Chapter 3:

(Camilo POV)

- 5 weeks later -

Mirabel never came into town with me after the other day. She was growing more and more nervous about her gift ceremony and she didn't really want me around. I kept trying to keep my promise to always be there but that was difficult when it felt like she wouldn't let me be there anymore. I walked into town with Tía when someone came up to her, "Julieta, please my wife... she needs your help." Tía Julieta ran off to follow him and I was quick on her heels. I turned myself into the man in front and felt myself less tired and able to move farther with each step. We reached this small cottage on the edge of town. I saw a small girl who was sitting outside I turned back into myself and Tía Julieta turned to face me and whispered, "Stay with her, ok?" I nodded my head and went over to her as the adults went inside.

She had her arms wrapped around her legs and pulled them into her chest. Her chin was resting on her knees as she kept her eyes closed. I sat down next to her and tapped her shoulder and she shuddered as she looked up at me. Her big green eyes stared at me on the brink of tears and I had no idea what was going on but I had to do something to help her. I decided to try to turn into her. She lifted her head up and her lips parted but she still didn't say anything. I walked in front of her still looking exactly like her and climbed up on a tall rock nearby.

She scooted closer watching what I was going to do next. I stepped forward as if I were walking and transformed into someone else from town. She giggled as I transformed and I knew that I had to continue. I shrank back down into myself and grabbed both her hands and pulled her to stand up. I was a little bit taller than her and I thought of something fun I could do. I transformed into someone taller still holding onto her hands and she laughed as her feet left the ground. I began spinning her around and would transform into different people as we spun making myself taller and shorter changing the height that we were spinning at with each change. After a bit I set her back on the ground and turned back into myself smiling too.

We heard a loud noise inside and she looked scared. She ran closer to me and wrapped her arms around me in a hug. I returned the gesture holding onto her. She then whispered, "Can you Tía really help Mamí?" I let out a breath, "I have never seen her not be able to help someone." She continued to hold onto me and it was clear that she was upset, "Do you want me to shapeshift again?" I asked not sure what I was supposed to do in this moment. She shook her head on my chest, "Do you want to go inside?" I asked. She shook her head again. "Do you want me to leave?" I asked trying to get a view of her but she wasn't looking up at me. She just shook her head again. "What do you want me to do?" I asked just wanting to be able to help her. She whispered, "I don't know." I continued to hold onto her as we sat down.

I don't know how long we stayed like that before the man from before came outside, "OLIVIA!" He called out before seeing her in my arms. He picked her up and pulled her away. Tía made her way out and towards me, "I am so sorr-" she started but he interrupted. "IT IS ALL YOUR FAMILY'S FAULT! YOU THINK THAT TRAPPING US IN HERE WAS SAVING US. IF WE COULD HAVE LEFT I COULD HAVE GOTTEN HER A REAL DOCTOR INSTEAD OF HAVING TO RELY ON YOU. THAT IS ALL THIS 'MIRACLE' IS. FORCING EVERYONE HERE TO RELY ON YOUR FAMILY. WELL I'M DONE. TELL EVERYONE IN YOUR FAMILY TO STAY AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER AND I." He carried his daughter inside and slammed the door shut.

I looked up at Tía who let out a long sigh with tears brimming her eyes before she turned to face me. She put her hand on my head, "Come on, let's go home and tell Abiuela about today." I nodded my head and we walked in silence. I had a pretty good idea about what happened but it was clear that Tía didn't want to talk about it. Still before we reached the house I stopped and turned to face her before giving her a hug, "I'm sorry Tía." She wrapped her arms around me, "Thank you Milo." She sniffled a little before composing herself and going inside.

Abuela listened as Tía explained everything about what happened. Abuela pulled her shawl over her shoulders, "I will go and talk to them." I stepped forward, "Abuela he s-said that he wanted us to stay away from him." She shook her head, "Stop that stuttering. I will handle it." She left the house and I looked towards Tía, "I don't think that is going to end well." She nodded her head.

- a few weeks later (after Mirabel's gift ceremony) -

Everything has been tense over the last couple of days. I went to go to the kitchen when I saw the adults leaving Casita through the courtyard. Something was going on. I made my way out and shape shifted into José. I stayed back as they walked into the church and all the other members of town were making their way inside as well. I waited until it seemed like everyone wasn't coming in anymore before I went inside hugging the wall.

Abuela stood in front of everyone, my parents to her right and my tíos to the left. "Everyone, may I have your attention," her voice commanded everyone to look forward. "I know that everyone has been concerned about the state of the miracle after everything that has gone on recently." There were murmurs through the crowd in a general agreement that they wanted to know what was going on, "Well I am here to tell you that everything is fine and the miracle is still strong. I don't know why Mirabel did not receive a gift but that has not affected any of my children or grandchildren with their gifts. We are all still safe and will continue to thrive within the mountains of Encanto." People seemed to calm down a bit but, when I looked to the man next to me he scoffed and began making his way through the crowd.

He was in the front center of the group looking right at Abuela as he removed his hood. It was the man from a while ago who I went to see with Tía Julieta, "Really Señora Madrigal. Everything is fine." Abuela looked to both her sides before clearing her throat, "What is your concern Señor Santiago?" He scoffed again and looked around the room, "You know it is truly remarkable how you have everyone here utterly convinced that being in Encanto is the best thing for us." "Señor I don't know..."

Abuela started but he cut her off, "We have all been trapped here by you and your miracle never to see the outside world again. You made an entire society that is dependent on you and your family. We can't trade with other places for food and plants so we have to rely on your daughter giving us some half decent weather. We can't take our loved ones to doctors when they are sick or hurt so we have to rely on yet another one of your daughters. You try to trick us by having your granddaughter growing flowers everywhere 'beautifying the community' or your shapeshifter grandson. Meanwhile you have another granddaughter who can listen in on anything that we say. Not to mention that the river never flows the same way twice in this community because yet another one of your granddaughters changes it every other day to 'convenience' our live. Here is something that would be really helpful why don't you make a passageway through the mountains and let us choose for ourselves."

Everyone was quiet waiting to see what Abuela was going to say. She walked forward and went down to his level. She was shorter than him and older but much more intimidating, "Señor how old were you when I was granted the miracle?" He didn't answer, she didn't give him the time to, "We were chased out of our town. Our homes were destroyed and this miracle granted us safe-harbor and made sure that they would never be able to find us again. The miracle has also blessed my family with gifts so we can continue to help the community grow. We don't mess with the mountain for our own safety." The room was quiet as the two starred each other down. He finally spoke, "I would rather take my chances out there then in here." Abuela then spoke loud enough for everyone to here, "I am sorry for the lose of your wife, but it is not my family's fault. My daughter's gift can heal and help but she can't change fate." Tía looked down at her feet almost looking ashamed about that.

Finally Señor Santiago looked around the room and realized that no one in town was on his side. He finally said, "I want it to be known right here in front of everyone. Your family, every single member of your family is not to come in contact or interfere with the lives of myself or my daughter." The threatening nature of his tone was sensed by everyone. Abuela just nodded her head, "If that is what you want. Fine." He turned and stormed out of the church. The meeting had seemed to reach its end as people were coming up to talk to my family.

I took the opportunity to slip out of the church and begin making my way back to Casita. I laid in bed thinking about what he said. Were we a hindrance to the community? Were we all just trapped in the mountain? I then thought about his daughter that day. My mind often drifted towards her, I wanted to help her but now I couldn't. I found her fascinating in general. She laughed at my transformations and she seemed to have fun, but she seemed to appreciate the hug more than anything else. Why did she prefer the hug? Everyone always wanted me to be someone else, why did she not want me to?These thoughts kept me up later into the night but when I heard everyone talking as they went to their rooms. I closed my eyes and tried to go to sleep.

A few days had passed, I continued to go into town and I was always smiling and doing everything that I was supposed to be doing but I could feel these thoughts creeping their way back inside. I was with the kids in town, I no longer felt like I fit in that group, when I saw Señpr Santiago walking closer with his daughter holding his hand. He stopped not too far away from town and then sat her down on the rock and then he went into the market place. I saw his daughter watching all of us play. Her lips were in a straight line as she just watched us trying not to move from her spot. I wished that I could invite her down.

I had an idea. I was constantly changing shape but I chose a form and stayed in it for a while until no one was sure who I was. I then kicked the ball over in her direction. I ran after it, to bring back to everyone else. I then looked up at her, "Do you want to play?" I knew that I could get in a lot of trouble for doing this but, I couldn't just let her watch all of the fun and not be able to join in on it. She looked at me and then looked at all the kids, who were impatiently waiting for the ball, before she nodded her head and walked with me back down. We all began to play and I focused on keeping the form the entire time. I couldn't risk shifting back right now. I looked over at her and she was starting to smile as we all kicked the ball around.

Miguel kicked the ball way off to the side and was running to get it. We were all laughing and having a good time when we heard, "OLIVIA." The girl from the rock, who I now knew as Olivia, froze and slowly turned to face Señor Santiago, "What are you doing?" Her mouth opened and closed as everyone went quiet. I took a breath, "I invited her to play sir." He looked really mad. Olivia then went to speak, "Papa, I'm..." I don't know how no one noticed but Miguel threw it back over to us and it hit Olivia in the back of the head. She had no time to brace herself and she fell forward and hit her head on the ground.

Señor Santiago rushed in closer and I did the same. Olivia's eyes were closed as I flipped her over so she was no longer facing the ground. Mara then said, "I will go get Julieta Madrigal." Señor Santiago's voice went dark and firm, "No." He then picked Olivia up who was awake and had tears in her eyes, "Olivia what is wrong?" She started to sniffle her voice was a whisper, "Papa... I-I can't..." "You can't what?" He asked. "I-I can't see anything." Her voice was faint and if you weren't trying to listen to her you could have missed it, but I didn't. I heard every word and when I looked at her Papa it was clear he heard it too. He was very quiet and then said, "We are going home." I watched as he carried her away and I felt more and more guilty. I thought that I was helping her that I was doing something nice. I didn't think that she would get hurt.

When they were out of earshot I shifted back into myself and everyone started to shout, "There you are Camilo." "Can you change into me now?" "Oh me too?" They were all so ready to move past what just happened and I did what they asked. I went home and didn't say anything. I kept it to myself. I asked Dolores if she heard anything interesting today and she said nothing unusual. No one knew, or at least no one was saying anything about it.


Author's Note:

I have been asked what my updating schedule is and honestly I don't really have one. I post the chapters whenever they are ready. It is usually a few times a week but there is no set schedule. There is definitely a minimum of once a week though, I always try to make sure at least one chapter comes out once a week. Sorry that it is more consistent.

Thank you all for your support and I hope you like the chapter :)