Rosa along with her primos, were hanging around her bedroom as they were looking through the books of Pandora and practicing the Na'vi language. Isabela and Antonio were looking through the book of the strange planet that has plants and the animals that amazed the youngest Madrigal. Camilo, Luisa, and Rosa were trying to speak the language.
"Ay! This is impossible. These words are so difficult to speak." said Camilo as he was getting frustrated.
"It does take some time and a lot of practice to learn these." said Rosa.
"At least we're learned some of them." said Luisa as she continued learning from the book.
Rosa turned her attention to Isabela and Antonio as they were still looking at the book about Pandora.
"How's the book about the plants and animals?" she asked.
"It's amazing!" Isabela replied. "The pictures of these plants in Pandora looks so strange and interesting just like Mirabel said. Especially the ones that look like how she talked about them glowing in the dark at night."
"And what of the animals Hombrecito?" Rosa asked as she turned to face Antonio.
"There's so many interesting animals that I have never seen or heard." Antonio answered with excitement. "Isa read to me that the Na'vi can bond with some of the animals to ride or to fly."
"Wait, did you say fly hermanito?" Camilo asked as he turned to look at the book with his little brother.
"Uh-huh. Like this one." Antonio pointed.
Camilo looked at the picture of a strange looking creature wings that says 'Ikran'. He tried to pronounce the language but then read something about it.
"I can't pronounce but it says that the scientists called it a 'banshee'." he read.
"Oh yeah." Luisa spoke as she remembers something. "Mirabel mention something about it in one of her old vlog videos."
"How very interesting." said Camilo.
"If I was a Na'vi, it would be so amazing to fly. Or... If I was in Pandora, maybe I could befriend the other creatures with my gift." said Antonio as he looked at the picture of the Ikran.
"Papí and I always knew you'd be an animal guy, even on the day of your Gift Ceremony." said Rosa as she gave her little cousin a hug which made him giggle and laugh.
"Would be so cool if we were in Pandora. Even though we have to wear masks just like what Mirabel said." said Camilo.
"But now that she's got her avatar, she won't be wearing a mask." said Isabela.
"I'm with Camilo, would be amazing to see Pandora with our own eyes." said Luisa as she kept looking though the books.
"Speaking of Pandora, I wonder how Mirabel's doing right now. Especially how she's handling with that Jake fella." said Rosa.
"If he's anything like Camilo... he wouldn't last long in Pandora" Antonio joked and giggled, making the other cousins join him.
"Ouch little brother!" Camilo faked being in pain as he placed a hand on his chest.
The Madrigal children continued to laugh until they stopped as they noticed a bright light. They turned their heads and saw that the mirror was now glowing. Antonio smiled and he let a leap of joy as he knew what it means.
"The mirror! Mirabel's new video log!"
"I'll get the others." said Luisa as she got up and quickly leave the room.
Rosa gathered all the books and placed them somewhere safe and out of the way. Isabela quickly got up from the floor and joined her cousins to wait for the others to come until the family finally arrived.
Rosa looked at them to make sure that everyone is here. And that's a good thing. She smiled to see that they are all here and then turned to look at the mirror.
"Okay Mirabel, what do you have to say today." she said and touched the frame.
With one touch of the mirror, the glow shined brightly and then it faded as the family saw Mirabel again.
"This is Mira..." Suddenly, she stopped as she let out a yawn. "Excuse me. Sorry about that. This is Mirabel with a new vlog, and I have something to tell you about what's been happening to me lately."
The family all stood together and began to open their ears to listen.
"Yesterday morning, I was out flying on the Samson aircraft with mom, Norm, and Jake as were in our avatar bodies. After seeing the sights of Pandora, I have missed the beauty of the forest. It still looks amazing just like the last time. Jake seems to be enjoying that as well, even Trudy too. She's one of the pilots I met before getting on to take off. She seems nice and all, but I wasn't too sure if she's agreeing with the RDA on destroying any part of Pandora that Selfridge wants her to do."
The Madrigal family nodded along as they continued to listen to the events.
"Once we landed, I looked around at the forest as it felt so familiar to me before I followed my mom and the others. Not to mention, I did saw a couple prolemuris swinging from tree to tree. Haven't seen those in a while since I was with my old friends."
"We saw a picture of those. Didn't we Isa?" Antonio spoke as he looked at his cousin.
Isabela nodded to her little cousin and turned back to the mirror as Mirabel continued.
"Finally, we stopped at the old school. It looked old, ruined, and I could have sworn I saw some bullet holes on the walls. Looking at that place brought so many memories to me but imagine what the school tragic was like."
"I don't think any of us could if we were there." Rosa spoke silently stated to herself.
Bruno heard what his daughter said and placed his hand on her shoulder and the two continued to listen.
"When we got inside, it was a messy in there. Dust and leaves were everywhere, books were a little off colored and messy, and there were more bullet holes as well. All four of us looked around until mom explained to the boys about the school. Later on, we were out in the forest again and mom was with Norm as they were scanning the soil ground while I was keeping a watchful eye on Jake." Mirabel continued and then she chuckled. "The Marine said he doesn't need a babysitter, but I told him that he does because he doesn't know the forest like mom and I do."
Isabela and Luisa listen to their sister's video log as they both crossed their arms.
"Out guesses he did something stupid again" Isabela stated out loud with Luisa, and she hummed in agreement.
"Suddenly, we came across a bunch of Loreyu. In Na'vi it means 'beautiful spiral' or as my mom and the scientists calls them 'helicoradian'. They're zooplantae, or in other words, part animal and part plant. Possessing a single leaf that responds to touch by coiling up and retracting to the ground. Of course, pretty sure that Jake didn't follow as he was playing around with them by one touch of each plant."
"Kinda reminds us of someone we would know" Dolores spoke as she was eyeing at her brother.
"Great, first my cousins and now my sister, what is this 'Pick on Camilo Day?'"
Antonio giggled along with Rosa and the rest of their cousins but then continued listening to Mirabel.
"Playing those plants like a child would but as all the Loreyu were cleared, Jake and I saw something that approached to us. A hammerhead titanothere. Well, there was more behind it. Jake was about to shoot it, but mom and I stopped him otherwise he'll make the hammerhead titanothere mad. We both told him to stay still and not move but somehow, Jake went charging it by screaming and spreading his arms out like a maniac. The hammerhead titanothere somehow ran off but it wasn't Jake that they were running from. We slowly turned and to our show it was a thanator."
"A what?" Julieta asked in concern.
"A thanator. I read about it to Tonio. Says they're carnivorous creatures that are like wild animals." Isabela explained.
"Kind of like Parce." said Antonio.
"And what we're hearing just proves Mirabel's point, no experience whatsoever and needs extra eyes on him" Rosa spoke.
"Mom told us to run and we did. The thanator was clearly behind our butts. But with some of the training I remember from the Na'vi, the tree roots like obstacles of going over and under. We kept on running until we stopped at a cliff near the waterfall. With the thanator getting close, we had no choice but to jump. But once we were in the water, the current was too strong that it got us separated. But thanks to some swimming lessons, I swim to a close surface but also hollered Jake's name. I decided to find him because he doesn't the survival techniques in Pandora. Not even in Na'vi way."
"Other point for you there Rosa. Survival training yes, but Pandora survival training no" Luisa turned to Rosa.
The dreamer nod in agreement and went back to face the mirror.
"As I started my search for Jake, I looked for him for like almost a full hour. I wanted to holler his name, but I couldn't. Otherwise, it'll cause trouble. Especially when there are wild animals around. But just when I continued to search, I heard something that was coming from behind me. I turned around and saw... a Na'vi. A female Na'vi with her bow and arrow as she was about to shoot me. But as I got a good look at her, I knew who that Na'vi girl is with familiar patterns and the woven braids on her hair. It was Neytiri."
"Neytiri?" Mariano questioned as he was confused.
"She's one of Mirabel's friends back at the old school." Rosa explained. "She's the chief's daughter."
"I'll explain it to you later" Dolores said as she gave him a peck on the cheek.
Mariano just smiled and nodded in reply, both turning back to the mirror.
"Although Neytiri didn't know who I was because of my avatar but there was one that I made her remember me. A couple of years ago, before the school tragic, I told Neytiri and her sister, Sylwanin a word that will somehow recognize me. A word which was something I remembered back at my old home. 'Mariposa'."
"Mariposa…" Alma slightly muttered after she heard the word.
The memories were coming back to her when she called Mirabel 'mariposa' when she was little before the ceremony. How close they were together and spending the sweet days they do together. Hearing that word makes her heart filled with regret and hurt.
"Once I said it, Neytiri finally recognized me, and she was happy to see me. But one thing that got me confused was that she was asking me where I have been. I did tell her that I was exiled with mom ever since the school shooting, but Neytiri explained something to me. It turns out I wasn't really exiled. Mo'at and the rest of the Omaticaya clan agreed that I'm not banished because of what Eywa saw in me. That was surprising and I didn't know about that."
While the Madrigals listened as they were surprised to hear that she wasn't exiled, Alma felt her heart ache even more. How much she reflected on her own actions to her granddaughter.
"As the two of us went off to search for Jake, I have been following her through every obstacle we have gone through even saw how beautiful the forest is at night when they glow. I do miss that. But while we've been searching for Jake, Neytiri and I have been talking as we were catching up about what's been happening after the school shooting. Some of my friends are doing alright. Especially, Nowu. Sadly, his family is with Eywa, but he has gotten strong and live with some Na'vi warriors. But as the search continued, we stopped and listened. There was silence at first until I heard growling sounds that were coming from the distance. The kind of growls that I've remembered were the viperwolves or in Na'vi they are called, 'nantangs'."
"All guesses to where they were heading." Camilo whispered to his siblings and cousins.
"Neytiri and I quickly followed the sounds and we saw a bright. Figuring out that it was Jake with a torch, but that sort of light will not help any Na'vi see better. We also heard him shouting meaning that he was fighting against the viperwolves. Neytiri told me to stay hidden because I was not armed with any weapons to fight but I did watch the battle of her against the creatures. Once she won the fight and the viperwolves left, I was glad that Jake was alright but for Neytiri she was angry at him. Calling him a child."
"And once again proves he does need a babysitter." Rosa said with a smirk as she heard her cousins trying to keep their giggles and laughter in.
"As I followed Neytiri which she wants me to come, Jake was following us but Neytiri doesn't want him to follow. Telling him that he doesn't learn. Jake thought she should teach him but told him that is impossible. She said the sky people cannot like I can. He does not see. Neytiri told him to go back but he refuses until... something else happen. To my surprise, I saw the woodsprites. If some of you don't remember what they are from one of my old videos, woodsprites are floating seeds that part of the Sacred Tree. Very pure spirits. I remember how it was a sign from Eywa as they were around me and now... they're around Jake like Eywa saw something in him. That's when Neytiri decided for him to follow."
"And what would they see in him from what we already known of? Being a reckless soldier that's more like a baby needs to be watched." Isabela spoke still with her arms crossed.
"Well Mirabel said this Eywa see something in him, maybe there's more to Jake than we know and hear." Rosa replied before turning back to the mirror.
"As we followed my friend, Jake and I somehow got ambushed by the Na'vi from Neytiri's tribe. They were about to hurt us, but Neytiri was protecting us even from her soon to be mate- Tsu'tey. He was supposed to be Sylwawin's mate but after she was killed, the chief decided for Neytiri to be his mate soon. But... I also saw Nowu. He looked feirce but he didn't even recognize me until Neytiri spoke my name to everyone. They were surprised to see me but not so sure what to do with Jake as Tsu'tey told his warriors to take us to the home. The Hometree."
"Hometree…?" Madrigal family questioned as they looked at each other in confusion but they all shrugged in response.
"It has been a while since the last time I saw it. The rest of the Na'vi in the tribe have gathered around to look at me and Jake. All question why dreamwalkers, that's what they called it for avatars, are here. When we reached to the central space of the tree, I saw the clan's leader, Eytukan. The chief of the tribe and Neytiri's father. It has also been a while since the last time I saw him, but he wasn't too pleased to see avatars at his tribe until Neytiri mentioned my name. I understood their conversation in their native tongue, but they were only talking about Jake since there was a sign from Eywa. Then I met Mo'at. The Tsahìk of the Omatikaya clan. She was happy and relief to see that I have returned but only in my avatar body."
The Madrigals were more intrigued to hear.
"But as she questioned Jake, he answered that he was from the Jarhead clan. I know he made that up or I don't know where he heard that name from but the chief decided for him to learn the ways of the tribe. Mo'at decided for Neytiri to train which means, I get to continue my training with her."
Hearing about her training, Alma smiled deeply. As well as Julieta and Augustin hearing about their daughter.
"On the second level of the Hometree, the Na'vis have dinner there. We were invited to go there... but with new attire. I don't want to talk about it, but I am covered. Anyways, as we were sitting down, I did saw my old friends from the distance. And I saw Nowu again. Pretty sure he was looking at me but quickly looked away, and I could have sworn that he's blushing."
Hearing about this, Julieta couldn't help but her smile grew wider and had her hands to her lips. Having a deep feeling there is something there for her daughter and this Na'vi boy.
"On the other level of the Hometree, the Na'vi sleep in these leaf-like hammocks. Neytiri showed us where me and Jake would sleep at. But as I closed my eyes, I woke up back to the lab and mom was relieved that I'm okay including my avatar. And so was Jake. At dinner, we both explained to mom and the scientists about what happen. Mom was amazed to hear that I wasn't exiled and continued training. But when I look at Norm, I could see that there was jealously in his eyes. I mean, I know that Norm learns a lot about Pandora and learns greatly in Na'vi tongue, but for Jake... I mean, it's not his fault. After all, there is something what Eywa saw in him."
"Why would Eywa be interesting in him?" Isabele questioned and the rest of the Madrigals shrugged.
"But then Selfridge and Quaritch called Jake to have a word with them about where his avatar is... I don't know what those two are telling him, but I have a strong feeling what their plan will be for Jake to be involved. I'm not liking this at all. But... once I'm part of the Na'vi tribe, I want to protect Pandora. Even that... I don't have a gift or anything, I still want to protect whatever they're about to destroy."
Alma looked up to hear of her granddaughter's determination, still feeling guilty of her past. But hearing of the present for what Mirabel would do and give, in ways made her think back some more.
"Anyways, that's all I have for today and very soon at daylight, is the day I'll get to continue my training. I'll try to keep update on the vlogs for what's been happening in training but... I'll try to keep in touch. This is Mirabel signing off." said Mirabel and turned the camera off.
"Guess that explains why she was tired" Rosa said with a shrug.
"It's been a long day for her. But now she's going to be busy with the training." said Bruno.
"She's enduring and training so hard for both selves of that world."
All the Madrigal family turned to Alma as she spoke. She wasn't facing them but was facing the mirror. Rosa walking up to her abuela and gently holding her hands.
"Abuela…is something wrong?" she asked in concern.
"I'm just in thought of myself…. what would've happened if I hadn't made that horrible decision. If I had just opened my eyes truly to her, our Mariposa would have grown and shine to the girl we see before." Alma spoke.
The Madrigals looked at each other and looked back at the matriarch. The kind of question was good one about if Mirabel wasn't kicked out. Suddenly, Bruno starts speaking to her.
"Mama, remember the old vision I told you about when you asked me too after Mirabel didn't get a gift?" he asked, and Alma nodded her head. "If you hadn't kicked her out, well... her whole life would be so different."
"Papí, you told me that your visions can go either way just by looking at it. Good or bad, would things have been different if Mirabel was still here? Would we be the Madrigals we are today?" Rosa asked her father.
Hearing what Rosa said, all the Madrigals began to wonder. Would Dolores and Mariano still be together in the end? Would Luisa feel less pressure of her duties? Would even Isabela discover her true meaning of her Gift to make plants grow? Even Bruno began to think that if he had stayed in the walls, would he returned to his family and be with his daughter like today? These were all questions they began to ponder.
"Somehow, I think you have a point, Rosa." Alma spoke. "If Mirabel was here today... I wouldn't be as I was today, but to put so much pressure on all of you."
The family stayed silent for a minute.
"But you know…" Rosa broke the silence, "I think if she was here, she'd be who she is today for what we see and know, someone who'd go out her way to keep everyone safe and happy. Just by being herself."
The family looked at each other as they nod and chattered in agreement.
"So much I have done in the past, but what we have today is all because of Mirabel. Rosa we still don't know why you were given the mirror, but I think it was a gift to you to show us to keep on eye on our Mariposa. She is still with us in spirit to show us what we really are as a family…and she has changed us for the better." Alma spoke.
Both grandmother and granddaughter smiled to each other and shared a hug.
"Well, looks like we have to another day or maybe few days to see Mirabel." said Luisa as she looked at the mirror.
"Yeah, but what be really cool if we get to see this kind of Na'vi training for Mirabel but mostly Jake." said Camilo as he chuckled, "I can totally imagine him make mistakes and be clumsy during the training."
"Oh wait, imagine if Camilo would be in the Na'vi training, basically the same thing with Jake being clumsy and making mistakes, and not taking things seriously." Isabela cracked a joke.
"Sorry Camilo, she got you good" Felix apologized and couldn't helped but laugh.
Camilo just frown as the rest of the family laughed.
One by one, the family left the room to continue their daily activities they did. Leaving Rosa, Bruno and Alma still standing in front of the mirror. The matriarch was still feeling the guilt in her as she clutched the locket in her hand, but as she heard her granddaughter's wise words, she felt relax and stared at the reflection, hoping and thinking that one day, if she ever gets to meet Mirabel, she'll give her a long apology.
To Be Continued...
