AN: This is the longest of all the chapters in this story, which is fitting as it summarizes and wraps everything up. Thanks for sticking with me, and I hope you enjoy this final installment.
"I got it!"
Agustín honestly didn't know what he expected when he dove for that candle. The fact that it dropped so neatly into his hands was a miracle in and of itself. But something, of course, still had to go wrong. Because he was Agustín Rojas. When didn't something go wrong? The clumsiest, unluckiest man in the Encanto, at least when one considered him separately from his singular example of blindingly good luck: Julieta Madrigal. Agustín may have always felt like an outsider among the Madrigals, but that was less because of his lack of a magical gift and more because of his lack of grace and decorum, which the Madrigals carried like they had invented the concepts. But for Agustín, his wife and daughters were luck and miracles enough, and more than made up for his own shortcomings. Even if all three of his daughters had inherited his clumsiness to at least some extent. He didn't need grace or luck, so long as he had them, and so long as no one ever had to rely on him to so much as fake having grace or luck.
So he was much more surprised at his success in catching the candle than he ever possibly could've been at the pulse of magic it released the moment he rose to his feet.
He caught the full blast in his face, and while it didn't burn, it did seem to cause some sort of weight to settle in his chest; a weight that felt a little too much like a responsibility he was quite certain he did not want.
After that, everything became chaotic. Animals scattered everywhere, and when they reemerged, they converged on Pepa. Luisa shapeshifted and then fainted. Mirabel began trailing plants. Bruno dismissed himself from the scene. Alma broke the dining room table. And all Agustín could do was cling, terrified, to the candle that had chosen him as its bearer for the day.
When returning the candle proved to be a complete failure, Alma had instructed Agustín to return to the courtyard for now, until she could figure out the next step.
"What if we tried putting it in the window of Julieta's and my room?" Agustín suggested as they left Alma's room.
"We can't take the chance," Alma insisted. "I don't know what we're going to do, but if you give me until lunch, I'm sure I'll come up with something."
Agustín was about to retort to that when a movement caught his eye. They both looked up to see an unusually pale Félix, who immediately ducked into his room. Agustín noticed that Pepa and Félix's door, like the others, had changed to show Pepa's temporary gift. The animals seemed slightly less out of place on her door than the dumbbells were on Alma's door. Agustín chanced a glance at his own door and was less than thrilled to see it shift from the usual image of Julieta with her cooking motifs to himself with the candle. He hung his head.
"So I'm supposed to stay down in the courtyard all day?"
"You're supposed to watch over the family," Alma said. "That has always been my job, and one day it will be Mirabel's. The miracle has made that abundantly clear. But for today, the task falls to you. You don't have to oversee the entire town. You simply have to guard our miracle. It's the most important job, Agustín. Mirabel may have given us back our home, but even the magic understood that she is too young to take it all on right now."
Agustín gave a small, "Hmm." He couldn't really disagree. At least Mirabel hadn't been saddled with this task for the day. On the other hand, he thought, perhaps it would've been the perfect opportunity for her to practice. And since when was he meant to play patriarch to the Madrigals anyway? What a crazy, mixed up alternate universe that would've been! He swallowed a chuckle at the thought and nodded.
"At least Isa can help Mira with her temporary plant magic," he said. "Well, I guess...I'd better go downstairs and...check on people."
Alma smiled. "Thank you, Agustín," she said. "Now, I'm going back to my room to consider what we are to do about all of this, and if we can correct it before tomorrow. Make sure everyone does what I've asked of them; that is, laying low for the day."
Agustín nodded and headed down the stairs, where he took up his post in the courtyard. He should count his blessings, he figured. After all, he'd been longing for a way to be of greater service to the family ever since he joined it, and now was his chance. He took a deep breath. All he had to do now was not screw it up.
And so Agustín watched and guarded to the best of his ability. Casita created a bench for him, for which he was grateful. He sat and observed Pepa running to and fro with animals at her heels, searching for Antonio. He watched Antonio duck in and out of various hiding places, and noticed how Antonio would immediately disappear whenever he heard his name called. Agustín could only point Pepa in the direction the boy had last been seen, but the animals continued to distract her.
He watched as Dolores and Mariano kept changing positions every 20 minutes, complaining about the noise wherever they tried to settle so Dolores could help her boyfriend concentrate on his weather. Even though Dolores was without a gift for the day, she still sought peace and quiet, albeit for Mariano's sake this time rather than her own. When Dolores suggested they use her soundproof room, Mariano shot the idea down immediately. Agustín smiled broadly as he overheard Mariano's explanation. This man would've been very good for Isabela had she reciprocated, and he would certainly be very good for Dolores. The world needed more Marianos, Agustín decided.
It was a welcome reprieve when Julieta came to visit Agustín. They sat together comfortably for a while before Casita alerted them to a crisis in the kitchen. Not too long after that, Julieta had gone into town and returned with Antonio, agreeing to help him cook up some treats for the townsfolk. Well, so much for lying low. But as long as Julieta was overseeing the process, nothing would seem out of the ordinary. And there was no one on earth Agustín trusted more than his wife.
Mariano and Dolores finally found a place out of the way to practice meditating, and soon Isabela, Mirabel and Félix came downstairs. Isabela broke away from the other two to join her cousin and ex-boyfriend. What followed was the most mature conversation Agustín had ever witnessed his eldest having. At one point, she looked to him for guidance.
Go on, Agustín tried to project with a nod. You're doing fine. Telepathy wasn't one of the family's gifts, but as they continued to learn how to better communicate with one another, reading each other's expressions and intentions became easier. Isabela gave him a grateful smile and returned to her conversation.
It paid off. The sky cleared and Mariano sported rainbows.
Not long after that, Julieta and Antonio got lunch set out. Agustín glanced up at the balcony above him, hoping to see his mother-in-law. She seemingly hadn't emerged yet. But Félix and Mirabel had returned from whatever errand they were running, and they brought him a plate of food. Mirabel conjured a table with her plant magic, and Agustín thanked her. Isabela, Dolores and Mariano also joined them.
"So, if you all could bring me up to speed on what's been happening all day, I'd appreciate it," Agustín prompted.
Everyone immediately began talking about how their day had gone so far. Félix started talking about Osvaldo's appendix trouble. Dolores gushed about how proud she was of her boyfriend. Mirabel said something about cactus before commenting on how she'd rather forget that part of her day. And then Isabela said, "Oh, and Mirabel has her own gift, which she's always had and which I have for the day!"
Agustín glanced at his youngest in surprise. But before he could ask about it, they all heard Camilo shout in frustration, and Dolores dismissed herself to help him. Then as the conversation began again, Mariano's mother could be heard banging at the front door.
It was entertaining, watching Mariano try to calm his mother as she gaped in shock at the clouds surrounding him. He finally asked her if she was hungry, which caught her off guard.
"Er...yes, mijo, thank you. Can...can I join you all?"
The group nodded and gave a chorus of approvals. When Sra. Guzmán had her plate and a seat, her eyes immediately went to the candle.
"I don't understand, Agustín. How is it you have the candle?"
"Oh, heh...it's a long story," Agustín replied. "Basically, Bruno knocked it down, I caught it, and now I can't put it down or it flickers."
"And it mixed up all of our gifts," Dolores said. "Only for the day."
Sra. Guzmán cast another glance at Mariano's clouds. He was a bit nervous, and lightning flickered at the top of his personal weather. "This will all be corrected by tomorrow?" she asked.
"That's what Tío Bruno said," Mirabel replied.
Just then, Luisa burst in, clearly agitated.
"Luisa," Agustín called, "get some lunch and come join us, mija."
"Can't, Pa," Luisa yelled as she dashed up the stairs. "Gotta get Abuela!"
It didn't take super hearing to overhear the frantic conversation between Luisa and Alma, and soon the two departed for town.
"Yeah, how's that 'laying low' thing supposed to go again?" Mirabel said with a chuckle.
"So Mira," Agustín said, trying to get the conversation back on track. "Your sister said you have a gift that she has? Is it related to the new miracle? Do you think you could take this candle off your old man?"
Mirabel smiled sympathetically. "Sorry, Pa, but we seem to have a pretty sentient miracle, since I can bring it back—candle and all—but I'm still not in charge of it yet. But Isa and I figured out that I have always had magic. It's just always been really subtle, and it's always been about supporting my family."
"Well, don't take this the wrong way, dear," Sra. Guzmán chimed in, "but if that's the case, why did your door disappear all those years ago?"
"We may never know," Mirabel replied. "Maybe the magic was too weak to give me a bigger-on-the-inside room. Maybe it was to motivate me to save our miracle. Maybe it was a bit of both."
"Well, I think it's because your miracle has a mischievous streak."
"That would explain Camilo," Dolores said teasingly as she returned from counseling the temporarily super hearing-gifted teen in question.
"Your mamá says he gets it all from me," Félix bragged.
"And you're darn proud of it," Agustín said with a chuckle.
"You know it!"
"So if the magic doesn't return to normal until tomorrow, does that mean my Mariano has to stay the night here?" Sra. Guzmán asked.
"Oh, I hadn't thought of that!" Mariano said. "Would that be appropriate? I mean...staying the night at my girlfriend's house...I won't even go in her room during the day. It wouldn't be right."
"How did my daughter end up dating a saint?" Félix said, chuckling as both Mariano and Dolores blushed. "We can find a place for you to stay, hijo. That's not a problem."
"And Casita knows how to deal with personal weather," Isabela added. "Mariano probably would be better off staying here for the night, but in the end it's really up to him."
"Agreed," Dolores said.
Sra. Guzmán tapped a finger to her chin before saying, "Alright, but Mariano, I expect you to be on your best behavior! Don't you dare do anything that might embarrass Doña Alma."
"I'd never, Mamá!" Mariano insisted.
Satisfied with the arrangements, Sra. Guzmán fell into comfortable conversation with the group. Which pleased Agustín just fine. He'd always found the woman a little intimidating, as she had an outlook on life similar in many regards to Alma's. Though Alma was certainly the more imposing of the two.
The first shift had long since finished their lunch when the remainder of the family, sans Bruno, gathered in the courtyard and started in on their own repast. Julieta relayed how she and Antonio had been nursing Osvaldo's illness until the surgeon finally arrived, and he would need some of Julieta's special recovery broth the next day. Luisa and Camilo chattered about how the rest of the town had found out about their gift shuffle, and how Alma had been roped into moving the church. Agustín was pleased to see that Luisa seemed to have much better control over her shapeshifting, as she was able to change into different family members on command as Camilo prompted her.
"And we're going to do a spa day when all this is over," Luisa said. "Abuela especially could use it. My room, tomorrow afternoon."
"Sounds heavenly," Pepa said before directing the boa on her shoulders to scare off Pico, who was eyeing the mango on her plate enviously.
Agustín found Félix's reaction to the sight of Pepa with a snake quite amusing. The man had just been staring at her as if his brain was overloaded and desperately trying to process the reality before him. Pepa had never been a fan of snakes.
That incredulous stare wasn't as long lived as Agustín would've liked, however. Félix drew in a sharp breath and scrunched his eyes shut, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Papá?" Dolores asked. "What's wrong?"
"Headache. Like earlier. When I first found out I have Bruno's gift."
Sure enough, wind began picking up around them. A few eyes turned to Mariano, who shrugged as if to say, "Don't look at me."
"Oh!" Mirabel cried. "We need sand! So he can record the vision!"
"I got it," Luisa said, rising to her feet and raising a fist.
"Luisa, don't!" Agustín cried, aware that Julieta was shouting the same thing.
But their reaction wasn't fast enough, and Luisa slammed her fist into the ground. She winced. And Agustín winced as his daughter's face contorted in pain.
"Yeah, I forgot," she said through clenched teeth.
An instant later, a tiny hand held up a buñuelo. "Here ya go, Luisa," Antonio chirped.
Luisa smiled at him and accepted the treat, stuffing it in her mouth and flexing her injured hand as it healed. "Thanks, Toñito," she mumbled around the mouthful of bread.
"Now, what were you trying to do, Luisa?" Alma said, her own fist already balled up.
"When you punch the ground, hold and send your energy into the smallest particles," Luisa instructed. "It'll kick them up and we'll get a layer of sand and dirt."
Alma nodded and prepared to strike. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Isabela.
"Just offering some support," Isabela explained.
Alma punched.
It worked. A layer of sand sprang from the ground, but before it could completely settle, it got caught up in Félix's wind. Isabela then turned her attention to her tío. The rest of the family shuffled off to the side as a dome formed around Félix and Isabela, who had each other's hands tightly clasped.
Agustín watched with a slack jaw as Félix seemed to masterfully command the images that flashed around him. Mirabel smiled and nudged him.
"Isa's doing that," she said. "My magic is an amplifier of sorts. It helps focus other magic users. Without Isa's help, Tío Félix wouldn't be able to control anything in this process."
Agustín wrapped an arm around Mirabel and pulled her close. "That's incredible, Miraboo," he said. "That's easily the best gift."
From outside the sandstorm dome, the images Félix was seeing were very difficult to distinguish, but Agustín recognized himself with the candle in most of them. There appeared to be other people—possibly other family members—and it was unclear what each of them was doing. When the vision ended, the sand fell and Félix collected a glass tablet with an image etched onto it. He immediately handed it to Agustín.
Agustín studied the image. It depicted him with Isabela and Mirabel, who were helping him hold the candle while he seemed to be dozing.
"I think it means we're all supposed to help you with the candle through the night," Félix said. "You're gonna get worn out before the night is through. You'll need some support."
"Aaron and Hur style!" Mirabel said. "Is that what it'll take to fix the gifts?"
"It seems so," Isabela replied. "I'm not exactly sure how. But I don't think Tío would've had a vision about it if it weren't an important part of resolving all of this."
"Then we follow the instructions we have," Alma said. "Is there a specific order we have to go in?"
"No, I don't think so," Félix said. "But we did see specific pairs. Mirabel and Isabela, you and Luisa, me and Camilo, Julieta and Antonio, Julieta and Pepi, and Dolores and Mariano."
"When everyone else goes to bed, Mirabel and I will take first watch," Isabela volunteered. Mirabel nodded in agreement.
Agustín felt a lump in his throat. His whole family was going to sleep in shifts to support him all through the night. Julieta wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. The candle in his hands glowed brightly as Agustín took in the love and support of his familia.
As the hours ticked by, the family continued to check up on Agustín, who finally felt free enough to move around Casita as needed, making sure he always returned to his sentry post. Sra. Guzmán left to pick up some overnight things for Mariano, then joined the family for a light supper before wishing her son well and heading home for the night. Antonio was sent to bed early to prepare for his watch. It was decided that Pepa would relieve Antonio after he'd done a partial shift and join her sister for candle duty. The rest of the family decided to turn in a bit early too. Casita still had a nursery that acted as a guest bedroom when empty, and Mariano was put up there.
Before everyone headed to bed, Mirabel, under Isabela's supervision, created a more comfortable bench for her father. It had a back and a head rest and could fit three people. Agustín could doze, but the other two on watch with him would have to avoid drifting off. Soon it was just the three of them in the courtyard, with the ambient sounds of the jungle around them drifting in.
"I can't believe Tío Bruno is still asleep," Mirabel said, cupping the bottom of the candle and her papá's hands in her own.
"He's got over four decades of sleep to catch up on," Agustín said. "Remember how hard it was to rouse him while we were rebuilding Casita?"
"He still didn't seem to sleep all that well then, either," Isabela said.
"None of us did," said Mirabel. "I think we were all a bit paranoid, what with the pass open and no magic to defend ourselves. Still, it's been, like, 16 hours since all this happened, and there's not a sign of Tío Bruno anywhere."
"Let him sleep," Agustín said with a yawn. "And if he's still out cold after these 24 hours are up, we'll dump a bucket of cold water over him."
The girls giggled and passed their watch in comfortable conversation, shifting the weight of the candle between them as Agustín tried to doze a bit.
It wasn't long at all before Julieta appeared, carrying a sleepy Antonio. The boy perked up at the sight of his tío with the candle.
"Off to bed with you two," Julieta said to her daughters.
The girls nodded and nudged their father awake to give him kisses on the cheek. As they let go of the candle, it flared a moment, and rainbow sparks seemed to flow into it from the girls' hands.
Isabela flexed her fingers. "I can't feel the magic," she said. She looked at Mirabel.
Mirabel tried to conjure some plants up, then looked at Isabela and shook her head. She glanced back at the bench, which seemed perfectly intact. "Okay, that's weird," she said. "We just...gave back our magic, and now the candle is sustaining it."
Julieta's eyes widened. "That's why we're supposed to help your papá hold the candle all night," she said.
"But you don't have a gift, Mamá," Isabela pointed out. "So...I don't..."
"It's my responsibility as a supportive wife," Julieta said with dramatic flare as she took a seat next to her husband, setting Antonio down. "Also, I have to keep this little one from falling asleep on the job."
Antonio giggled, taking up a position at his tío's feet. He popped his curly head up underneath Agustín's hands. "It's okay, Tía, 'cause as long as I'm a table, I won't fall asleep!"
That got a laugh out of everyone. The parents bid their daughters good night.
Antonio did not last long at all. Fortunately, he didn't have to, as Pepa came downstairs and scooped him up after 45 minutes. He woke up long enough for Julieta to prompt him to touch the candle. It flared, indicating that he had returned his gift. Pepa took him upstairs and tucked him in bed, then returned to take her place with her sister and brother-in-law.
"What was that last bit about?" she asked.
Julieta explained. Pepa nodded. "Ohhhh...that actually makes a lot of sense. Here, hermana, let me take over for a bit. You can close your eyes. Just don't start snoring like this one is."
Julieta chuckled as she gazed at her husband, who was lightly snoring. At least he was able to get some sleep.
When Camilo and Félix came to relieve them, Agustín woke up and greeted them groggily. Pepa returned her magic, kissed her husband and son, then made her way upstairs. Julieta started to explain the purpose of the watch.
"I know," Camilo interrupted. "Couldn't really sleep, and I overheard. I don't get the cool soundproof room like Dolores. So no one had better get frisky tonight!"
"Sorry, mijo, but I had a vision and fate demands it," Félix teased.
Camilo glared. "No you didn't," he deadpanned.
"How do you know?"
"Pa, please."
Félix continued to chuckle as he took a seat next to his brother-in-law. Camilo sat on Agustín's other side. Julieta kissed Agustín good night and headed back to her room.
And so the night passed, with each watch passing in either quiet conversation or complete silence. Félix and Camilo were relieved by Alma and Luisa. Finally, in the last hour before breakfast was due to start, Dolores dragged a groggy and fog wrapped Mariano downstairs.
"He's not as much of a morning person as he likes everyone to think he is," Dolores said of her dozy beau.
Alma patted Mariano's cheek affectionately after returning her gift. "He'll feel more awake once he realizes that this is how we're resolving the switch up and restoring everyone's proper gifts."
Mariano did perk up at that. Luisa gave him a brief rundown, and Mariano eagerly took up his spot next to Agustín.
The sounds of morning could be heard from all over the valley. Julieta was letting Antonio sleep in while she prepared breakfast. She was taking her time, wanting the magic to return to normal before laying out the food. The rest of the family stirred and joined up in the courtyard, where Agustín was still half asleep, his hands supported by Dolores and Mariano. There was still no sign of Bruno. Antonio brought Llave the boa down and handed her to his mother, who accepted.
"There's my favorite bossy boa," she said, draping the placid reptile over her shoulders.
"I can't wait to hear my animals talk again," Antonio said. "Parce went out hunting all night, so I didn't get to cuddle with him."
Eventually, breakfast was ready. Julieta could only stall so long. She wasn't entirely sure it had been 24 hours yet, but they had to eat.
Agustín roused as he heard the call to breakfast. What time was it? He glanced to either side and saw that his niece and her boyfriend were still there.
"We can go eat, kids," he said. "Mariano, it's okay to let go of the candle now."
Mariano nodded and gingerly released the candle, as if it were made of rice paper. The candle flared and received his gift. His clouds immediately cleared and he sighed with relief.
As Agustín stood, the candle pulsed again, just as it had done the day before. A burst of gold, pink and green sparks showered everyone, but this time no animals scattered. Agustín held his breath for a moment before realizing that the weight he'd felt in his chest the previous morning was gone. He looked around at his wide eyed family. He approached Alma and held the candle out to her.
"Here," he said simply.
Alma carefully accepted the candle. The flame remained steady, and she sighed with relief. The family began to clap and cheer as they noticed their gifts returning to them. Isabela decorated the breakfast table with flowers and fruit, while Luisa hefted the entire table out into the courtyard with ease. Camilo shifted between each of his family members, and Antonio immediately started catching up on conversations with his animals. Rain showered Pepa's shoulders, and she laughed as Llave lifted her head to drink. Dolores tilted an ear toward town.
"Sr. Osvaldo is recovering nicely. Mariano, your mother wants you home right after breakfast."
Agustín joined his wife's side and put an arm around her. "What a day," he said. "I am so glad it's over."
"Yeah," Julieta said. "But...it was...kind of fun, too."
"Says the woman who got a day off from her gift. I'll never take my lack of magical responsibility for granted again."
Breakfast was a casual affair. It started at the table and ended with everyone on cushions of foliage. Félix, still exhausted from the toll his visions had taken on him, fell asleep pretty quickly. Antonio helped Julieta pass out a few extra buñuelos. Luisa gave Alma a massage, allowing the matriarch to just dissolve into it. Mariano packed up a bit of breakfast to take back to his mother, while Camilo, Dolores, Mirabel, Isabela and Pepa chatted. Pepa still had Llave on her shoulders and was using Chispi as a back rest.
Agustín pulled Julieta down to sit with him and just held her. He watched his family with pride. They'd learned a lot about one another over the last day, and their support for one another was what truly made their magic strong. It occurred to Agustín that he was, quite possibly, the luckiest man in the world. Félix could fight him for that title, but Agustín was certain he would win.
The conversation suddenly stopped, and Agustín looked up to see what had hushed everyone. There before them, covered in rats and sporting the bedhead to end all bedheads, was none other than Bruno Madrigal. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and took in the scene before him.
"Hey, everyone. How was your day yesterday?"
Everyone in the family glanced wordlessly at one another. No one was sure who spoke next, but they were all thinking the same.
"Get him."
Suddenly the family was on their feet, and the village was treated to the peculiar sounds of Bruno desperately fleeing his family's wrath—and this time receiving no help from Casita.
The End.
AN: I started this story before Jared Bush began tweeting all those extra details about the family, including the implication that there is no more candle. So I felt that working in an explanation for the candle and why Alma still keeps it even though it's Mirabel's miracle was in order. The candle is present at the end of the junior novelization, so we'll see if it's included in any future canon works. But for my purposes, I needed a candle. And I think it worked. I figure that if the house is sentient, there's no reason the miracle shouldn't be as well.
As for Bruno, I will let all of you decide what his fate is.
Thanks for reading!