Chapter 41

40 years before Encanto


Pepa held her breath, her heart pounding as she entered the school house.

Her siblings were so happy, their positive energy distracting as they danced around her.

"You came back!" Julieta's eyes sparkled as she held onto Pepa's hands.

Julieta hugged Pepa so tight her feet lifted off the ground and it made Pepa laugh. Bruno jumped into the hug too, cuddling Pepa from behind so she was squashed between the two of them.

They smiled at eachother, holding hands as they walked together.

They entered the classroom and Pepa froze again. Wind spiralled as she looked over at her friends. They whispered to eachother, avoiding Pepa's eyes.

"Cmon, Pepi." Bruno encouraged, gently pulling at his sister's hand. "I wanna show you the stories I wrote while you were away."

Pepa swallowed, her eyes still on her friends, hoping they would look at her.

"You're okay, come on." Julieta pulled her hand too, gently leading Pepa over to their desks. She sat stiff, her breathing heavy as her wind blew around her. She kept glancing over her shoulder to check if they were looking. Julieta frowned in confusion, looking back too.

The girls avoided their eyes, looking terrified.

The teacher looked a little surprised as he saw Pepa, then smiled at her in encouragement.

"Buenos días, everyone." The teacher announced to the class. "We're gonna do something different today. We're going to start with art."

Bruno gasped softly, turning to his sisters with a grin.

The other children murmured. They never started with art, usually it was a reward after harder lessons.

"Today I'd like you to choose your favourite animal, and draw it." The teacher instructed, wanting to keep the lesson simple and fun. "Make sure you colour it too."

There was shuffling of paper and pencils, the classroom filled with excited murmuring. Pepa couldn't help but smile.

She wanted to ask a question, but felt too afraid to call out. She held onto her braid, stroking it as she took deep breaths.

Having been keeping an eye on Pepa, the teacher came over.

"Did you want to ask me something?" He said gently.

Pepa nodded, twisting her braid.

"What is it, Pepa?"

She swallowed, glancing over her shoulder again, then turning back.

"Can we draw monsters?" She asked softly.

The teacher watched her with a curious expression. "Why do you want to draw monsters, Pepa?"

She took a breath, unsure how to answer.

"You don't want to draw an animal?" He asked. "I thought you liked them."

"I want to draw a monster." She whispered, avoiding his eyes.

The teacher decided not to press it, wanting Pepa to have a positive first day back.

"I'll tell you what." He told her with a smile. "You can draw whatever you want, okay? Just as long as you have fun while you do it."

Pepa smiled and nodded.


The triplets laughed as they showed eachother their drawings. Bruno had drawn a rat, and had even shaded in the fur and drawn little ridges into the tail.

"Is that Shadow?" He asked, pointing to Pepa's drawing. She nodded with a grin. It was similar to most of the drawings Pepa did, with a person's face, round body and little spindly legs, but this one had a long neck and circles on it's back for wings.

"She looks great." Julieta smiled in encouragement. "So does your rat, Bruno."

"Did you draw Honey?" Pepa asked.

"Ay, I should've!" Julieta threw back her head.

Bruno chuckled, looking at her sister's drawing. "Is it a capybara?"

Julieta's face lit up as she nodded.

She loved capybaras. Julieta told them she liked how they were round and cuddly, and how they were a friend to all other animals.

The school bell rang and children grabbed lunches from their bags, heading to the courtyard.

Wind spiralled around Pepa as her hands gripped the edge of her desk and she began to hyperventilate.

"Hey, it's okay." Bruno rubbed her back. He hugged her, knowing she was scared because the older and younger classes all mixed together at lunch.

"Pepi, Pepi listen to me." Julieta urged, looking her in the eyes. "Those boys won't be there. Okay? I promise. They don't have lunch in the courtyard anymore. They're not allowed anywhere near us."

"One of them came into the courtyard once by mistake." Bruno told her, "And Julieta punched him in the-"

"The important thing is you're safe." Julieta spoke quickly, her cheeks flushed.


The triplets sat together under their favourite tree.

"Banana?" Bruno guessed.

Julieta shook her head with a grin.

"Lulo!" Pepa guessed. She tried to peek into Julieta's paper bag, but her sister covered it up.

"Nope." Julieta smiled. "Pepi, I'm so glad you came to school today. You're gonna love this one."

Julieta reached into the bag and pulled out a bright pink and spiky fruit. Pepa gasped, her eyes lighting up. She shook her hand back and forward in excitement.

"Pitahaya!" Pepa exclaimed, hugging the dragonfruit to her chest.

Once they'd finished eating, kids from the younger class came out into the courtyard too, one of them rushing over as he saw the triplets.

"Bruno!" Agustin laughed, running for his friend. His long legs tangled together and he tripped.

They winced as they watched Agustin hit the courtyard tiles, skidding to a stop. He began to cry, holding his arm to his chest as he lay there.

"Gus!" Bruno called out in concern.

"Dios," Julieta whispered, reaching into her bag and taking out her cooking. "Every day."

Agustin held his breath as he saw Julieta kneel down beside him, Bruno and Pepa quickly joining her on either side.

"Here." She spoke gently, handing him a bunuelo.

He took it, feeling embarrassed. He glanced over at other kids who were watching. Julieta shot them a look and they turned away.

"You okay?" Bruno asked.

Agustin whispered something, avoiding their eyes.

"What?"

He beckoned Bruno closer, whispering again, this time into his ear.

"You're embarrassed?" Bruno repeated loudly. "Why?"

Agustin cringed, feeling ashamed.

"Why's it embarrassing?" Bruno repeated.

"Because. I always fall down." Agustin admitted.

Pepa's expression softened.

"Life is that way, hm?" She said with an encouraging smile. "It knocks you down... But then you get back up."

Pepa put a hand out for Agustin.

Agustin smiled, taking Pepa's hand as she helped him up.


After lunch, the class did reading.

Pepa loved to read. She felt her mind escape away into the story, the characters and adventures feeling very real.

Someone tapped on the back of her chair.

She turned to see her friend holding out a note for her. Pepa froze. She held her breath, eyes wide with fear as she stared down at the paper.

Not again.

The classroom lit up as Pepa's cloud suddenly thundered. Everybody screamed as wind blew at their books.

"Pepa." Her teacher called over the wind, and Pepa turned to him with wide and watery eyes, her chest heaving in panic.

"It's wasn't me!" Pepa spoke breathlessly, tears running down her cheeks as her cloud rained. "It wasn't! I didn't write it. I didn't."

"It's okay, Pepi." Julieta put her arms around Pepa as she sobbed.

"It's not!" Pepa screamed as rain began to pour over her. "It's not okay!"

"We got you, sis." Bruno leaned in from the other side, holding onto Pepa's hands.

The teacher came over and Pepa whimpered, hiding against her siblings and finding it hard to breathe. She couldn't do it again. Not again.

"I didn't." Pepa gasped. "I promise. I didn't do it. I didn't."

The teacher crouched down beside Pepa's desk so he could look her in the eyes, his face gentle and sincere. He got wet from the cloud, but he stayed with her.

"I believe you, Pepa."

The wind slowed down. Pepa peered out from her sibling's embrace, looking up at her teacher in disbelief.

"I'm not in trouble?" She whispered.

He smiled, shaking his head. Rain dripped from his face as he stood up, heading over to his desk.

"You're not in trouble, Pepa." He reassured her, wiping his face as he walked. "Nothing bad is going to happen to you in this classroom, okay?"

Pepa swallowed, taking a deep breath to try and stop the rain.

"Clear skies." She whispered, stroking her braid. "Clear skies."

The teacher got his coat from his chair and came back over to Pepa.

"You're a good girl, Pepa Madrigal." The teacher reassured her. He gently put his coat over Pepa's shoulders, wrapping it around her body to keep her warm. "And you have been through a very bad thing. But that does not make you bad, do you understand?" He looked her in the eyes again.

Pepa snuggled the coat to her face as she watched.

"Are you ready to learn again?"

Pepa took a deep breath and nodded.

"That's my clever girl." He smiled.

The teacher then turned to Pepa's friend, holding out his hand. "Señorita Pezmuerto. Let's see it."

She swallowed, handing the note over. The teacher read it, glancing up at her, then slipped it in his pocket.

"You can collect this after class, Pepa." He said quietly, turning and heading back to the board. "I believe it's for you."

Pepa hid against the jacket, afraid of what it might be.


That afternoon


Pepa leaned into Julieta, who put an arm around her. Bruno sat on the other side and rested his chin on Pepa's shoulder.

"It's okay." Julieta reassured her. "We're right here with you."

Pepa stared down at the paper, too afraid to open it.

"Do you want me to read it?" Bruno offered.

Pepa nodded, cuddling closer to her siblings as Bruno unfolded the paper.

He read silently at first.

"What does it say?" Pepa prompted, peering over his shoulder.

Bruno cleared his throat, reading for her.

"I'm really sorry, Pepa." Bruno spoke quietly. "I'm sorry for how we treated you, and I'm sorry I didn't stop the others when they said all those mean things to you. You're not a gringa, or a freak, or any of the other names they called you."

Julieta stiffened, her eyes wide and furious. What?

"And I'm sorry they laughed about your father." Bruno swallowed. "They shouldn't have said all that."

Julieta took a sharp breath.

"And I'm sorry for the mean note, and how it got you in trouble." Bruno continued. "I still want to be your friend, if you want. But-" He hesitated, but Pepa nudged him.

"Tell me." Pepa urged, her eyes glistening and a cloud floating over her head.

Bruno swallowed.

"But not your brother. I can't forgive him for what he did to Pezito." Bruno's eyes shifted. "But I still like you Pepa. And I'm so sorry for what the boys did. Please don't hurt us for it, because we didn't know that was going to happen. I promise we didn't. Do you believe me?"

Bruno finished the note and Pepa stared ahead, a sinking feeling in her chest. Her friends were scared of her. That's why they wouldn't look at her. They were scared she would hurt them.

"Hey guys." Agustin came over with a shy smile, holding his books. "Uh, you want to play?"

Agustin looked up in surprise as it started to snow.

Pepa sobbed. Of course they were scared of her. Why wouldn't they be?

"Pepi." Julieta tried, but Pepa pushed her off, her cloud snowing as she ran away.


Later


Pepa lay in bed, too tired to get up. It snowed over her and she felt hungry, but it was like her head was stuck. She felt so heavy and tired and wasn't sure if she could ever get up again.

The door slowly opened and Julieta and Bruno entered. Pepa blinked, taking a deep breath as she watched them.

They grinned at eachother, then ran through the snow. This took Pepa by surprise.

They jumped into Pepa's bed, climbing under the covers. Pepa gasped because their bodies were cold against her legs.

"Shadow, where are you?" Valiant called out, her voice muffled under the blanket. "We need your help."

"We have a quest for you!" Hernando agreed.

Pepa looked down at the two shapes under her blanket in surprise.

"Where is she?" Hernando muttered. "I thought you said she was a brave dragon."

"She is!" Valiant insisted. "The bravest I know. She'll be here, just wait."

Pepa couldn't help but smile, going under the blanket too.


Valiant and Hernando turned at the sound of a growl, and Shadow approached.

"Woah. She's bigger than I thought she'd be." Hernando whispered.

"Yeah, she's huge." Valiant agreed.

Shadow grinned, feeling proud of herself. She growled again, sniffing at their faces.

Hernando patted her head, and Valiant nudged him.

"She's not a dog, Hernando." She whispered.

"I've been raising dragons my whole life." Hernando shrugged. "I know how to handle them."

He turned back to the dragon.

"So here's the thing. Our friend has gone missing." He explained. "They've been gone for a long time, and we don't know how to get them back."

"We thought maybe you could help." Valiant added, her face hopeful.

The dragon growled, tilting its head.

"Her name's Sunshine." Hernando said. "Heard of her?"

Pepa froze.

No. Not Sunshine.

She remembered how Sunshine had destroyed the crops and hurt the boys. Even worse, she remembered how she'd enjoyed it. Those boys had deserved it.

Pepa pulled the blanket back, her expression furious.

"You tricked me!" Pepa shouted at them. "I don't want to play your stupid game!"

Julieta's expression dropped, but Bruno was unphased.

"Well, no one's asking you, Pepa." He shrugged. "We're asking Shadow."

Pepa scowled, her snow clouds turning into grey thunder clouds. Bruno grinned as they rumbled, unafraid.

"But I am Shadow!" Pepa shouted again, her clouds flashing. "I'm the dragon! I'm the monster!"

Bruno looked her up and down sceptically.

"Eh." He shrugged. "Don't look like a monster to me."

"Or me." Julieta agreed.

"I am!" Pepa shouted, feeling her cheeks turn hot. "I am! I'm a monster!"

"I don't believe you." Bruno baited her. "Prove it."

Pepa screamed, her eyes glowing bright as wind and lightning spiralled around them and formed a storm.

"Oh, there you are, Shadow." Bruno smiled knowingly.

He took hold of Pepa's hands and as they touched, his own eyes glowed green.

"Now, where were we?"

Usually Bruno needed sand and fire to activate his visions, but when Pepa's storms were strong enough, he was able to channel his power through his sister.

The swirling clouds around them illuminated green as the sibling's powers fused. Lightning sparked and traced lines through the green storm, forming images. Julieta held onto their arms, her hair blowing in the wind as she watched.

"They say Sunshine got trapped up in the sky," Bruno called over the storm, continuing their game. "So we gotta go someplace really high, and make a lot of noise to call her back down."

The lightning traced out an image of town, moving through the streets until they reached the church tower.

"This looks like the place." He told Pepa. "But we gotta be careful. It's guarded, see? And it's a long climb to the highest tower."

Pepa watched in intrigue, her glowing eyes searching. Her anger was gone, but Bruno's power flowed through her, keeping the storm going.

The vision rested on a final image of four figures standing together atop a tower, looking out over the Encanto.

"Who's that fourth person?" Julieta asked.

"It's a long journey," Bruno explained. "So we gotta take a guide." He then turned to Julieta. "You ready?"

Julieta smiled and nodded.

"The vision is stable." Bruno called out in Hernando's voice. "Let's do it."

Julieta took an arepa from her bag. She tore off two pieces, putting one in each of her siblings' mouths, then put her hands over theirs. As her power fused with Bruno and Pepa's, the vision became brighter.

A golden glow spread up from the siblings' hands and through the storm, sharpening the vision and filling it with colour. They gasped softly, taking in the view from the atop the tower as if they really were there.

The storm calmed, absorbing back into their hands and leaving behind a slate of glass. It had swirls or green and gold that moved through it like clouds, and the image itself glittered and glowed like trapped lightning.

They looked at eachother and grinned in excitement, all leaning in to look.

"You see, sis?" Bruno smiled, the vision glass illuminating the three of their faces. "If you're a monster, then so are we."

Pepa glanced at Julieta, who nodded.

"We're in this together." Julieta held her siblings' hands. "Always."

"Always." Bruno agreed.

Pepa's nose twitched as she blinked back tears.

"I love you." She told them.

"We love you too." Julieta kissed her face.

"Uh-huh." Bruno smiled. "And we're never giving up on you, Pepa. Never."

Pepa pulled them both in for a hug. They held her tight.

"Julieta?" Mama's voice called from downstairs as she returned home. "Brunito? Pepi?"

"Hide it." Julieta whispered, glancing at their vision glass.

They'd promised the town long ago there'd be no more visions, and now Pepa's powers were forbidden too Julieta only imagined the trouble they'd get into if anyone found out they could do that together.

It was their special secret.

"Under here." Pepa called, leading them under her bed.

They crawled on their bellies and Pepa tapped a secret password into the floor with her hand. Casita lifted a floorboard for her, revealing Shadow's secret stash of treasure.

Pepa put the vision glass in the most special section, next to her carved dragon toy, a yellow leaf shaped like a star, and a rock that looked like a loveheart. She moved some of the colourful feathers to cover up the glass, then carefully closed the floorboard.

They shuffled back out just before Mama opened the door, sitting up as she entered the room.

"There you are." Alma sighed in relief. "I was worried."

She sat down with her children, her eyes on Pepa. "How was your first day back, mija?"

Alma clasped her hands together anxiously as she waited for the answer. Dios, please be okay.

Pepa smiled. "It was good, Mama."

Alma's face lit up. She exclaimed in excitement, and it took them by surprise. She grabbed the three of them and rolled onto her back, pulling them into a hug. They laughed as Mama kissed their faces.

"We should celebrate." She grinned, sitting back up and making sure she squeezed each of them. "Come on, let's go downstairs. I will make treats."

They all shouted, especially Julieta who loved food.

Alma went out the room and her children followed, hesitating only for a moment as Bruno took his sisters' hands to stop them.

"So," He quickly whispered. "Rescue mission, tomorrow after school. You in?"

Julieta nodded, then turned to her sister.

Pepa looked back at them with bright eyes. She smiled and nodded.

Her siblings cheered, then held Pepa's hands as they went to follow Mama.