[I don't OWN Encanto]

Chapter 4: Alma's Responsibility

Early the next morning, the Madrigals all searched again for Mirabel.

Mariano and Senora Guzman helped too, but even then, they couldn't find her.

Julieta and Agustin searched in the forest, and Felix & Dolores searched behind the ruins of Casita; Dolores listening as best as she could without her gift for her.

They searched as much of the village as they could, but they had no luck.

At lunch time, the Madrigals gathered in the square, as some of the villagers who were still talking to the Madrigals, served them food they'd cooked themselves.

It wasn't the same as Julieta's, but at least it was better than nothing.

Despite the great food they were being offered, the Madrigals were still very gloomy, and for 1 very good reason; They missed Mirabel a lot.

Most of them, [Agustin and Felix in general], didn't feel like eating.

Antonio still remembered when Mirabel gave him his present at his gift ceremony.

"I miss Mira." he said sadly to his parents.

"We all do." Felix said, fighting back the sting of tears in his eyes. "It's okay Toñito, we're not giving up til we find her."

"There's nowhere else left to look, though," Isabela sighed. "We've searched the whole village."

"Si." Luisa said. "I called across the village from the mountains I climbed up this morning, twice."

Suddenly, Camilo had an idea. "Mountains!" he said excitedly. "That's it!"

Everyone turned to look at him. "What's it?" asked Isabela.

"If Mirabel isn't in the village, she must have gone beyond the mountains!" Camilo said.

The Madrigals gasped, anxious.

"But Abuela told us there are bad people beyond the mountains," Antonio said.

"They were marauders!" Luisa said, apparently concerned for her sister. "Abuela told us they were the ones who took Abuelo Pedro! What if they do the same to Mirabel?!"

"We're not gonna let them do that!" Agustin declared. "We must find her before they do!"

"But what if those marauders find our village, and us?" Julieta said, anxious.

"We'll worry about that after we find Mirabel." Agustin declared. "Now come on, let's-!"

"Espara." a firm voice said.

All the Madrigals turned, and there they saw Abuela Alma.

"Abuela, where have you been?" Isabela asked.

"I've been having lunch with Senora Guzman." Alma stated. "Alone." she added, then sighed a sad sigh. "I've heard everything you were all talking about with the marauders."

"And she didn't even need a gift of hearing." Camilo joked to Dolores, who glared at him.

"50 years ago," Alma said, "I lost my Pedro to them. I'm not losing Mirabel to them either. I'll head beyond the mountains to find her."

"We're not letting you do this alone, Abuela." Isabela said. "We're coming with you."

"Si." Julieta said. "All of us are."

"No." Alma said firmly, shaking her head. "Too risky. If the marauders see us all, they'll storm our village, and only goodness knows what'll happen to you."

The Madrigals looked stunned. Antonio buried his face into Pepa's dress, shuddering to think how bad it'd be if what his Abuela said was true DID happen.

"But, Abuela-" Isabela began, before Alma raised her hand to silence her.

"The Encanto is my responsibility. All of you are my responsibility. Even Mirabel, and, to a lesser extent, Bruno." she said to her family. "If any of you perish, I will never ever forgive myself. Not after what Mirabel did to me before our problems started."

"This is something I've got to do," she added. "Not just for Pedro, for our familia, or our Encanto. I have to do it for myself." she turned to Senora Guzman. "You're in charge of the Encanto while I'm gone."

"Understood." Senora Guzman nodded.

Alma turned back to her family. "Don't you worry about me." she told them. "I'll be fine."

"Please be OK, Mama." Julieta said, giving her mama a hug.

"I will. I'm sure I'll be fine." Alma said. She turned to her family and said, "…La Familia Madrigal."

"La Familia Madrigal." The other Madrigals repeated, albeit less enthusiastically.

Alma took a good long look at her family, as if it'd be the last time she would see them, and walked off, towards the cracked mountains.

Bruno, hiding in a barrel, watched his mama leave. "Dios mio," he muttered to himself, "Mama won't last a second on her own. She's the only relative I knew, apart from my sisters."

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