A/N: It seems Luisa really did get a little wiser when she lost her gift. She's been joining some dots and it's brought about some difficult emotions.
Disclaimer: The Finding Nemo characters are the property of Disney and Pixar, with the exception of Uncle Gurnard who is entirely the collaborative creation of Luisa and Bruno.
Genre: Is 'warm and fuzzy' a genre? No? Then I guess it's Family/Comedy.
Bottled Up
Julieta returned from her morning surgery with a basket of fruit. She placed the basket on the kitchen bench and noticed her brother still sitting at the dining table.
"Bruno? You know it's almost ten, right?" she said, wiping her hands on her apron and stepping down from the kitchen.
Everyone knew that Bruno liked to be down early for breakfast. He had done so from the first morning they woke up in the newly rebuilt Casita. He was typically one of the last to leave the table too. Still, as a self-proclaimed unceptional he had usually cleared the dishes away and was busy helping Félix, Agustín and Mirabel with the housework by the time the church bells rang for nine.
"I know, it's just…"
He seemed unable or unwilling to elaborate, and Julieta immediately sensed something wasn't right. She sat beside him and folded her arms.
"Bruno."
She knew her brother couldn't keep secrets from her so waited patiently for him to remember that.
"Luisa hasn't come down," he said when the silence had continued past his comfort point.
"What?"
Julieta hadn't noticed in the chaos of eleven people coming and going at different times, all requiring a hearty breakfast to set them up for their day. Luisa was often the first up and always the first to leave, so her absence during the busier part of the morning wasn't unusual.
"Are you sure she didn't just leave before you came down?"
"Quite sure. She's been getting up later and later this past week. Never this late though."
"Then why didn't you go and check on her if you're so worried?"
Bruno looked embarrassed. "I… I can't," he mumbled.
"You can't?"
"I…" He touched the table gently with the tips of his fingers and his eyes seemed to go out of focus, as though gazing through the wood.
Julieta recognised the look immediately and could have kicked herself for not realising what it was sooner.
"You can't leave the table until you've seen everyone, can you?"
He didn't answer but didn't deny it either.
Julieta sighed. "Well as your rituals go, this is certainly one of your sweeter ones," she said, getting to her feet. "I'll go and see what's up with her, okay?"
.
Later that day…
Luisa was heading to her room, clutching a folded piece of paper in her hands. A cluster of brightly coloured flowers adorned her hair, clearly placed there by Isabela.
"Tío Bruno…" she said, noticing her uncle reading on the balcony.
He looked up and smiled brightly. "Oh, hi Luisa. Feeling any better?"
"I want to apologise again for this morning," she said, clasping an arm across her body.
"What? Oh, that? It's fine. Really."
"I feel terrible. I mean, I already felt terrible, but now I feel really terrible…"
"Well, uh…" Bruno looked around while he thought of what to say next, which took considerably longer than he'd hoped. "Why don't you tell us a story tonight?" he finally settled on. "That used to cheer me up when I was feeling down."
"Nah, I don't have much imagination."
"What? Come on, you're a Madrigal. It's in our blood."
Another awkward silence filled the space between them, lingering like an unwelcome guest until Luisa eventually broke it.
"How do you stay so happy all the time?"
Bruno wasn't expecting that. "What? Well, I-I don't," he stammered. "No one's happy all the time."
"Mamá says you are. She says you're like, the happiest you've ever been. She was kinda mad at me for upsetting you."
Bruno put down his book so he could give her his full attention. "You didn't upset me. It's just a stupid habit from when—" he stopped himself. "Some habits are just hard to break, you know?"
Luisa eyed him curiously as the realisation hit her. "You needed to see each of us every morning? When you were in the walls?" she asked, spelling it out without a hint of delicacy.
Bruno gave the tiniest nod.
"Why?"
"To make sure you were okay," he explained bashfully. The look on Luisa's face made him uncomfortable, so he tried to sound more upbeat and started speaking faster. "Besides, routines are important when you're living alone. For, you know, sanity I suppose. And it makes time pass more quickly. Before you know it, it's time for bed, then all you have to do is repeat that until you're dead!" he sang out, then cringed as he realised his tone was much more cheerful than his words, so tried to bury that last sentence with a new one as quickly as possible. "Checking on my family was the second thing on my daily agenda."
"Can I know the first?"
Bruno stood up, walked over to the railing that ran along the balcony, touched it with his hand and said, "Casita? Would you mind?"
The house knew exactly what he meant and quickly rearranged the railing into a ladder that reached the roof above Dolores's room. He then nodded towards it, inviting Luisa to follow, and began climbing.
"You used to come up here?" Luisa asked as he led her along the roof.
"Every morning," he replied over his shoulder. He sat down when they reached the shadow of the tower and invited Luisa to join him. "Until the sun began to appear beyond those mountains."
"So… you left the walls?"
Bruno chuckled. "'Course I did."
"Weren't you scared you'd be spotted?"
"All the time. But there's only so much confinement a person can take, and those first rays of light? They were worth the risk." He then laughed as though recalling a fond memory. "Besides, Casita always had my back!" he said, patting the roof tiles, which shook appreciatively in response. "Ooh, and, when I do this…" He slid back, pushing himself up against the wall of the tower then pulled his hood over his head, covering most of his face. "I'm invisible!" he whispered.
He wasn't invisible, but Luisa could see how he might have blended in with the green of the tower well enough to make him difficult to spot from below.
"I thought you were scared of that kinda thing. Like, sunset and that," she said as Bruno removed his hood and returned to his previous position beside her.
He stared into space, and Luisa wondered if she'd caused his brain to freeze by pointing out the obvious inconsistency in his behaviour. He then looked up and said cheerfully, "I'm not scared, exactly. I'm just cautious. And transitional times are going to happen whether we like it or not. May as well appreciate the beauty when we can."
"If you say so." She then thought of something else. "Isn't sunrise at six? We'd have been starting to get up by the time it reached the mountains."
"Which is why I never saw it fully rise. Once I heard a door open, of whoever's turn it was to set up for breakfast, I knew I didn't have long to get back. But just seeing that first hint of light in the distance, that little promise that the darkness will end… well, that was enough."
"I guess you get to see it all the time now, right?" Luisa remarked, glad her uncle was free from that miserable life.
"I could. But I haven't yet."
"Why not?"
He shrugged dismissively. "Seeing you is more important."
It took Luisa a second to realise what he meant. "Oh, 'cause I leave so early?" She felt another wave of guilt. "I'm sorry. Just… when we all agreed to be home by two, I panicked. That wasn't enough time to do everything I wanted, so…."
"But you don't have to worry anymore, do you? You can share the workload now. That's great… isn't it?"
"Actually… that's kinda the problem," Luisa admitted. "Anything I touch becomes light 'til it's put down again. So anyone can lift anything so long as I'm there. I'm not 'the strong one' anymore. I'm just 'the one that can make things light'. What if that's all my gift ever was, Tío Bruno? What if I was never strong? What if my whole life's been a lie?"
"I'm sure that's not the case. I mean—"
"Isn't it? Everyone keeps talking about the 'new version of our gifts', but I'm not sure they are new. I think it's us that's changed. Look at Isabela. She realised she could create more than just flowers before the candle even went out. And you. Didn't you learn that your gift can also show people the way forward?"
"Well, I…"
Luisa continued before Bruno could say anything. "Why would I have tried to hand something heavy to someone before? I wouldn't. It'd be madness. I only tried because Mirabel suggested it. And that's just it. It always starts with Mirabel, doesn't it?"
Bruno went very still, except for his eyes, which darted around while he processed what she had said.
"So that's why you've been so down?" he eventually answered.
Luisa nodded.
Bruno took a deep breath and let it out with a sigh. "I think you're looking at this all wrong," he said. There was a tender look on his face that reminded Luisa of her mom and it was the first time she'd realised just how alike they were. "I've seen you punch through boulders, so I'd hardly say you're weak, but even if you're right, wouldn't it be worse if you were only strong because of some stupid gift? Take me for example. I'm not special. I can barely predict what I'll have for breakfast most mornings. Unless I'm using my gift, I'm no more psychic than anyone else. But you? You never took your gift for granted. Even though you had no need to, you got up early, ate well, worked out and kept yourself fit. Even without your gift you could lift more than anyone. Isn't that better? Because that's not just some magic you got by dumb luck. That's all down to YOU."
Luisa hadn't thought of it that way.
"I guess you're right," she said, feeling a tiny bit better.
"I've been known to be."
Luisa laughed for the first time in days, though it was brief. There was something else on her mind.
"Mamá said I'm being selfish. She said I should snap out of it and stop bothering people with my self-pity."
"She did?"
"Yeah."
Bruno looked up, watching the clouds overhead. "Luisa… I know my sister better than anybody. She's always felt sadness more deeply than Pepa and me." He gave a slight chuckle. "We used to say she carried our sadness for us so we didn't have to. She never let it show, though. We knew of course. We always knew because of…"
"The 'triplet thing'," Luisa finished. She'd heard it many times.
"The triplet thing, yes." He stopped watching the clouds to make eye contact with her. "I'm sure she didn't mean to hurt you with those words. I think she honestly believes that's the best way to deal with your feelings."
He waited for Luisa to reply, but she just looked at her shoes, so he continued.
"Look, people don't always do or say the things you need them to, but that doesn't mean they don't care. Or that they aren't trying to help in their own misguided way."
Luisa slowly touched the flowers in her hair and then began to unfold the piece of paper she was holding.
"What's that?"
"Antonio drew it. He thought it might cheer me up."
She handed the picture to her uncle. It was of three bright orange fish with thick white stripes. "He says they're called clownfish."
"What's wrong with that one's fin?"
Luisa laughed again. "He said he forgot to finish it. But I like to think he was born like that. See this one here? That's his dad. He's super over-protective of the little one because he thinks his fin makes him weak. But that only makes him more determined to prove himself."
Bruno pointed to the other fish. "So this one's the mother?"
"No, he never knew his mother. They lost her when he was still an egg, you see. That's his uncle. He's only just…"
Bruno chuckled. "For someone with no imagination, you certainly have the making of an excellent story," he tapped the drawing, "right here."
Luisa looked up. "Ya really think people would wanna hear a story like that?"
"I know I would."
"Would you help me?"
Bruno's eyes glistened with excitement at the thought and an uncannily wide smile spread across his face.
"What are uncles for?"
.
Just before midnight...
"No Bruno yet?" asked Julieta as she entered the vision cave along with Agustín and Mirabel. She handed a plate of chopped fruit to Isabela, who placed it on the floor in reach of those sitting around her.
"Or Luisa," Mirabel pointed out, handing another plate to Camilo before starting to pass mugs around from a basket. "Anyone know where they are?"
Dolores made the faintest, almost undetectable, squeak. Almost undetectable.
"Seems like Dolores does!" announced Camilo with a smirk.
Dolores flashed her eyes at him, then turned to the room, gripping an empty mug with both hands. "I do," she began uncomfortably, "but you didn't hear this from me, okay? They've been in the library for hours. Tío Bruno's been helping her with a story she wants to tell tonight." She cocked her head. "They're on their way now. You'll all pretend to be surprised, won't you?"
After a minute or two, Luisa and Bruno arrived at the cave.
"Sorry we're late," Luisa said, sitting herself between Isabela and Mirabel.
Bruno took up his position between his own sisters and pulled a bowl of buñuelos a little closer. Pepa then handed him a mug of chocolate santafereño she'd been keeping for him.
"That's okay," said Julieta tenderly. "What kept you?"
There was silence as Luisa looked around the room. When her eyes landed on Bruno he whispered, "Go on!"
"I have a story," she announced, slowly.
"Oh, you do?"
"Really? That's amazing."
"I'm so surprised!"
"Yeah, me too!"
"Really surprised."
Luisa looked at her family members and narrowed her eyes. "Dolores told you everything, didn't she?"
Dolores shrugged bashfully and everyone burst out laughing. Once the laughter had died down, Luisa began.
.
"The little orange and white fish turned away indignantly when his dad entered the anemone.
"'Nemo…'
"The young clownfish continued to ignore his dad, an underdeveloped pectoral fin flapping furiously to keep him in place, while his other fin waved slowly in the water.
"'Oh come on. Don't be like that. I'm trying to keep you safe. Remember what happened last time you left the reef?'
"'They're not leaving the reef. They're just visiting the Drop Off.'
"'Which is as good as leaving the reef. I'm sorry Nemo, but that's no place for a young fish to go unsupervised.'
"'It wouldn't be unsupervised!' Nemo pouted, turning towards his dad with a flick of his tail. 'Sheldon's dad's taking them.'
"'A seahorse? They're not exactly known for their common sense.'
"'At least seahorses know how to have fun!' Nemo yelled, turning away again.
"'Nemo! I won't have you talk to me like that. I've a good mind to ground you.' Nemo's dad swam towards the frondlike tentacles of the anemone. 'My decision is final,' he said, turning towards Nemo as he was leaving. 'If you need me, I'll be at Dory's.'
"'What? So you can ruin her day too?' Nemo yelled after him. He didn't care if his dad heard him or not.
"Nemo realised his friends were probably already at the Drop Off, where the reef abruptly gave way to the open ocean, investigating whatever it was that had recently sunk there from the surface. They'd hoped Nemo could join them because of his first-hand knowledge of the human world, and he'd been excited at the thought of being the expert for the day.
"Nemo felt like a pufferfish about to burst. The rage and frustration grew and grew until it was too much to take. He darted to the edge of the anemone as though propelled by an explosion inside. He popped his head out, checking the coast was clear, then tucked back inside while he processed the scene: all clear. He did it again, and then a third time, just to be sure.
"Once satisfied his dad wasn't there, he fled the anemone, flapping his tail as fast as he could towards the Drop Off with a stream of bubbles in his wake.
"There was no sign of his friends when Nemo reached the Drop Off, but it was a vast space, so he decided to head north along the reef's edge, hoping to spot them.
"He hadn't got far when he heard a strange, deep sound that caused him to look out over the open ocean. A family of humpback whales was passing by, so Nemo stopped to watch the giant creatures with awe.
"In the serenity of the scene, Nemo felt himself calm down at last. He spotted a calf swimming close to their mother's side, and the tender scene reminded Nemo of his dad, and how much he cared for him. He began to feel guilty for running off, so decided to go home before his dad noticed he was gone.
"As he was turning back, he felt a wall of water slam against his body as two young humpback bulls came tearing by, racing one another along the edge of the reef.
"The force sent Nemo spinning and the world rushed by in a blur of colour. He tried to steady himself with his good fin, but it was futile. He continued to travel at the mercy of the tidal wave until he felt something hard hit against his side. He bounced off it and hit something again, and then with a 'thunk' he felt his body being squeezed for a moment before tumbling once more and finally coming to rest on a smooth, curved surface.
"When his vision stopped spinning, Nemo attempted to swim away, but his face banged against an invisible barrier. He tried another direction and it happened again. It was just like the time he found himself trapped in a fish tank, except he was clearly still in the ocean, and could see the familiar reef around him.
"He began to explore the small space he had found himself trapped in, and noticed something familiar. Nemo had seen many bottles in his life. They often washed into the reef from the human world, but this one was different. The neck of the bottle had been cut off and then pushed into the body so that the opening pointed inwards. It was difficult to make out where the opening was, but it was the only way out, so Nemo attempted to swim through it.
"He tried again and again, but each time he either missed it entirely, or his head hit painfully against it. He eventually realised there was no way out and began calling for help.
"'Nemo? Is that you?'
"'Sheldon! I'm over here!' Nemo shouted when he heard his friend's voice.
"Nemo's seahorse friend, Sheldon, Sheldon's dad, Pearl the octopus and Tad the butterfly fish, all approached the bottle.
"'How'd you get in there?' asked Pearl with a giggle.
"'I fell. And I can't get out. Please help me!'
"'Hang in there, kid,' said Sheldon's dad, his brow furrowed. 'We'll go and get your dad.'
.
"After a short while, Sheldon and his dad returned with Nemo's dad, but Pearl and Tad had remained at home.
"Nemo's dad looked frantic. 'Nemo!' he yelled hurriedly as he swam up to the bottle. 'I've been looking everywhere for you. I thought you'd…' He looked at the bottle with its inverted neck. 'What is this thing?'
"'It's a minnow trap!' came a strange voice. 'Human kids make them for, well, trapping minnows mostly.'
"Nemo's dad's jaw dropped and he stared open-mouthed at the slightly smaller clownfish that had just appeared beside him. The fish looked dishevelled with several scales missing and a rip in his tail fin. Nemo's dad's expression then darkened as he growled the fish's name.
"'Gurnard!'
"'Uncle Gurnard? For real?' Nemo sang out excitedly.
"'Oh hey, if it isn't little Nemo. Would you look at you. You've grown so much!'
"Nemo's dad swam between Uncle Gurnard and the bottle. 'YOU don't get to talk to my son!'
"'Woah Marlin. Why so uptight? Where's my warm welcome?'
"'You lost the right to a warm welcome the day you ran away!'
"'I didn't run away, I was—'
"'Oh please. Don't give me your crap. After Coral d—' He glanced at Nemo. 'After what happened to Coral, you promised you'd be there for Nemo and me. That you'd help me raise him. That you'd be the best uncle ever. Then the moment he hatches you split!' He kept swimming up to Uncle Gurnard's face, who backed away, as he almost spat each sentence.
"'I was abducted!' Uncle Gurnard declared firmly.
"'Abducted? Ha. A likely story.'
"'Erm, Dad…'
"'I WAS abducted. I was out swimming in open water and a human caught me. Then I spent six years in an aquarium in some guy's living room.'
"'You expect me to believe that?'
"'Dad.'
"'It's the truth!' Uncle Gurnard insisted.
"'You expect me to believe that you, a fish, that needs water to breathe, managed to escape from a fish tank and make it back to the ocean?'
"'Yes. I did!'
"'What complete and utter—'
"'DAD!'
"'Yes, Nemo?'
"'I did it!'
"'That was different. That was…'
"Uncle Gurnard wriggled past Nemo's dad and pressed his face up against the bottle. 'You did? You were abducted too?' he said enthusiastically.
"'Uh-huh, and I made it back to the ocean, just like you!'
"'That's amazing!'
"'Oh please, would you listen to yourselves? He's talking nonsense Nemo. Gurnard's an idiot!'
"'Is that any way to talk about your favourite brother?' Uncle Gurnard remarked, nuzzling up to him.
"Nemo's dad swatted him away with his fin. 'I had 372 siblings Gurnard, you're not even close.'
"'Yeah, but we're clownfish, most of them didn't make it past the first year.'
"'And yet you still don't make the top ten.' His attention then returned to Nemo and he swam around the bottle, eyeing it curiously. 'A minnow trap, you say?'
"'Yeah. They invert the neck like that because it's easy for a small fish to swim into, but near impossible for them to get back out.'
"'Nemo. Try swimming against the neck,' his dad instructed. 'There's a join. You might be able to dislodge it.'
"Nemo did as his dad asked, slamming his body against the neck of the bottle as hard as he could, several times.
"'Don't hurt yourself kid,' said Uncle Gurnard, gesturing for him to stop. 'They must have used some kind of adhesive.'
"'Like Fuji Nine?' Nemo asked brightly.
"'Fuji Nine?'
"'Dental cement. You can fix just about anything with Fuji Nine.'
"Uncle Gurnard looked impressed.
"'Then you're just going to have to swim out through the hole,' Nemo's dad said, very unhelpfully.
"'I can't. I already tried that. Heaps of times.'
"'He can't. He already tried that—'
"'I heard what he said, Gurnard!' Nemo's dad snapped. 'Try again, Nemo. You managed to get in there, so you can get out. Come on. How hard can it be? Just leave the damned bottle already!'
"Nemo sank to the bottom of the bottle as though there was a heavy stone inside his body pulling him down. He wasn't trying to be difficult. He really had tried to get out. He wanted nothing more than to be free, and exchange stories with Uncle Gurnard about how they escaped from captivity. His dad didn't understand the situation at all. Nemo had tried to tell him, but he wasn't listening. He never listened.
"'Oh sure, tell the kid to just swim out of the inescapable trap. Really helpful Marlin. Where shall I tell them to mail your Dad of the Year Award?'
"Nemo's dad threw Uncle Gurnard a furious look. 'Then come on, let's hear it. What do you suggest?'
"'Well, uh...'
"Sheldon's dad then spoke, having been quietly listening until then. 'What about Bruce?' he suggested. 'He could bite right through that thing, right?'
"'Bruce?' asked Uncle Gurnard.
"'He's a shark!' Nemo said excitedly. 'But he's really friendly to fish.'
"'Oh no. There's no way I'm letting those teeth anywhere near my boy.'
"Uncle Gurnard tapped the bottle with his fin. 'Looks like you might not have a choice, brother dear.'
"Nemo's dad thought for a while and then glanced towards the surface of the water. 'Fine, but it'll be dark by the time I get a message to him. I'm not having him do it while he can't see properly. We'll just have to return in the morning.'
"Nemo was horrified. 'What? You're going to leave me here? All night?
"'I'm sorry son, but I've got no choice. I promise I'll be back the second the sun comes up.'
"'But… you can't leave me here alone.'
"'You're in a sealed bottle that only little fish can get inside. You'll be perfectly safe. I'd never leave you in danger. You have to trust me.'
"'Daddy, please!'
"THUNK
"'Wrong as ever Marlin!' gloated Uncle Gurnard as he appeared beside Nemo. 'See. Bigger fish CAN get inside!'
"Nemo couldn't believe his eyes. 'Uncle Gurnard? How did you…?'
"'Through the hole. How else?' he said, waving a fin.
"'But… now you're stuck in here too.'
"'Yeah, but at least we're not alone, right? It's only until morning. Besides, I've always wanted to see inside a shark's mouth.'
"Nemo's dad clasped his head between his fins. 'My brother's a moron.'
"'Thanks Uncle Gurnard!' said Nemo, nuzzling his head against the bigger fish.
.
"Nemo's dad and the two seahorses set off in what remained of the daylight, and Nemo was left alone in the bottle with his estranged uncle. The first twenty minutes had been dedicated almost entirely to trying to push the neck from the bottle, but of course, it was too securely fixed for two small clownfish to move it.
"Did you really escape from an aquarium?' Nemo asked as they rested at the bottom of the bottle.
"'Sure did. You too?'
"'Yeah. Mine was in a dental surgery. That's where humans go to have their teeth pulled out.'
"'Their teeth?' Uncle Gurnard shuddered. 'Humans are weird.'
"'So how'd you get out?'
"'I guess you could say I had help from a very special lady.'
"'You have a girlfriend?'
"'I'm not sure she was my girlfriend exactly, but we liked each other a lot, yeah. They called her, Oranda. She was something else, Nemo. Ever seen a lady with two tail fins?'
"'What happened to her?'
"'Well… let's just say she didn't appreciate salt as much as I do.'
"A shadow swept across the bottle in the dwindling daylight, and the two fish looked towards the ocean's surface and saw a pod of dolphins making its way to deeper waters to rest. They both stayed perfectly still until the dolphins had passed.
"'So, how about you? How did you escape?' Uncle Gurnard asked.
"'I also had help from a friend. His name was Gill.'
"'Sounds like quite a guy. You'll have to tell me all about him.'
"The bottle fell silent and Uncle Gurnard noticed small bubbles gathered where the neck joined the body.
"'Did you… fart?'
"Nemo blushed. 'Yeah, sorry.'
"'Oh thank god for that. Mind if I do?'
.
"With a few more bubbles around the neck of the bottle, Nemo continued their conversation from earlier.
"'So how come Oranda helped you escape?'
"Uncle Gurnard looked uncomfortable. 'She erm… it was more like she inspired me, I suppose.'
"'How?'
"'Hey, why don't you tell me about your escape, Nemo? Tell me about Gill.'
"'But I want to know about yours. I want to hear about Oranda. What was she like? Was she pretty?'
"Uncle Gurnard realised it was pointless trying to change the subject, so decided to give him something. 'She was amazing. Golden scales, long, flowing fins, weird bulbous growths on her head… well, nobody's perfect. But ah, her flaws just made her all the more appealing.'
"'Did she escape too?'
"'Oh, erm. She… well… kind of. She didn't live in my tank, you see. She was in a bowl above me, on top of a tall bookcase. We could see each other though, and we talked often. She would sing to me too. She had the most beautiful singing voice. I think it was her voice that I liked most of all.'
"Nemo yawned. Uncle Gurnard knew nothing about raising children but suspected that it was way past Nemo's usual bedtime.
"'Hey, why don't you get some sleep? I'll keep a look out,' he suggested.
"'But I wanna hear your stories,' Nemo protested.
"'There'll be plenty of time for that when we're out of here. I'm not going anywhere, I promise.'
"Nemo did feel tired, so he did as his Uncle asked and tried to get some rest.
.
"After a while, Nemo spoke again, clearly too excited to sleep.
"'So you never got to be together? You and Oranda?'
"Uncle Gurnard chuckled. 'You're really not going to let this drop, are you?'
"Nemo swam closer to Uncle Gurnard, clearly wide awake.
"'No, we met,' Uncle Gurnard began. 'Just once. Yeah, we were together for a brief time.'
"'A brief time? What happened?'
"Uncle Gurnard swam to the bottom of the bottle, and Nemo drifted down after him, waiting for his answer.
"'She was an incredible gymnast. That's how she'd get my attention. When the human wasn't around she would somersault from her bowl, landing back in the water with a splash. We longed to be together, but my tank had a lid. There was no way in.
"'Then one day, the light above my tank broke. He removed the lid and took the old bulb out so he could show the pet store owner. That was our chance. While he was away, and the lid off, I called up to Oranda and asked her to do one of her famous somersaults, right into my tank.
"'She was nervous. Of course she was, but she wanted to be with me as much as I yearned to be with her, so she did as I asked. She leapt right out of that bowl and into my pristine marine aquarium.'
"'Woah. So you got to be together at long last?'
"'At long last didn't last long, though.'
"'Why?'
"'Do you know what happens to goldfish in saltwater Nemo?'
"'No.'
"'Neither did I.' Uncle Gurnard floated upwards as he filled his swim bladder and puffed his cheeks to make himself look larger, then rapidly deflated. 'It wasn't long before she started losing weight. Right before my eyes. She lost more and more fluid by the minute until eventually she… she…'
"'She didn't make it?'
"Uncle Gurnard closed his eyes and shook his head.
"'But, I thought you said she helped you escape?'
"'She did! When the human returned with the light and found her shrivelled body in my tank, he scooped her up and flushed her down the toilet. That gave me an idea. Everyone knows that all drains lead back to the ocean. All I had to do was play dead, and I'd go the same way!'
"'Hey, that's what I did! I played dead too, but I almost ended up in the trash!'
"'Oh no. The trash? Then how did you get to the ocean?'
"'I don't remember everything. But a pelican distracted the dentist, and then the bag I was in burst open, and… and… I was lying on a tray. I couldn't breathe. Then Gill… Gill launched himself from the tank and landed beside me. He then flipped me into a sink and I was washed down the drain!'
"'He sacrificed himself to save you?'
"'Yeah. Though maybe the dentist found him in time.'
"'I hope so. So you found your way through the sewers?'
"'Sewers? What's a sewers?'
"'Didn't end up there, huh? It's a series of tunnels that run under the human cities. It's just as well I'm not a freshwater fish. Wasn't anything fresh about that water, I can tell you.'
"'Oh that place! Yeah, I think I passed through it, but it happened very fast. I didn't have far to go to reach the ocean."
"That was lucky!"
"Yeah. So, how did you find your way to the ocean?'
"'The rats helped me. Very misunderstood creatures, rats.'
"'You met rats? Cool! What are they like? Can they swim?'
"'They can, yeah, but they can't breathe in water like we do. They're very hospitable though. They insisted on leading me right to the ocean to ensure I got there safely.'
"'Woah. I wish I could've met rats. I went to a water treatment centre. There were pipes nearby that led to the ocean and I managed to find my way out from there. Then I found my dad! He'd travelled all the way to Sydney to find me!
"'Your dad did? Marlin left the reef?'
"Nemo nodded proudly.
"'Huh. Maybe he really does deserve that Dad of the Year Award.'
"Nemo's expression changed and he started to sink.
"'Hey, what's up? Was it something I said?' asked Gurnard, following him to the bottom of the bottle.
"'No… It's just, you're right. He's a good dad. I just wish he'd trust me more. After everything, he still thinks I'm weak.'
"'Well you're all he has, Nemo. We clownfish have less than a one percent chance of making it to adulthood. We expect to lose most of our young in the first year. That's why our females lay so many eggs. But only one of Coral's eggs survived. YOUR egg. Your dad had to make sure you were in the one percent that make it. And you have! He just wants you to stay that way.'
"Nemo was surprised to hear Uncle Gurnard defend his dad.
"'I'm sorry my dad hates you.'
"'It's understandable. He thinks I abandoned you. I'd hate me too if I'd done that.'
"'You really didn't run away, did you?'
"'Of course not."
"'Then what were you doing in open water?'
"'Looking for a special pebble.'
"'A pebble? What kind of pebble?'
"'It needed to be round, and have a hole right through it. They're extremely rare, but bring good fortune to anyone lucky enough to have one.'
"Nemo narrowed his eyes. 'You risked your life for a stupid luck charm?' he said, incredulously.
"'Yeah, but it wasn't for me. I wanted it for YOU.' He recoiled a little, as though he wished he hadn't said that.
"'You were trying to protect me?'
"Uncle Gurnard touched the tips of his pectoral fins together shyly. 'Like I said, it's a dangerous world for a young clownfish, I wanted you to have all the luck you could.'
"Nemo continued to stare at his uncle, and his mind began to replay how his dad spoke to him earlier. 'Do you think Dad will ever believe you?'
"'I don't know, but the important thing is that I keep the promise I made six years ago.'
"'To be the best uncle ever?'
"'The best uncle ever!'
"The tide picked up and it was strong enough to gently rock the bottle. Several hours had passed, and Nemo was no longer able to resist sleep. Uncle Gurnard gently nudged him towards the flat end of the bottle, so he was furthest away from the opening. It had taken Uncle Gurnard several days to swim back to the reef, so he was quite exhausted himself, but he didn't dare sleep. He needed to know that Nemo was safe, so swam in tiny circles to keep himself awake.
"After a while, the sound of faint humming caught his attention. He stopped swimming and scanned their surroundings. It was difficult to see in the dim light, but something was crawling towards them in the darkness.
"'Psst, Nemo, wake up. There's something out there.'
"Nemo opened his eyes.
"'Get behind me!' Gurnard instructed calmly, and Nemo did as he was told.
"The two fish stayed perfectly still as the creature approached the bottle.
"Something hard scraped against the side, and they watched as a claw tapped up against it.
"'Nice digs!' came a strange, chirping voice.
"'Who's there?' asked Uncle Gurnard.
"'Just a passing hermit crab. Couldn't help but notice this fine vessel. Any chance of a swap?'
"'If we weren't stuck in here, you could have it.'
"There was a lot of movement outside the bottle as the little hermit crab kicked off his shell. He then crawled in through the opening of the bottle and started to examine the join between the inverted neck and the body.
"'It's sealed,' explained Uncle Gurnard.
"'I can see that,' replied the hermit crab, running his claw along the join. 'I'm looking for weaknesses.' He suddenly jolted and some of the fart bubbles popped. 'Eww, really guys?'
"'Oh like your shell smells any better!' retorted Uncle Gurnard.
"'Aha, here we go!' said the crab merrily. He then got his claw into the gap, making it larger.
"The hermit crab repeated the process several more times and then turned to the fish. 'If we all push on it, I think it will come apart!' he announced.
"So the three of them did just that. The hermit crab pushed with his claws, while the two clownfish swam against the neck as hard as they could with their heads. They could feel it giving way, little by little, and so they pressed on, pushing with all their might until it finally flung out from the bottle, and they all came tumbling after it.
"They all cheered and Nemo and Uncle Gurnard gave one another a high five with their fins.
"As they were swimming away, Nemo looked back towards the bottle, where the hermit crab was waving a claw goodbye. 'Should've used Fuji Nine!' he said, with a grin.
"And that's the story of how Nemo learnt that even when things seemed hopeless, even when it felt like nobody could help, he didn't have to face his problems alone."
.
"That was wonderful, Luisa," Julieta said, clasping her hands to her chest. "But I thought you said you weren't going to share a story of your own? What changed?"
Luisa smiled at Bruno from across the vision cave. "I had help!"
.
The following morning, Luisa made her way along the roof of the Casita until she reached the shadow of Bruno's tower.
"I hoped you'd be here," she said, sitting beside her uncle.
He shrugged. "I figured it's about time."
The sky was cloudy, as it often was in the Encanto, but a beautiful pink hue could be seen peering over the mountains.
"You're not always right you know," Luisa said, nudging Bruno playfully with her elbow.
"No?"
"No. You said yesterday that you're not special. But you are. I bet there's not a single person in the whole world that's close to being like you. You're funny, sweet, kind, wise, possibly a little mad, and you're an awesome uncle. I'm glad we get a second chance with you."
Bruno didn't respond, but reached into his ruana and took out a handful of salt. He closed his eyes and seemed to be silently counting for a while, before suddenly throwing the salt over his shoulder.
At that moment, the clouds parted with suspiciously accurate timing (Pepa?), and the two of them were bathed in the glow of the most spectacular sunrise. Luisa had seen many sunrises, often as she hurried into town, but none had touched her soul the way this one did.
"Thanks, Luisa. It's good to be home."
Notice from Jembru: There might be a longer period than usual before I post the next chapter, but I am working on it so it is on the way. I just want to make some changes to my first fic that I've been planning for a while, because events from it are going to become relevant here soon. Reading it still won't be necessary because anything important will be explained again, and it's nothing canon-breaking. I just want to make sure the fic is ready in case anyone does decide to read it.
If you've already read my first fic, I'm not changing it enough to warrant reading it again. Around 90-95% of it is staying the same. I just want to remove the parts set in the present that show Mirabel's POV. We have an entire movie if we want to see that, so I thought it would add more to the story to stick to the other family members' POV and see what wasn't on screen like I did with Camilo's chapter.
Thanks for staying with me this far. I'm still working on it and will be updating again as soon as I can.