A/N: This story was born out of a love of weird AUs and spite—I couldn't ever find exactly what I wanted to read, and none of the fics I liked were updating fast enough, so I caved and wrote my own.
I've labeled it as a Beauty and the Beast AU but it's a very, very, very loose one. Like, doesn't follow any of the B&B story beats at all, so if that's what you were expecting, I'm sorry to disappoint.
Things are definitely different here than in canon, so beware.
This story was first posted on AO3 (under the same username) and now has been uploaded here in its entirety for nostalgic reasons—I used to write fanfiction here years ago, but not under this name and for fandoms I've never revisited. What are they? I'll never tell. ;)
Something to know right off the bat: the character's ages have been played with a little. All of the kids have been aged up three years (so Mirabel is 18, Antonio is 8, etc.) and all of the adults have been aged down three years for plot reasons.
Enjoy :)
Mirabel was beginning to regret not agreeing to that donkey.
She had made good time up the narrow, overgrown mountain path before the sun came up, but now that it was midday her energy was waning, her curly hair and clothes were sticking to her uncomfortably, and her glasses kept sliding down her nose.
"If this is—a—magic valley," she huffed, "then why—is it—so—hard to—get to?"
She paused to lean against a tree, guzzling her water and wiping her sweaty palms on her shirt.
The man working the bus station's information desk had raised an eyebrow when she asked him where she could get a map of the mountain ranges.
"It's a tough road," he'd said with a pointed look, passing her a stack of maps to choose from. "Mi hermano rents donkeys by the day, you might want to pay him a visit."
Mirabel smiled brightly and thanked him but declined. She was young, she was fit, she could handle a long hike!
He'd shook his head but didn't press her. "Beware the village of el mohan," he'd said, then refused to elaborate further.
Mirabel put her water away and squinted angrily at the sun. If Luisa was here, she wouldn't be breaking a sweat. Not for the first time, Mirabel wished her sister was making this trip with her, but she'd gone with their parents to the farm early to help with the wedding preparations.
But she'd been very supportive of Mirabel's idea.
"I can't believe I've never been myself," Luisa had said. "You'd better write down everything you see; I want detailed descriptions!"
Mirabel promised she'd do her best.
If she could just get there.
Mirabel was fifteen years old when she was told the full story behind her family's curse.
She had always known the broad strokes of what had happened to her familia long before she was born, but it wasn't until after The Argument that her mamá sat her down and some of the more…macabre details were revealed to her.
How a bruja, a stranger, attacked their home one night, as they celebrated the triplets' birthday, unprovoked and without warning—
How she howled with glee as she cut Abuelo Pedro down in front of his family before reaching long, blackened fingertips for the triplets—to try to take them, take their magic—
How it was Tío Bruno, only fifteen years old, her age, who stepped in front of his mother and sisters, Tía Pepa's storm screaming around them, and told them to run—
How the house, their living house, their Casita, did its best to force them out before collapsing in on itself, to protect them, but not Brunito, no, he was still inside—
The neverending night of running, weeping, until finally dawn and a village broke over the horizon—
Her mamá talked and talked for a long time, her face pinched with grief, and her eyes, normally softened with love and laughter, now hollow and distant and bright with tears.
Her pá held her mamá's hand the entire time she spoke, and Mirabel found herself reaching for her mamá's other hand, holding on tight. The three of them stayed that way for a very long time, even after the story was finished.
But there was more to the story, Dolores told her the next day as she was helping Mirabel pack. Tía Julieta left things out, she said, but who could blame her, hm? It happened so long ago…
"There's a monster," Camilo said, leaning on the doorframe and interrupting his sister, who glanced at him but didn't interject. "And the monster ate Tío."
"Wh–What, what, what?" Mirabel asked, eyebrows nearly in her hair. "A monster?"
Dolores let out a high-pitched hm and said, "The monster did not eat Tío Bruno. The monster showed up after—"
Camilo ignored her and grinned at his cousin, already growing fangs and horns, distorting his features grotesquely.
They were alone, Mirabel knew that, but she couldn't help but check over her shoulder to make sure no one was coming up the stairs. Of course, Dolores would hear if they were, but it never hurt to be extra vigilant. Dios no lo quiera someone, or even worse, Abuela, came upon them while Camilo was transformed.
Dolores gently swatted her hermano. Camilo shook his head until he settled back into his normal features, rolling his eyes at his sister.
"No, but seriously, Mami saw it—this huge creature, like seven feet tall, with these claws and teeth and blood everywhere—"
"Milo," Dolores whispered, a warning, but he ignored her.
"They say," he said, lowering his voice. Mirabel leaned in, eyes wide. "They say it still lurks in the ruins of the Encanto, feasting on the screams of all who dare attempt to plunder the village for its riches…"
Mirabel took a step back and laughed nervously. "Ooooh-kay, Milo, whatever you say."
"It's true!" Camilo said, affronted, placing a hand dramatically on his chest. "Back me up, Lola!"
Mirabel looked to Dolores.
"I…did hear Mami and Papi talking about it," she admitted softly. "After they took that trip. During one of Mami's bad nights."
Mirabel shuddered. Tía Pepa's bad nights usually involved spontaneous hurricanes.
She wanted to know more, but by then it was dinnertime, and when she came downstairs her mamá greeted her with a kiss and fresh pandebono, and her pá asked her to help set the table, and Luisa was going to see how many times she could lift the piano before she got tired and Camilo offered to shift into her to "help," but then Abuela came down and called to Mirabel and everyone kind of scattered and she forgot all about tales of monsters for the moment.
It was several days later, right before the move, before she was brave enough to ask her mamá.
"No, there's no monstruo, Mirabel," Julieta said, rolling her eyes. She kneaded the dough in front of her a little more forcefully than necessary. "Camilo needs to stop filling your head with such wild stories. El monstruo, honestly—"
"Dolores told me, not Milo, Mamá," Mirabel retorted. She hopped up to sit on the kitchen counter next to her mother's work station. "She said Tía Pepa saw it, when she and Tío Félix went to the Encanto last year."
Julieta stopped kneading and stared down at the counter. "Ay, Dolores," she said. "That girl's Gift will turn her mamá's hair white before its time."
She wiped her hands on her apron. "Pepa told me everything," she said. Mirabel leaned in, eyes wide and eager. Her mamá touched her cheek. "I don't know what your primos told you, mi vida, but Pepa wasn't sure what she saw. Félix didn't see anything, and it was very dark." She gave her daughter a sad smile and withdrew her hand. "There's enough heartbreak in this family without adding in tales of monsters, Mirabel."
Mirabel ducked her head and nodded. "Sí, Mamá. Lo siento."
"De nada, mi vida." Julieta returned to her dough.
Mirabel slid off the counter. Before she left her mamá said, "Mirabel? Don't speak about this in front of Abuela, okay?"
"I won't," Mirabel said. "I promise."
The sun was beginning its descent behind the mountains, and Mirabel was trying not to panic.
She checked her map. Her destination wasn't officially marked, of course, but Camilo had sent her the coordinates from Abuela's map hanging up in her room in the farmhouse.
He'd also demanded detailed descriptions.
Don't forget about the monster, he'd written, followed by a string of poorly drawn laughing faces.
Mirabel rolled up her map. She'd get there. She would. One more hill.
"Now, Osvaldo knows that we'll be gone next week, so he shouldn't be making any deliveries, but just in case, give the spare key to Rosa—"
"I know, Papi, I've got it," Mirabel said, counting things on her fingers. "Rosa gets the spare key for emergencies and accidental deliveries, I'll make sure Señor Rivera gets his suit before I leave, and I'll put the sign up saying the shop's closed before I catch the bus on míercoles."
Agustín smiled at her. "Yeah, you've got this. I'm proud of you, Miraboo."
"Oye, Agustín, we've got to go or we'll be late," Julieta said from the doorway. She blew a kiss at her daughter. "Have a safe trip, Mirabel. We'll see you in a few days. Te quiero mucho."
"Te quiero!" Mirabel said brightly, waving. "You don't have to worry about me! I'll be fine!"
Luisa gently bumped her shoulder as she passed, two suitcases tucked under her arm. She handed Mirabel a bus ticket stamped for lunes.
"Detailed descriptions," she whispered, and Mirabel winked.
She'd barely reached the top of the hill when she finally spotted the first of the rooftops, peeking out between the trees. The rough mountain road was getting easier—transitioning from dirt to smooth stone. In her excitement, she forgot how exhausted she was and ran the rest of the way down the hill.
At last, finally—
The Encanto.
Translations:
1. El mohan - a creature from Colombian folklore
2. Bruja - witch
3. Dios no lo quiera - God forbid
4. Pandebono - Colombian cheese bread
5. Monstruo - monster
6. Míercoles - Wednesday
7. Te quiero mucho - I love you very much
8. Lunes - Monday
