I be okay?" He asked, somewhat worried in his expression
"You'll be just fine" Catalina gave a nod
The man took a deep breath and headed straight for the place that neither Bruno nor Catalina could see. He disappeared into a shimmering mist, similar to the previous woman but not quite the same. Then an elderly man of similar complexion to Bruno came up to them, but unlike the others he had a warm smile on his face.
"Hola, nice to meet you." He greeted her kindly
"Hola, Andrés." She returned the greeting in kind
"You know, I saw this place once. Long ago when I was just a niño back in Venezuela. Now I am here again…and I can see where I need to go."
"Are you ready?"
"Yes…yes I am. Adiós, querida Señora."
The elder man kindly tipped his hat to Catalina and walked towards his destination, disappearing into the mist like the man before him. Bruno, watching all of this, was at a loss for words. Catalina noticed his silence and looked at him with an understanding expression.
"Come on, we should probably head back."
With that, Catalina used her magic once more to 'part' a pathway for them. When they stepped through, they were right back where they started, their shoes still sitting where they left them. Once they were back on the other side, she let go of Bruno's hand, but he didn't really notice as he was still lost in thought, which made Catalina give a somewhat nervous expression at his demeanor.
"You must have lots of questions. Just ask and I'll tell you."
"Um…so what exactly is it that your talent does? It let's you talk to the dead? Or move things with your mind? I'm sorry, I'm just a little confused." Bruno questioned, scratching the back of his neck
"It's okay, it was confusing to me too at first. My magic is sort of a…gateway between here and El Cruce. It lets me speak to those who have passed and help guide them to where they are meant to go. And because of that connection, it grants me this power that's different from the rest of my family." Catalina smiled before explaining her magic to him
"Do they know?"
"Yes. And they're the only ones who don't…fear me for what I am."
"Why would people be afraid of you? You're kind, caring-"
"Because people fear what they don't understand. I think you know this better than anyone." Catalina gave a resigned look to him as she cut him off, which he immediately understood, and then she continued with "When I was younger, I didn't care about telling people about my magic. But soon enough I was seen by others as a bad omen. Some even would call me 'La hija de la Santa Muerte' or other names I won't repeat."
"I'm sorry" Bruno solemnly said to her
"Why are you apologizing?"
"I don't know…I suppose it's because…you were right, I do understand."
"Are you afraid of me now? After seeing what you saw? If you are…I wouldn't blame you." Catalina questioned, looking somewhat worried about his answer.
"What? No, I mean yeah I was surprised, but you can't help who you are anymore than I can. And I think it's great what you are doing, helping people in their last moments. It's very brave of you." Bruno quickly assured her before complimenting her talent
"Thank you…you don't know how nice it is to hear that from someone other than my family." Catalina warmly smiled to him, which made him awkward glance away in embarrassment.
"Oh um, I do have another question. When we went there, did we leave the Encanto?" Bruno questioned as he pointed at the ground
"Not really. El Cruce is a place that only my magic can open the door to. We were here…but just not here. If someone were to try and find us, they wouldn't be able to."
"Um…ok then how was I able to see you earlier?"
"Sometimes there will be those who…linger. My talent helps me see those who are still here."
"So you were talking to people who hadn't made it to El Cruce yet?"
"Exactly."
"Who were you talking to?"
"Do you remember a Señora Esperanza Lopez?"
"Yeah, she had passed a little while ago before you all got here. And before you ask, no I didn't see it coming." Bruno said before throwing his arms up in defense mode.
"Oh, alright. Anyways, she wasn't ready to go to El Cruce just yet, she wanted to make sure her son and his family were doing well after her passing." Catalina replied, giving a brief moment of confusion at his response before explaining.
"She's still here? Where?" Bruno questioned, looking around him
"Somewhere. Most likely she's down there with her family." Catalina nodded down to the Encanto village, then said "And there were a few others I spoke with before you found me."
"So you can see anyone at any time anywhere?" Bruno asked, his expression looking like he was finally beginning to understand
"Yep. It doesn't matter where they come from, all who pass on make it to El Cruce. From there…I have no idea what happens next. Some have told me that they see the afterlife that they believed in all their lives, while others have said they see themselves moving onto another beginning. There is no right answer, only the truth that there is something there waiting for them."
"And if they linger?"
"They find me. And I help them finish any business they may have here before they move on."
Bruno was quiet for a moment, but then said "This is…a lot to take in"
"I know. If you need time, I understand."
"No-no I'm okay. I was just not expecting something this…amazing" Bruno said with a expression that was truly amazed as he smiled in wonder to her
Catalina couldn't help but smile away from him in embarrassment. The two were silent for a moment, but then Bruno, who was contemplating to himself, came to a firm resolve as he looked at her with a serious expression this time.
"I have something important to tell you" He said with determination in his tone
"What is it?" Catalina questioned a slight head tilt
"I think its only fair that because you shared you're secret with me…I should share mine with you."
"But I already know about your gift." Catalina replied with an questioning arched eyebrow raise.
"It's not about my gift. Well, it is, but not fully. Or rather it's about what happened after. Let me just restart. Before you and your family arrived, Mirabel and I-"
"Tío Bruno!"
Bruno was cut off by the sound of Camilo was in his bird form landing in front of them and shapeshifting back to his human appearance. He gave a happy smile as he went over to the two of them.
"Abuela sent me to find you, it's almost time for lunch." He said, then looked over to Catalina and said "It's good I found you here, you and your family were invited to join."
"Thank you, I'll be there shortly." Catalina replied with a nod
At this, Camilo turned and cupped his hands to his face before calling out "Dolores! I found Tío Bruno and Señora Catalina! They're coming down!"
"Oh no, I forgot Dolores can hear from faraway" Catalina quietly replied to Bruno, holding a hand over her lip in concern
"It's okay, I'm sure she knows to keep it this herself." Bruno whispered back to her in assurance
"Alright, you think you can use your magic to bring him with you?" Camilo turned back to them, making them quickly direct their attention to him, where he asked Catalina
"Sure, I don't mind"
"Great, see you both down there!"
Camilo ran ahead and shapeshifted back into his bird form and flew away.
"So what was it you wanted to tell me?" Catalina asked as she turned to face him
Bruno looked off towards the distance for a moment, then looked back at her and said "You know…why don't we save this for later? Don't want to be late for Julieta's specialty cooking."
"Alright then, later. You ready to go?" Catalina nodded before giving a smirk and holding up her hand that was glowing with her silver magic
"Yeah, but please be careful. I-I haven't really 'flown' before." Bruno asked with a bit of nervousness in his voice as he fiddled with his hands.
"You'll do great. I promise it will be a smooth ride. See?" Catalina gave a small chuckle
Catalina used her magic to make Bruno float into the air with her alongside him, though he was a bit startled by the sudden uplift and struggled to find balance for a moment. She held out her elbow for him to latch onto, and when he grabbed onto her the two soared away from the mountainside and down towards the Encanto.
Alrighty guys, I hope you enjoyed this chapter of the story. I don't really have much to say here except that I will see you all in the next chapter and hopefully my next song that I have planned with be ready as well. I'll probably take a bit of time before the next chapter because I'll be working on one of my other stories, but I'll be sure to get back to it as soon as possible. See you later!
