Chapter 20: Prophecy
31 years before Encanto
(Notes)
This is another double chapter as I needed to use another old fic that I'd written where Alma talks to Agustin. But then everything after that point is new content :) hope you enjoy!
Cloudy
"Señora."
Agustin smiled, his voice a little breathless.
Bruno, Pepa and Felix stood with him, and Alma frowned because this was obviously a plan they'd come up with to try and win Alma over, which made her feel even more defensive.
Julieta watched her siblings with a surprised but grateful expression. She doubted Mama was going to say yes, but the fact that they'd gone to all this effort to try and help made Julieta feel very seen and loved.
"This is for you, well, all of you." Agustin gestured to a bowl of Ajiaco that he'd spent all day making. Julieta held it with a proud smile, fingers stroking the bowl as she watched him. Julieta loved food, and the fact that he'd gifted it to her made Julieta fall in love with Agustin all over again. You better believe she would not be sharing this dish. This one was going straight to her room.
"And this, ah," He fumbled into his pocket, pulling out a flower and holding it out to Alma, his hand shaking a little. Alma stared down at it.
"It's for you." Agustin smiled nervously.
Alma took the flower, looking it over quietly. She felt her stomach sink as she realised this was the first time anyone had gifted her a flower since Pedro. Her fingers stroked the stem as she stared.
"It's flor de mayo." Agustin explained, putting hands in his pockets, Alma's silence making him more nervous. "From my garden. I, ah, wanted to apologise for, well... Everything."
Alma looked back at him, noticing how Agustin visibly shrunk back.
Julieta could see how scared Agustín was, so she took his hand in hers.
"Mamá, please." Julieta spoke up. "Please give him a chance. You don't know what this means to me."
"What it means to all of us." Bruno added in support.
Alma sighed. She was starting to think that maybe she did.
The triplets and Felix had been trying to wear Alma down for months, but Alma had remained relentless. That was, until today. Before Agustin and Felix had arrived, Pepa had tried to convince Alma, and when she once again couldn't get through Pepa broke down in defeat. It had hurt Alma to see her little girl crumple again, clouds raining and her eyes turning dark and hopeless. Alma's heart sunk at the thought of it.
"Julieta is hurting, Mamá." Pepa had told Alma. "And you won't even try. I don't know what else to do."
The words had hurt Alma more than they should've.
This was Alma trying. Couldn't they see that? She tried so hard, every single day. Why could no one see it?
Agustin waited anxiously for a response, and Alma sighed. Dios. Here goes nothing.
"Agustin Rojas," Alma began.
He straightened up, hand holding tight to Julieta's. "Yes, Señora?"
"Do you have something you'd like to ask me?"
The colour drained from Agustin's face. He had practised this with Félix all day, but now the time had come, his mind went blank. He took a deep breath.
"I- well, ah... To see her, just like, ah..."
Alma watched Agustin struggle to get his words out. Julieta squeezed his hand in encouragement, dark eyes watching Alma.
"I just. I know I'm not- I ah... I really love her." Agustín took a shaky breath, looking down at the ground.
He shuddered. This was one of the most important moments of his life and he couldn't do it. He was just so scared.
"Agustin!" Bruno called out breathlessly, coming back after rushing inside to get Julieta's guitar. "You gotta tell her in song, remember?"
Alma frowned in surprise.
"What?" Julieta laughed in disbelief. "Why does this all feel so dramatic and rehearsed?"
"It's Brunito." Pepa grinned. "You are surprised?"
"Go on." Bruno smiled at Agustín in encouragement, handing him the guitar.
"I can't." Agustín muttered to Bruno, his eyes wide with stress.
"You're the real gift." Bruno reminded him, pointing to Agustin's chest. "Let her hear it."
Agustin's expression softened as he turned back to Julieta. She put a hand to his cheek.
"Do you really want to do this?" Julieta asked softly. "Or is this my brother railroading you?"
"I want to." Agustín confirmed. "I ah, wrote a song for you."
Julieta's face lit up. She liked that a lot.
"Then play it for me." She encouraged, stroking his cheek. "Pretend it's just us here, ok? You don't have to look away from me."
Alma watched as Agustin nodded, staring into Julieta's eyes as he began to play the guitar and sing for her, his words filled with love.
Alma took a sharp breath. The moment the guitar started to play and she saw Julieta's loving expression, Alma was taken by surprise, her chest becoming tight as memories hit hard, almost knocking her down.
Alma watched them, eyes wide and filled with pain as the sight triggered memories. Suddenly Alma didn't see Julieta and Agustín anymore. She wrapped arms around herself as the air became hard to breathe.
"You ok, Mamá?" Pepa whispered, recognising her Mamá's reaction and rushing to her side. Alma leaned into Pepa, breathing in the comforting smell of her daughter's hair as Pepa held her. She held onto Pepa like a lifeline, trying to remind herself where she was.
"We got you, Mama." Bruno came over too, and Alma felt him rub her back and kiss her hair. She took his hand in hers.
Alma held onto her children as she watched Agustín play the guitar for Julieta. She hadn't expected to react like this. She tried focusing on her breathing as the memories took over entirely and the scene shifted.
19 years earlier
"Do you think they'll hear it?" Pedro grinned.
The candlelight cast a warm flickering glow across his face and reflected off his guitar.
Alma smiled, her hand over her large belly as she lay in bed, Pedro sitting over her.
"If they can hear us," She replied breathlessly, "Then tell them to hurry up. They're sitting on my bladder, and they're so heavy I can't get to the washroom."
Pedro chuckled, gently stroking Alma's hair back from her face. Alma's eyes glittered in the candlelight as she watched him.
"Want me to carry you there?" Pedro offered.
"Can you?" Alma teased, laughing softly as she gestured to her belly.
Pedro exhaled in a puff, then smiled playfully. "Maybe I need a trolley."
Alma groaned as Pedro laughed.
"But honestly," He continued, gently stroking her face. "Do you need help?"
"No, it's not that bad." Alma sighed, leaning into his hand. "I'm just being dramatic."
"Dramatic? That doesn't sound like you." He teased, laughing as Alma tried to grab him, but didn't have the strength to sit up. He wiggled his eyebrows, knowing he was out of her reach.
"Lucky." Alma muttered. "They're all on your side, weighing me down."
Pedro kissed her forehead, then smiled. "I wrote this song for you."
"Not for them?" She grinned.
Pedro laughed endearingly. "For you, Mariposa."
Alma's expression softened. She just loved him so much.
"I have plenty of songs waiting for them," Pedro grinned. "But they have to come out first, so they can hear them." He chuckled. "This one's for you."
Alma watched with bright eyes as Pedro began to strum the guitar, his voice warm as he sung for her.
"Dos oruguitas enamoradas, pasan sus noches y madrugadas..."
Alma's memories of the song started to blend into a montage. Pedro's singing continued as Alma saw him playing the guitar for her again as she held three babies in her arms.
"Navegando un mundo que cambia y sigue cambiando, navegando un mundo que cambia y sigue cambiando."
She remembered him playing for her when they'd first met, the two of them on the rooftop as the candles glittered through the town below.
"Ay, mariposas, no se aguanten más. Hay que crecer aparte y volver, hacia adelante seguirás."
Fire burned through their casita. Their children screamed as Alma held them close, her eyes wide with terror. Pedro put his hand to her back, leading her outside.
"Only take what we can't replace." He whispered, gesturing down to the babies, then rubbed his face against hers in encouragement. "Come on, Mariposa. You're ok."
As they left the room together, Alma glanced back with a shaky breath, watching as the flames spread up the guitar and the curtains, burning everything they owned.
19 years later
Agustín finished his song, and Julieta wiped her eyes, never wanting to forget this moment.
"Was it ok?" He whispered nervously. She laughed and nodded.
Julieta stroked Agustín's face, then took a deep breath, prepared to defend him. But when she turned to Mamá, her face softened in concern at what she saw.
Alma was crying.
Julieta rushed over, joining Bruno and Pepa as they held onto their Mamá. Julieta rested her head against hers.
"I'm here, Mamá." Julieta spoke softly. "What do you need?"
Alma looked into her daughter's eyes and for the first time she recognised how much Julieta had grown. This wasn't a child anymore, this was a young woman, the same age Alma had been herself when she'd met the love of her life.
Standing in their way wasn't protecting Julieta, it was just making Alma turn more and more into her own mother. She could see that now.
Pedro would've wanted them to be together. He would've wanted Julieta to be with the person she loved. Alma knew he would.
To love at all is to love entirely.
"I'm so sorry, mija." Alma whispered, looking into Julieta's eyes. "I'm sorry for hurting you. I was just trying to protect you."
"You always protect me, Mamá." Julieta reassured her. "You protect all of us."
Alma felt Pepa and Bruno lean into her from either side and she closed her eyes, unable to understand what she'd even done to deserve them.
"We love you, Mamá." Julieta smiled. "We understand."
Alma hugged her triplets tight, feeling so grateful tears run down her face.
Agustín glanced at Félix, not knowing what to say.
Alma quickly wiped her eyes, feeling embarrassed that they'd seen her like this. She straightened up, adjusting her black shawl as she regained composure. She exhaled slowly, then turned back to Agustín.
As Alma stepped forward, Agustín still felt scared, but this time he also felt compassion. It felt like he finally understood where Alma was coming from. He realised that Alma was just as scared as he was, she just had a different way of showing it.
"Señora." He put on a brave face. "I promise, I'll never hurt your daughter. I love her, and I want to care for her. I want to look after her... For the rest of my life."
Agustin glanced at Julieta, who smiled proudly at him. He smiled back, then turned to Alma, holding his breath.
Alma watched him, then glanced at her three children. They watched her hopefully.
She turned back to Agustín.
"Agustín Rojas."
He watched carefully, bracing himself. "Yes, Señora?"
Alma held out her hand and smiled.
"Welcome to La familia Madrigal." Alma nodded, her eyes warm. Agustin's face lit up as he took her hand in his.
Alma looked over at her children and Felix, and they beamed with happiness.
"Come on," Alma encouraged, holding Agustin's hand as she led him towards the casita. "Let's go inside."
Casita clacked and banged it's shutters in a rhythm as they entered, tiles shuffling everybody into the foyer to celebrate. They laughed, letting Casita move and spin them around.
Agustin yelped, falling back as he lost his balance on the moving tiles. His feet flew into the air and Julieta caught him from behind with a laugh.
"Cuidado, little bee." She kissed his cheek, fingers interlocking with his as she held him steady.
Casita continued to play percussion, shuffling over a record player and turning it on so joyful music filled the air. The tiles nudged Agustin into Julieta, encouraging them to dance.
"Your house is... A lot." Agustin laughed breathlessly.
Julieta giggled as she nodded. "Casita is happy for us."
"It wants us to dance." Pepa grinned, then looked over at Felix, her chest puffed as she gestured for him to join her.
Felix trilled, sliding along the tiles to Pepa. Her face lit up with the sky as he began to step in time with her, the two of them dancing the champeta.
Julieta and Agustin came over and they turned to eachother with excited laughs.
"We did it!" Agustin whispered in disbelief.
"Good one, little bee." Pepa grinned, knowing Agustin wouldn't like that. It was only okay when Julieta called him that.
Agustin gasped and grabbed at her, but Pepa leapt up into Felix's arms and he spun her away. She hugged Felix's shoulders, laughing at Agustin as her boyfriend hopped easily along the moving tiles, carrying her away. Agustin tried to follow, but Casita's moving tiles made him wobbly and slow.
Pepa making a face at Agustin, her cheeks puffed and eyes crossed. Agustin exclaimed in frustration. He fell again and Julieta caught him around the middle, cursing at her sister while Pepa laughed, hopping down to dance tango with Felix.
Alma chuckled as she watched them, standing beside Bruno.
"Huh." Bruno remarked. "Looks like everybody got their happy ending, Mama."
"Ending?" Alma smiled, turning to him. "Well. That didn't last very long."
"Oh. Right." He chuckled. "Their happy beginning, I mean."
Alma sighed in agreement. "I hope so."
The two of them stood together, watching as the others began to dance together. Seeing her daughters with their partners filled Alma's heart with a strange mix of happiness and sadness. Her heart ached for Pedro, but she loved to see them both happy.
Alma wondered if Bruno was happy, too.
She glanced at her son, but Bruno was already looking at her. When their eyes met they both exchanged an awkward smile, then turned away.
Alma exhaled. She watched the others dancing and wondered if she should ask her son to dance, but was unsure if that was weird. Bruno shifted his ruana, because he was wondering the same.
Casita's railings sagged almost in a sigh of exasperation, then the floor tiles lifted abruptly, flinging Alma and Bruno into eachother. Bruno caught Mama in his arms and they looked at eachother with wide eyes.
Casita shook with laughter, while Candle glowed.
"Do you, ah, want to dance with me, Mama?" Bruno asked as they straightened back up.
Alma couldn't stop herself from smiling as she nodded. Bruno took her hand in his, his other on her back.
The others turned in disbelief, laughing and cheering them on as Bruno spun Mama. Alma grinned because it's been a while since she'd danced. She wasn't sure if she'd remember any of the moves, but her body remembered and soon they were showing off.
"No creo." Pepa laughed, shaking her hand in approval while Felix trilled.
Bruno dipped Alma backwards, then brought her up again.
"You alright?" He checked. "I didn't, ah, break your back or anything, right?"
Alma scoffed. "Don't. I'm not that old."
One year later
Casita shook Alma's bed to wake her. She groaned, an arm covering her eyes and long messy hair over her face.
Alma stretched and her fingers touched glass, discovering a bottle that still lay in bed with her after last night's breakdown.
"Why am I like this." She muttered, putting hands over her face to hide from the daylight.
Casita shook Alma's bed again. She frowned, peeking through a crack between her fingers. A little clock bounced into view on the windowsill, Casita nudging it forward.
"I know." She sighed.
Casita stroked Alma with it's curtains, then opened the shutters. The blinding morning sun told Alma and the rest of the Encanto that Pepa and Felix were already awake.
Casita flicked it's curtain at Alma in encouragement and she moaned, turning away.
"They are grown up now." Alma muttered, sitting up to grab the bottle and twisting the lid. "No more teenagers. They are adults. They don't need me anymore. I'm just some sad old woman."
The bed shook again, blanket wrapping up around the bottle and carrying it away.
"Hey!" Alma moved forward to grab it, but in doing so she lost balance and fell off the bed, her body hitting the floor with a hard thump.
Candle shimmered, glowing in concern from the bedside table. Alma rolled onto her back, blowing at the hair that fell over her face. Candle glowed again, and Alma looked back at it.
"Will you stay with me today?" She asked softly.
Candle pulsed, little golden orbs of magical light floating slowly around it.
Casita lifted tiles to help Alma get up. She came over and picked up Candle, holding it close as she willed herself to get ready for what was always the hardest day of the year.
Despite being a magical house that created rooms at will, Casita only had one bathroom, which Alma found infuriating. She was certain Casita only did it to laugh at them.
Because of the one bathroom, the triplets had learned from an young age to share the mirror, and it helped them work together to get ready.
"Hold still." Pepa told Bruno, fixing up his green suit. "It is sitting wrong."
"If you want you're makeup done, speak now or forever hold your peace." Julieta warned, going to put it away.
Pepa gasped, abandoning Bruno's suit to quickly turn around.
"I want it!" She bent down so Julieta could reach. Bruno fixed Pepa's hair from behind, combing out her loose curls with his fingers.
"Look up." Julieta told her, gently tracing black along her sister's eyeline.
"Don't poke her." Bruno warned, coming around to check Julieta's dress, smoothing it at the back. "The rain will be a nightmare for our hair."
Pepa raised angry eyebrows, but was unable to look at him as Julieta continued her work.
"I will poke you, Brunito." Pepa muttered, eyes closed while Julieta finished tracing along her eyelids. "Don't think I won't-"
"Shh." Julieta told Pepa as she put applied lipstick, muffling her sister's words.
Alma came to the bathroom door, her expression soft. She couldn't understand how her babies had grown up so quickly. It felt like only yesterday they were small, sleeping in bed with her, eyes glittering in candlelight as Alma made shapes for them in the shadows. Alma remembered being so exhausted with them at the time, but she hadn't realised how quickly those years would pass.
"Happy birthday." Alma smiled.
The three of them turned at her voice, their faces lighting up as they came over. Alma covered her mouth because it made her emotional that they were so happy to see her.
"Thanks, Mama." Julieta smiled back
Alma embraced her children, and they held tight. It was strange, they were all so big now that they made Alma feel small. They kissed Alma's hair, faces warm with love.
"Buenas Dias!" Felix called as he and Agustin came to the door.
"I hope you're all hungry, because we made your favourite." Agustin grinned, and surely enough as they came out into the foyer the smells of cooking filled the air.
Pepa bounced with joy, sun shining bright as she threw arms around Felix.
"Wow guapa, look at you! So beautiful." Felix kissed Pepa, then chuckled as a rainbow appeared.
"You really do." Agustin smiled, stroking Julieta's soft hair and admiring her face. He put an arm around her as they walked. "Are you hungry for breakfast?"
"I'm always hungry." Julieta beamed, hugging Agustin tight. Her eyes sparkled in excitement as they reached the kitchen, because Julieta loved when other people cooked for her.
Bruno and Alma watched the couples, then turned to eachother.
"Mama." Bruno offered Alma his arm. A couple rats scrambled out of the sleeves of his suit, clambering up onto his shoulders and squeaking. Alma chuckled as she linked arms with her son, heading into the kitchen together.
"You ah, don't have to tell me I look beautiful." He smiled, then made a sound of surprise as Mama kissed his cheek.
"But you are." Alma smiled back, leaning into him.
Later
The birthday was easier for Alma than any other year. Felix and Agustin seemed determined to keep the energy high and positive all day, with endless banter and jokes and activities ready to go.
Alma wasn't used to other people being here to help with the triplets birthday, and was surprised to see that by the time the townsfolk began arriving to celebrate the anniversary of the magic, Casita was already set up and ready to go.
Alma looked around, a little anxious because she had more free time than usual. She was used to burying herself in work on this day, doing everything for her children and the town so she wouldn't have time to think about it.
Just as she felt panic start to sink in, familiar voices called out.
"There they are!" Milo chuckled, hugging Pepa as she ran to him, kissing her forehead. He then put out arms for Julieta and Bruno, who came over with excited grins.
"Feliz cumpleaños, cosas lindas." Sofia Guzman kissed each of their faces, Gabriel handing them gifts and congratulating them.
"Do you feel different?" Maria asked, an arm around Carlos.
Bruno shrugged with a smile. "Just the same old Bruno."
"I feel like I've known what I was going to grow up to look like since I was five." Julieta smiled, eyes gesturing to her glowing door.
Milo couldn't help but laugh as he glanced at Alma's door. "You feel that way too, Abuela?"
Alma sighed, shaking her head in exasperation.
"We've got something special for you three." Valentina Rojas smiled, putting arm around Julieta. "But we'll need help to carry it inside."
"Thank you." Julieta smiled, kissing Valentina's cheek.
"No problem, mija." Valentina smiled back, gently stroking Julieta's hair behind her ear. "We are so proud of you."
Juliet's bit her lip and smiled, hugging Valentina.
Alma couldn't help but frown as she watched them. Something about it just made her skin crawl.
"Come on," Milo chuckled, "Let's to carry the gift. You can lift it on your own with that energy."
Alma rolled her eyes as he led her outside, but deep down she was grateful for the distraction.
Their faces lit up as they came out to see Manuel Rojas leaning against a piano.
"I'll need a few of you to carry this." He grinned.
Pepa shrieked in excitement, running over and immediately beginning to play. Felix laughed, coming over and joining her.
"Inside first." Manuel chuckled, watching as Julieta and Bruno came to press the keys too.
Alma watched, still feeling a little uneasy.
"This is very generous." She said to Valentina. "You really didn't have to do that."
"Oh, it's nothing." She reassured Alma. "We just love the triplets."
"Hm." Alma hoped she was smiling.
"Besides. We have so many instruments from our shows." Valentina continued, "And Julieta is always playing that one when she comes to visit."
"Well," Alma said, burying her pride as they went over together to help carry it inside, "Thank you."
It was nearing the end of the day, and the guests were going home. Felix and Agustin stayed back to help clean up, and Alma noticed Felix was avoiding Pepa, his energy strange and withdrawn.
Alma felt her heart sink.
No, dios no. Don't let something happen with them. Not now. It isn't fair.
Felix came over to Alma, looking as if something heavy was on his mind. She stiffened in anticipation.
"Señora Madrigal." He said slowly.
Dios.
"Why Señora Madrigal?" She frowned. "Why are you calling me that? What's happening?"
Felix shifted, taking a deep breath, then exhaling.
"What's happened?" Alma asked again, looking around for Pepa. She glanced up at the clear sky, feeling confused.
"Nothing's happened." He chuckled, realising he was scaring Alma, so decided to quickly cut to the chase.
"I came to ask you," He asked, "If I can marry Pepa."
Alma gasped, her eyes wide.
Felix laughed a little, then looked nervous, which was new for him.
"Now?" She whispered, glancing at the messy house.
Felix laughed. "Not now. I want to take her to the fields where we first met, and I'd ask her."
Alma couldn't help but smile, her heart glowing with joy. She knew this would make her daughter very happy.
"You want to surprise her?" Alma asked.
Felix nodded with a grin.
"Okay." Alma decided. "I can get her to the fields." She then called out, "Pepa!"
"What?" Came from another room.
"Come here." Alma called back. "Quickly."
"Is that a... yes?" Felix checked.
Oh. Right, she was supposed to say something.
"Yes. Of course." Alma agreed, and Felix's face lit up so bright Alma wouldn't have been surprised if a rainbow appeared over his head too.
Alma smiled back, then turned to Pepa as she came over.
"What is it Mama?"
"I need you to go to the fields." Alma said in the same serious tone she usually used when assigning tasks. "The farmers have told me the crops are drying out, they need you to go water them."
A cloud immediately appeared over Pepa's head and thundered.
"They are not!" Pepa was quick to anger. "Those farmers don't know what they are talking about, Mama! I watered the crops yesterday, so they would be perfect for today. I cannot water them again now. It would rot the banana tree roots. And the soil needs to stay 25% dry for the coffee, or the beans will be terrible this harvest. Who told you that? Which farmer?"
Her furious eyes searched the room, while Felix laughed at Alma. She groaned. Dios, maybe that hadn't been the right approach, but she had to stick with it now.
"You've just been so happy today, mija." Alma insisted. "Maybe that bright sun has dried them all up."
The cloud thundered again, and Alma immediately regretted her decisions.
"Don't you dare, Mama!" Pepa waved a finger. "I rained extra yesterday, just so I could be happy today! You want to see my rain journal? This harvest is going to be perfect, don't you dare tell me otherwise."
Alma watched with wide eyes. Dios.
"Okay fine." Alma admitted. "No one said it. But I still think you should go to the fields with Felix."
"On my birthday?" Pepa crossed her arms with a scowl. "You are really pushing it today, Mama."
Felix couldn't stop laughing now. Alma turned to Felix and shrugged. "Well, I ruined it. Sorry."
Felix grinned.
"Okay I'll take it from here, goodbye." He chuckled, putting an arm around Pepa and gently leading her away.
7 years later
Alma wrote her meeting notes, glancing up as she noticed one of the hairs that hung over her face was grey. Alma frowned, yanking it out.
"Don't do that, Mama." Pepa warned, slowly waving a fan while she sat in the kitchen chair. "Three more will grow."
"And I will rip them out too." Alma told her, putting a hand to Pepa's forehead to check if her daughter was sick. "What is this fan? It's not a hot day."
"Pepi doesn't like the smells." Felix grinned over his shoulder from where he was making them coffee.
"Hm." Pepa hid her smile behind the fan, waving it at him as he came over with a cup for her, kissing her face.
Julieta began to cry from where she stood at the stove. Agustin gently comforted her, stroking her belly.
"Hey. It's okay." He reassured her. "What's wrong, cariño?"
"I'm so tired." She wiped her eyes, glancing at the stove. "There's so much to do."
"You are doing amazing." He told her. "How can I help? You want me to stir? Make the mix? Hm?"
Julieta rested her head against him. "Just cuddle me."
"Okay." He kissed her head, gently rubbing up and down her back.
It'd come as a surprise to everyone that once Julieta fell pregnant, her emotions became heightened. Things she normally took quietly and in good humour now made her burst into tears, and she spent a lot of time being comforted and cuddled.
Bruno cautiously entered the kitchen, rats in his arms as he reached for some breakfast.
"Glad you could join us." Alma muttered, her words a little loaded.
It annoyed Alma that Pepa and Bruno were both being so unhelpful during Julieta's pregnancy. Bruno had been hiding up in his tower more and more often, while Pepa was becoming more obnoxious by the day, developing a new habit of complaining about every smell she came across.
"They stink, Bruno." Pepa complained, waving the fan at the rats as they ran along the kitchen table. "I can't even breathe."
Bruno gathered his rats back up into his arms with a frown, taking his plate and leaving the kitchen. Agustin's expression softened in concern as he went to follow Bruno out the room.
"Agustin." She put a hand over her tummy, the other covering her mouth as she began to cry again. "Don't go."
"Sorry, sorry." He turned back quickly, recoiling as he accidentally touched the stove. Julieta took one look at his hand and sobbed.
"Oh, mija." Alma chuckled, coming over to hold her daughter, gently rubbing Julieta's back. "It's okay. Shh, you're okay. We will help you cook. What part can I do?"
"Just rub my hair, Mama." Julieta said softly, wiping her eyes and going back to her cooking. "Thank you."
Pepa leaned back in the chair, exhaling slowly as she waved the fan at herself.
Alma frowned. "Pepa."
Her daughter rolled her eyes, turning to Mama with a dry expression.
"Why are you doing nothing to help your poor sister?" Alma scolded. "Come over here."
Pepa threw her head back as she came over, fanning herself faster as she got closer.
"This food stinks, Mama." Pepa frowned, and Julieta burst into tears again.
Alma held her breath. Dios.
"It's making me sick."
"Not another word." Alma scolded. "Help your sister."
As Pepa got closer to the stove, the smell overwhelmed her and she threw up.
Felix hurried over, holding onto Pepa and stroking back her hair.
"Pepi." He chuckled, holding a hand to her stomach. "I think I know what's happening."
Alma's face dropped, because so did she.
5 months later
"So many stairs." Julieta groaned, her movements stiff and slow as she and Pepa made their way up Bruno's tower, hand holding her swollen belly.
"It'll be worth it." Pepa huffed. "Trust me." She then took a deep breath and shouted, her voice echoing. "Bruno!"
Their brother came down the stairs, eyes wide at the sight of them. He hurried over, taking their arms.
"What's are you doing?" He asked. "Shouldn't you be, I don't know, hibernating or something?"
"We are pregnant, not bears." Pepa grumbled. "Now, help us to the vision cave."
"I wish I was a bear." Julieta sighed, still emotional from her pregnancy. "I would do anything to just sleep."
"Vision cave?." Bruno's voice was worried. "Uh-Uh. No prophecies. I told you, if anything goes wrong with those babies, I don't want to be the one-"
"Nothing will go wrong." Pepa insisted, her voice sure. "Because we are going to do the special prophecy."
"The secret fusion." Julieta agreed.
Bruno hesitated at the mention of he and his sisters' hidden power. They hadn't fused their powers since Bruno had stopped making visions for the town.
"Please, Brunito?" Pepa looked at him with soft and sparkling eyes.
Julieta joined in, her big eyes sparkling too. "We just want to know."
Bruno sighed, annoyed because his sisters knew he couldn't say no to that face.
"You need help?" Bruno offered, voices echoing through the cave. "I got a list of things that annoy me about you-"
"I don't need help!" Pepa snapped, already angry as she relived painful memories from her past, the hormones from her pregnancy helping to infuriate her. Her hands tightened into fists as thunder and lightning began to flash around her.
"You sure?" Bruno baited her. "Because I've seen better storms than this."
Pepa shot Bruno a furious look. "I'm trying!"
"Eh." He shrugged, which only made Pepa angrier. He went to provoke her again, but Julieta shook her head in warning.
Pepa closed her eyes, tears running down her face now. She remembered Mama shouting her, hurting her, being disappointed in her.
She began to sob, wind spiralling and blowing her hair as Pepa heard Mama's voice in her head. Clear skies, Pepa. You have a cloud.
Pepa covered her face as thunder crashed, echoing through the cave.
Why is it always you? Why can't you be good, just once?
Pepa screamed, and the entire cave lit up into a fierce hurricane. She opened her eyes and they glowed bright, lightning swirling and striking around them as the room darkened and flashed.
Julieta gasped, holding a protective hand over her tummy and the other over Pepa's. "Maybe this was a bad idea."
"No turning back now." Bruno told her, quickly taking Pepa's hands in his.
The moment their hands touched, Bruno's eyes glowed too and the clouds turned green.
Usually Bruno needed sand and fire to activate his visions, but they discovered that when Pepa's storms were strong enough, Bruno was able to channel his power through his sister.
Pepa screamed again, the cave lighting up and crackling with electricity.
Clouds swirled around them and illuminated green as the sibling's powers fused. Lightning flowed through the vision, sparking and tracing lines through the green storm and to create an image.
"I love you." Bruno told her in a gentle voice. "You're okay now. Vision is stable."
Pepa sobbed again, glowing eyes looking back at Bruno as she nodded in understanding.
Julieta held onto their arms, her hair blowing in the wind as she watched.
The lightning traced out an image of the Encanto, then navigated through the streets, reaching Casita and going inside. It showed the triplets in Pepa's room, Pepa laying in bed with Julieta and Bruno gathered next to her, holding something.
Pepa watched in intrigue, her glowing eyes searching. Her anger was gone now, but Bruno's power flowed through her, keeping the storm going.
"That's the picture we need." Julieta told them, reaching into her bag and taking out an arepa, breaking it into bite sizes. "Ready?"
Bruno turned to Julieta with glowing eyes and nodded.
She put food in each of her siblings' mouths and her own, then put her hands over theirs. As her power fused with Bruno and Pepa's, the vision became brighter.
A golden glow spread from the siblings' hands and through the cave. It calmed the storm and defined the vision, filling it with colour until it felt like they really were there.
"There they are!" Julieta's face lit up at the sight of the babies.
"Que chimba!" Pepa laughed, looking up at their sweet faces. "I love them already."
Bruno's expression softened. It worked. Nothing bad had happened.
The storm absorbed back into their hands and left behind a slate of glass. It had swirls or green and gold that moved together like clouds, and the image itself glittered and glowed like trapped lightning.
The triplets all huddled in close, speaking in excited voices as they pointed to the babies.