Summary: There was version of the story pre-production that had Julieta asking that Mirabel not get a Gift - I'm sure it went well... right?
Day Two: Siblings
Julieta Madrigal sat at the precipice where a rope bridge once connected the outside world to her brother's vision cave. Over the years, the number of steps to it had increased exponentially. It reflected Bruno's growing desire to be free of his Gift. When Pepa sat down next to her, Julieta took her hand as a light drizzle started.
"He's really gone?" she asked.
Julieta did not respond; she knew this was a direct consequence of her actions. She'd asked, La Candela, to not give her youngest child a Gift. Their mother's expectations were only getting higher. Something no one could ever live up to. She wanted Mira to continue being that regular everyday girl. Have a chance to be who she was meant to be. Not just a tool to be used up. Julieta knew it was a selfish wish, but with La Candela, there was always a cost. She'd thought she would gladly pay any price, but she never expected this.
Their mother surely had pressured Bruno to do a vision about it, something she was sure he would not do. But when their brother did not come to breakfast the day after Mirabel's failed Gift ceremony, she was concerned. Later, when she'd gone to check on him, she found the light of his door extinguished, the rope bridge cut and Bruno nowhere to be found. He did it, and whatever her brother saw, it must have been truly terrifying for him to just up and disappear without a word to anyone.
A crackling sound made her look up, and she could see that small chunks of rock that were already crumbling from the facade. Pepa saw this and let out a sniffle, so Julieta put her arm around her little sister and pulled her close. Her rain fell, and Julieta looked over again at Bruno's empty vision cave. Several somethings that were small and gray scampered toward the still open door, and Julieta realized they were rats. She was sure that Bruno would never leave without them, and if they were still here... Feeling a little calmer now, she said to her sister, "Pepi, don't cry, it'll be alright. Come on, let's go tell Mama what we found."
Pepa nodded, and together, the sisters left the tower.