Mirabel swallowed as she tried to sneak through Casita. Holding her shoulder bag close so the pieces of prophecy wouldn't fall out.
Well, one mystery was solved. Why they weren't allowed to enter Tio Bruno's room… The whole place was a death trap.
A desert room in decay with stone pillars that had long since fallen down and those endless stairs that seemed to be crumbling under her feet… And then that room had collapsed right over Mirabel and she shuddered.
To think they had such a massive death trap right in their house. No wonder it was forbidden to go in there. That was really really dangerous.
So busy was Mirabel thinking about this that she didn't even see Abuela before she walked right into her in a thud.
Shocked did Alma look up at Mirabel. "Where are you coming from in such a hurry?" she asked and Mirabel's eyes widened in shock and horror.
"I.. I'm sorry." Mirabel gasped and Alma halted as she looked up. Her eyes were on Mirabel's hair.
"What is in your hair?" she asked as suddenly the sand started to fall off Mirabel and Mirabel gasped. Only to be interrupted as Luisa came up the stairs crying.
"My gift! I'm losing my gift!"
Shocked Alma turned to her. "What?"
"Mirabel and I were having this little talk." Luisa sniffed. "About me carrying too much. So I tried not to carry so much. But I realized it was putting me behind. And I knew I was going to let everyone down! And I felt really bad. So I was grabbing all the donkeys. But when I went to throw the donkeys into the barn." she sniffed. "They were heavyyyy!" and she cried as she ran into her room leaving a stunned Mirabel and Alma.
Then slowly Alma turned to Mirabel. "What did you do? What did you say to her?" she asked.
"I... Nothing!" Mirabel gasped.
"Mirabel." Alma began in her lecturing voice but sighed as the clock was ringing. "I have to go get the Guzmans for the engagement dinner. Stay away from Luisa until I can talk to her! Tonight we can't have any more problems! And whatever you are doing. Stop doing it!" she stated and then finally left and Mirabel... She swallowed. Clutching her back.
Was... Was it really her? Had Mirabel made Luisa lose her gift... She didn't mean to. She really didn't! And she squinted her eyes as she turned to head back to her room.
Finally, Mirabel managed to step into the nursery, which was now back to being her private room and she swallowed. Opening her shoulder bag to glance at all the shards, glowing such an ominous green light.
Then she pulled a piece up and looked at it, seeing part of her own face, her left eye and it send a chill down Mirabels back as she put the piece on her dresser. And then two others she carefully put together and she swallowed.
"Why am I in your vision Bruno?"
BOOM
A loud thunder crack sounded right behind Mirabel and she shouted in surprise as she twirled around and saw her Tia Pepa who had just burst through the door.
"Tia. Geesh." Mirabel gasped as she picked up the pieces behind her back and stuffed them back down into her bag.
"Sorry." Pepa smiled a strained smile, the big thunder cloud over her head being a traitor showing her true feelings. "Sorry I didn't mean to." at that Pepa noticed the cloud and hissed. "Shu-Shu-SHU!" she threw it out and then headed for the drawers. "I just needed to get the last of Tonitos things!" she said sitting down on her knees starting to pick up teddy bears and its likes to move them to Antonio's new room. "And then I heard…" Pepa turned to Mirabel and suddenly the light just seemed to dim as the thunder was back over her head. "The name we do not speak."
Mirabel swallowed nervously and Pepa glanced up at her cloud.
"Great." She groaned. "Now I'm thundering! And that will lead to a drizzle… And that will lead to a SPRINKLE!" Pepa halted and then she smiled. A tormented not actually happy smile. "Clear skies," she said running her hands through her long braid. "Clearly skies. Clear skies." she smiled gently falling down on her knees and the cloud dispersed.
Mirabel bit her lip, feeling the bag over her shoulder… With the green shards in it. Then looked at her Aunt now sitting with her back to her. "Tia Pepa…" she tried. "If Bruno…"
The moment she said the name. The thunder cloud was back.
"If he." Mirabel corrected herself. "Had a vision about someone." she swallowed and then quickly spat it out. "What would it mean?"
"We don't talk about Bruno!" Pepa hissed, now strangling the cloth in front of her.
"I know." Mirabel stuttered. "It's just… hypothetically. If he saw you."
"Mirabel." Pepa huffed trying to get the cloud away again. "Please! We need to get ready for the Guzmans!"
"I just wanted to know if it was generally positive or…. Less positive." Mirabel tried.
And suddenly the door just slammed right open again as Felix jumped right in.
"IT WAS A NIGHTMARE!"
"Felix!" Pepa gasped.
"Hey she needs to know. Pepi. She needs to know." Felix pointed out.
"We don't talk about Bruno!" Pepa hushed her husband.
"He would say something terrible!" Felix exclaimed. "And then. It would happen! Just like that!"
"We don't talk about Bruno!" Pepa exclaimed.
"What if he didn't understand what he saw?" Mirabel gasped.
"Then you better figure it out! Because it was coming for you!" Felix stated grabbing Mirabel's shoulders and Mirabel gasped.
Mirabel was gasping for breath, still feeling the weight of those shards in her bag. "Is it really? There will be no way out?" she asked.
"No way," Felix whispered and let go.
Mirabel swallowed as she stood there. "But… What if he didn't mean?" she tried.
"Oh, he meant it." Pepa rolled his eyes. "He was awful! Just awful! Do you know what he did? At my wedding?" she asked. "The sky was all clear. Things were going perfectly. And then he just started to smile at me and told me it was going to rain!" she exclaimed. "And you know how it is! Drizzle, sprinkle. HURRICANE!" she shouted holding up her arms. "He knew! THE CEREMONY WAS UNDER A BLOODY HURRICANE!"
"What a wonderful day." Felix sighed.
"FELIX!" Pepa shouted then she turned to Mirabel. "We do not talk about Bruno for a reason." she seethed. "He was a walking disaster! Handing out bad prophecies left and right. No wonder everyone was mad at him. He brought bad things to the family name and it's a good thing he's gone! IT'S GOOD!" she screamed as the thunder erupted and the wind knocked Mirabel off her feet as she barely managed to hold unto her bag with the shards.
"Erhm you should probably go," Felix commented as he glanced at Mirabel and Mirabel nodded as she rushed out of the room to get outside and down the stairs.
Barely had she gotten down though before a hand just grabbed her and Mirabel screamed only to be faced by her cousin Dolores.
"You're asking about Bruno." Dolores gasped.
"Well… Erhm… Kind of." Mirabel swallowed. "Do you know… Anything about Bruno?"
"Oh yes yes. He's always stumbling around mumbling to himself." Dolores nodded.
"Huh?" Mirabel blinked then halted. "You know… Something about." she swallowed. "He could see into the future… Right?"
Dolores nodded. "It's a pretty humbling gift," she said. "He would often hand out prophecies people just didn't understand."
"hehe… Greaaat." Mirabel smiled awkwardly. "But erhh… What does that mean?"
"You're talking about Bruno?" A new voice asked and Mirabel looked up to see Camilo grinning as he was laying across the hand railing of the stairs. "I can tell you about Bruno!" he laughed as he jumped down so he was in front of Mirabel and then suddenly changed appearance making Mirabel scream in shock as she jumped back.
The man Camilo had turned into looked outright demonic. With a pulled back evil grin and long slender limbs. Worst of all though had to be the green glowing eyes. "Seven foot tall!" Camilo grinned holding up his long slender fingers. "Rats running up and down his back! In the night he calls your name and then…. Everything just turns to black!" he gasped holding up his arms.
Mirabel gaped as she looked up at Camilo in this form and then Camilo turned back into himself. Looking all smug and self-satisfied in having successfully freaked Mirabel out.
And then Isabela stepped in. "Camilo! You know the rules! We don't talk about Bruno. And I really don't think you're supposed to turn into him!"
Camilo rolled his eyes. "Are you going to tell Abuela?" he asked.
Isabela rolled her eyes. "Not tonight. Count yourself lucky." she huffed and Camilo made faces.
Dolores swallowed. "Mirabel was just asking and erhm."
Then Isabela looked at Mirabel. "You were asking about Bruno?" she asked.
"Well erhm… Kind of." Mirabel swallowed. "He… He could see into the future. Right?"
Isabela offered her a short glance then nodded. "Yes. He told me the life of my dreams would be mine. And now it is. And I couldn't be happier." she stated and turned around so she had her back to them…. Then they couldn't see her eye twitching and her smile being plastered on. "So happy," she whispered.
Dolores sighed deeply.
"Lores?" Mirabel asked.
"He told me the man of my dreams would be engaged to someone else." Dolores then admitted.
"Oh." Mirabel swallowed. "That's awful… Lores I'm sorry. Bruno's visions they… They don't sound very good huh?"
"No." Dolores sighed deeply. "They made people mad… Really mad."
"Apparently he told Father Mendoza he would lose all his hair." Camilo laughed holding his stomach. "Can you believe it? Oh and remember that gold fish!"
A brief memory did fly across Mirabels mind and she swallowed. Still, she mostly felt confused.
Isabela turned back to them. "It was like… He would read a prophecy and your fate was just sealed. Done! That's it. It's over!"
Mirabel glanced down. "Was he really such a bad person?"
"The worst." Camilo snorted. "He did us all a favor when he left."
"Oh." Mirabel looked down. "I erh… We should probably get ready for dinner." she swallowed as she turned around seeing the storm was gone meaning that Pepa and Felix had probably left now and it was safe to go back and she sighed.
Memories started to swim around Mirabel's head… You don't talk about Bruno. That was the rule. Whenever the name was brought up people just snapped and it made her shiver.
There were always whispers in the Encanto though and Bruno's names would be mentioned in the corner and it always… Always sounded really bad.
Bruno had let the devil into the Encanto and brought them so much misery and bad luck and now… Mirabel had his last vision. In her bag… His last. And then he had vanished the same night.
Mirabel made her way back to the nursery and now emptied her back out with all of the shards… Luisa had said this vision would have to be the answer. Bruno left… After…
Mirabel swallowed as she slowly… Slowly started to put the pieces back together. Forming a picture, cracks like last night and…
Mirabel gasped as she jumped back. No! It couldn't be! Why had she asked? "Why did I bring up Bruno," she asked grabbing her head. This had been a bad idea.
Just then it knocked on the door and Agustin's voice came through. "Mirabooh! Got your party pants on?" he asked jokingly as the door opened and in stepped Mirabel's father with a smile on his face. "Cause I..."
"Argh!" Mirabel shouted as she turned around trying to shield the vision behind her. But it was too late… Far too late.
Agustin's face said it all, he was shocked. His mouth was open and his eyes were wide as he looked at the vision behind Mirabel.
"I…" Mirabel tried. "I broke into Bruno's tower!" she exclaimed. "I found his last vision. The family is in trouble. The magic is dying. The house is breaking. Luisa's gift is fading. And I think it's all because of…" she swallowed looking up. "Me." she smiled a strained smile.
Agustin Madrigal… Husband of Julieta Madrigal. Father of Isabela, Luisa and Mirabel.
He was a man who had never asked that much. He had found his fortune when finding his wife and his greatest wish was merely to be a good father and help his family to the best of his abilities.
Ten years ago. His brother in law had vanished into thin air. They could only think he had gotten some sort of vision that had made him leave.
What that vision was… No one knew. Agustin had looked for it. He had spent years looking for it. But finally had to call it quits. The vision was gone together with Bruno… Or so he thought.
He had finally accepted that he would never find out why his brother in law left.
It had made so little sense to Agustin! He had been ready to swear that Bruno loved this family with all of his being and would do anything to protect it.
So why leave? …. It made no sense. The answer had to be in the vision.
And there it was. Ten years after… His daughter had found it. And she had said... The magic was breaking. Because of.. Her?
Agustin tried to take in her words but they just wouldn't settle and his eyes were on the glowing prophecy... Ten years in hiding. It was right behind her and Agustin gasped as slowly… Slowly he stepped forward, gently he pushed Mirabel aside so he could see and Agustin gasped as he saw the terrible image in front of him.
It was indeed Mirabel. Standing in front of Casita but everything was breaking. The cracks seemed to come from her body. And was just consuming... Everything.
"Papa." Mirabel spoke in a broken voice and Agustin swallowed.
This was the vision. Bruno's last vision... He had seen this. And then left... And then left to protect. Agustin looked at the image again... Her.
What was Julieta going to say? ... What was Alma going to say. And then Agustin realized. ALMA! She would do anything to protect the magic and he gasped.
"We say nothing!" he stated looking at Mirabel. "Abuela wants tonight to be perfect." he gasped picking up the pieces. He could figure this out… He had to show this to Julietta. After dinner. Then they could figure it out… Oh god no! Abuela would do anything to protect the magic. That's why Bruno left! It started to make sense now. Abuela couldn't know! He couldn't let her know. He had to protect his daughter!... Oh Dios Mios he owed Bruno so much. "You did not break into Bruno's tower. The magic is not dying. Luisa's gift is not fading." he gasped as he stuffed the last piece into his pocket and took Mirabel by the shoulder to lead her towards the door. "No one will know. Just act normal! No one has to know!" he gasped.
"Uh." sounded a little squeak and they both turned their heads, to see the opposite side of the room where Dolores was standing in front of the door. "I know," she whispered and then ran out of there.
Frightened Mirabel and Agustin looked at her.
"She's going to tell everyone." Mirabel pointed just as Alma's voice shouted from the dining room.
"TIME TO EAAAAT!"
Agustin was a fine man… A proper man. He had been raised well, to always have good manners and always be a gentleman and yet… The word escaped his lips.
"Miércoles"
Mirabel swallowed as she slowly turned to her father looking up at him. Biting her lip. "Papa… What do you think that vision means?"
"I… I don't know." Agustin said as he stood up. Shaking lightly. "Listen though. I won't let anything happen to you. Okay?"
"Happen to me. It's that bad?" Mirabel asked.
"No!" Agustin gasped. "Yes… Maybe… I…"
Mirabel swallowed. "Felix said Bruno's visions always came true."
"Well." Agustin bit his fingernails. "That's… Listen. We are going to figure it out okay?" he asked. "Whatever this is. We'll figure it out."
"Agustin. Mirabel. You need to come down!" Sounded Julieta's shout and they both stiffened. Agustin swallowed.
Bruno's last vision… After all this time it was here. And how stupid had Agustin been to think it was anything good.
Of course, there was only one possible reason why Bruno would ever leave… To protect the family. All this time.
Agustin swallowed as he put a hand comforting on Mirabel's back. "Come on," he said in a gentle tone. "We just need to get through dinner and then…. We'll figure something out."
Mirabel's eyes were wet as she sniffed.
"I promise," Agustin whispered as they headed down the stairs together.
