The newly opened trail through the cracked mountain was hauntingly quiet. There were uprooted trees and cracked rocks scattered about, while a thick fog blocked the trio's vision. Caleb waved his hand in front of himself, hoping to not bump into anything, while Katania held his free hand in reassurance. She would occasionally trip on loose branches and pebbles, but Gladius used his telekinesis to save her.
She flashed him a thankful smile, and they continued walking. It was silent, and with the overcast weather on top of it all… This trail felt like a graveyard. Frozen memories danced around as if the Encanto was frozen in time, and it was finally able to catch up.
When the thrill finally made it past the precarious mountain, they came to a still and calm jungle. It was devoid of the colour and life that seemed to be a permanent fixture of the Encanto, but that made it somewhat idyllic. The trio looked around at the setting for a bit, before looking down in front of them.
Sitting before a river, right on the shore of its shallow waters, was Mirabel. She seemed to just be calmly sitting, looking out to the jungle across the way. She turned her head slightly, making it clear she did hear her friends.
Silently, the troop walked over and sat next to her. Caleb sat on her left, Kat on her left, and Gladius hovered above all three of the humans. The four of them didn't say a word, choosing to just keep the silence.
Caleb carefully glanced at Mira, and could see a clouded and tearstained look on her face. With a slight frown, he moved closer and held her hand, not saying anything as the bespectacled girl breathed through her nose, sniffling a bit.
They stayed like that for a while until the Madrigal finally spoke.
"I'm assuming the others are back at camp?" She asked in a shattered whisper.
Kat nodded. "They were really worried, but we knew you didn't want to be swarmed. At least… not yet."
Mirabel gained a weak smile, slowly looking down into her lap. "Thanks, guys… It means so much to me that you think of this…"
Gladius hovered down and looked her over. "Mira… what happened after I left?"
The girl sniffled again, and gained a semi-pained expression. "Almost as soon as you were gone, Isabela barged into my room demanding that I come to the courtyard to face Abuela. I said no, so she dragged me out right to her. As soon as Abuela started to try and blame me for everything… I snapped.
"I started to scream and cry at her about everything I found out, about how I felt, about everything. The rest of the family all came to see what was happening, but said nothing when Abuela was blaming me. Not even Mama or Papa…" She paused. "After I bit, I just… broke. I burst into tears and said Abuela was the one breaking the miracle… and Casita collapsed. She shoved everyone out front, but let me head out back."
"And you ran for it after", Caleb said in a sad tone. "I saw you for a moment…"
"Yeah…" She hesitated for a moment. "I just didn't have the heart to face everyone… And before you say anything, Gladius…" The sword straightened up. "I don't blame myself for what happened. I know it wasn't my fault. And if I did… After that argument, I wouldn't…"
"I just can't believe no one stood up for you", Kat growled, looking at the watcher angrily. "They know there's issues, and yet they say nothing!"
"Because it's hard for a lot of people to change after things have been a certain way for a long time…" Caleb said sadly. "It doesn't excuse what they did, they still need to do better. I just… get how it feels…"
Kat and Gladius winced, while Mirabel gave him a sad look. "You understand?"
"Yeah… I'll get into it some other time, but right now… Just know I'm used to seeing crummy families…"
The group fell silent again, the sound of the rushing water and distant birds chirping the only things keeping the void of silence away. Mirabel sighed happily, her hand tightening around Caleb's, the tension within her slowly dissipating.
"Guys…" She Began. "Thank you. For everything. Showed me support when I needed it most, you stuck by me when I was close to breaking, and you especially Gladius… You were there for me all while I was just trying to figure out… what was wrong with everything."
"Of course, Mirabel", the blade said with a kind bow. "I couldn't leave a friend to deal with that alone."
"And… And I know now I really want to come with you guys." She looked up at the sky happily, the clouds still creating an overcast. "I know it's going to crush my family, but I need to heal. I want to show everyone who I really am."
"That's it, Mira!" Katania said happily. She sprung to her feet, eyes sparkling. "When we get back to the Capital, we'll go to the mall and buy all the clothes you want!"
Mirabel's eyes widened a bit. "You really mean it? I don't…"
"You do deserve it, Mira", Caleb said as she stood up, helping the bespectacled girl to her own feet. "You're our friend, and you'll be a guest at our home. It's only right we show you what a true Capital welcoming is."
The girl looked between her two friends, shock gracing her features. She only stopped when Gladius chuckled, and she looked up. "Mirabel, you will love it, trust me. I've seen the capital grow and change so much over the years, and these two especially made it so much more fun."
"So, c'mon." Caleb said with a smile. "We shouldn't keep the others waiting."
Everyone nodded and turned to go back, only to freeze. Before them, looking them over with a hurt expression, was Alma. She looked tired, like she had walked all the way here from Casita's rubble on her own. She looked over the strangers with a nervous expression, then to her granddaughter. There was a moment of silence as the two Madrigals stared at each other. But, soon, the matriarch spoke.
"Mirabel…" She started. "What… who are these people?"
Mirabel's face twisted a bit. "The friends I told you about, Abuela. the friends who helped me feel loved when you pushed me aside."
The older woman winced. "I'm sorry, mi neita… Just, please, hear what I have to say…"
The girl stayed silent, but when she looked at Caleb and saw him no, the girl let the older woman continue.
"I… I thought I would have a different life", she began. "One where me and Pedro raised our children happily. But when the raiders took him from me… I…"
"Couldn't move on?" Katania said bluntly. The older woman was shocked, staring at the general's daughter. "I've seen the same story constantly. But, news flash, you can't use that as an excuse to treat someone in your family like they're a mistake!"
"You are an awful woman, Alma", Caleb spat. "You should be ashamed of yourself."
The matriarch bristled a bit. "I understand What I did was wrong, but you-"
"Saw all the issues instantly!" The boy cried out. "It helps to have an outsider's perspective when it comes to an abusive or neglectful family."
Alma took a step back, seeing the boy's expression go from anger to disappointment. "But I get it, losing someone dear to you hurts. But you held onto the past and didn't move on. You should have learned from what your husband did to be a good mom first, not 'leader of the community'."
Alma blinked, and sighed. "I understand. Mirabel's words… they cut through me, and seeing Casita collapse… I realise I have hurt the familia…"
Mirabel pursed her lips and walked up to her grandmother. "Abuela, I know you have a reason for why you hurt us. But I'm your neita, when I didn't get a gift, you should have still loved me…"
"I know, and I am sorry I failed you, Mirabel…"
There was a bout of silence, with the others all looking at Mirabel. After a moment, the bespectacled girl spoke. "I… I can't forgive you yet, Abuela…" The older woman's expression lost all its hope. "I can maybe in the future, but ten years is a long time. So… I just can't forgive you just yet."
Alma let out a shaky sigh, then gave her granddaughter a pained smile. "I understand… But, what will you do now?"
"I was going to go with them", the girl gestured to the others. "They're taking me out of the Encanto so I can heal and find myself…"
The matriarch paled a bit, but remained silent as Caleb walked up. "I promise she'll be safe. I have friends who'd take on an army if it meant keeping Mira safe."
"Do you promise?" She asked. "Because… With how much I've hurt her, I know she won't listen."
"I promise, Alma…" The boy trailed off as Gladius hovered over, Alma jumping in fight.
"Alma Madrigal", the sword began in a booming voice. "I could feel and hear your magic, and if you could too, you'd suffer eternal nightmares. It wanted to die, so if you wish for things to get better, talk to your family. Make up for the past, for the hurt, for the pain, for the loss."
The matriarch was silent, looking up at the blade in slight fear but then nodded. "I… I promise."
"Good." There were bushes rustling behind Alma, and everyone looked to see Bruno burst out of the bushes on a horse.
"Sorry!" He cried as he struggled to get off the saddle. "I saw Mira run off and panicked so I stole a horse and…" He trailed off when he saw everyone but Alma giving him smiles.
"We're fine, Bruno…" Katania said as she walked passed. "I just think you need some time to explain things…"
The seer looked over, and flinched a bit when he saw the shocked look on Alma's face. "Hola… Mama…"
"Brunito…" She said in quiet disbelief.
"I'll explain everything soon, just…" He stopped when he turned, Mirabel looking at him with a sad smile. The seer sighed. "So you're going to get going, huh?"
"I am, yeah… But I promise I'll be back!"
"Just make sure to talk to your Mama and Papa before you go. They were worried sick about you."
"I will…" She started walking off, following her friends as they headed back.
The two adults watched her leave, with the matriarch looking at her long lost son in worry. "Bruno… will she truly be safe with them?"
"I don't need a vision to know that… yeah, she'll be safe…"
The older woman gave off a weak smile, watching her granddaughter walk off. Watching her, Alma smiled a bit at how much she was like Pedro…
~X~
The walk back to the Encanto was peaceful, with Mirabel humming a tune as the group walked. Despite the rift through the main road, and the good amount of clouds in the skies, it was happy. The Madrigal seemed lighter, like she finally was free to grow how she pleased.
Caleb and Kat shared a smile, keeping it hidden from their friend, but Gladius' chuckle made the bespectacled girl catch on. She looked at her friends and grinned, ruffling Caleb's hair and running ahead. The boy laughed and ran after her, copying her odd attempt to play hopscotch over the crack.
As the trio all played around and ran, Gladius hovered overhead like a proud parent. He took a deep breath in and let it out with a happy sigh, coasting through the air like he was swimming. This is why he loved life, and nothing could ruin the mood.
As the quartet neared the rubble where Casita once stood, Mirabel stopped and looked on. She could hear her family somewhere calling for her, and she sighed.
"I guess this is it, huh?" She asked. "I'll be leaving after this, and… I'll be who knows where."
"Trust me, Mira, you'll love it", Caleb said with a reassuring smile. "Just tell them you're okay, and what the plan is. We'll be right here to back you up."
"And I'll lay out Isabela if you ever need me too", Katania said, her look and tone dead serious. "I've been trained in several ways to kill."
The others all blinked slowly, and Mirabel cleared her throat. "Right… Well, here I go…"
She turned around and walked through the destroyed archway that was once Casita's front door, and looked around at what was once her home. Now just dusty rubble and faded painted bricks, it felt hollow and lifeless. All the energy was gone, and now it was just pain and hurt.
As she turned around on the spot, she heard footsteps coming towards her. Looking to the left, Mirabel perked up when Julieta ran around the corner, locked eyes with her, and bolted.
In seconds, the woman brought Mirabel into a hug, whispering thankful messages in Spanish. When she pulled back, she looked her daughter over.
"Mi vida, you have no idea how worried I was…" She said, breathing a bit heavy. "I thought you…"
"Casita let me out the back", the girls said sadly. "I just didn't… I couldn't face you all, not after that…"
"Mirabel, it's okay. You… we do have a lot to talk about…" Julieta trailed off when more voices called out. "I found her!"
There was a rush of footsteps, and the rest of the family came around some rubble one after another, all of them rushing over and checking the girl over. Isabela hung back, looking a bit awkward, but that was missed when Julieta chastised everyone for not giving Mirabel space.
"Miraboo, where did you run off to?" Augustin asked, looking a bit banged up from tripping earlier.
"I just wanted to clear my head…" She said with a head shake and tired sigh. "But after talking with some friends, I came back."
The rest of the family all looked over, and saw the two Capital kids standing there. Gladius was hovering above, now ready to be seen by them all… Yet.
Caleb and Kat waved. "We just felt she needed to talk to you guys!" The boy called out.
Julieta nodded. "Yes… But first, I need to ask… Where is your Abuela?"
"She's past the cracked mountain, having a talk with… someone important." Mirabel cursed herself, not mentioning her uncle by name. But he'll come back eventually. "I… I couldn't forgive her. Not yet…"
"And you shouldn't have to", Julieta said sternly. "What Abuela said… It wasn;t okay, and I'm proud you're standing up for yourself."
"But what are we going to do now?" Camilo asked. "We don't have a home?"
"Uhhhhhh…" Luisa droned out, the gears turning in her head. "Maybe we should ask the town?"
"Y-Yes", Pepa said, stuttering a bit as she looked for her cloud. "We… We just need some help."
Julieta smiled at her family, but her smile fell when Mirabel's hand slowly lipped out of hers. Looking at her daughter in concern, she saw a nervous look. "Mi vida… What's wrong?"
"I'm… I'm not staying…"
That made the whole family look at her in confusion. "What's that supposed to mean?" Isabela spat, only to duck a bit when her dad shot her a glare.
Caleb and Kat walked up closer, and Mirabel looked at her family. "I'm leaving the Encanto. Caleb and Kat offered that I could come with them on their trip, so I said yes."
The whole family froze, looking at the girl with wide eyes. "But… why?" Dolores asked quietly.
"I'm tired!" Mira cried out as she started to pace. "Ever since my ceremony, I felt like I didn't belong in this family. And the past few days have been horrible for me. And when I finally stood up to Abuela, none of you said anything! I was just the scapegoat again!"
"Mira is as much family as anyone else", Caleb said. "And we saw the issues you guys had from a mile away. Saw Luisa getting overworked", the strongwoman winced, "Alma expecting endless work from you all", Pepa and Julieta shared a look, "And how much you just ignored Mirabel!"
"Tell us this", Kat said sternly. "When was the last time you really sat down and TALKED with Mira?"
The family all shared looks, guilt forming on their faces. Except Antonio, who ran over and hugged Mira in the legs. Caleb and Kat smiled down at him.
"Except Antonio", Caleb said. "Because who would have thought having her raise a baby when she was ten years old would make him more understandable?"
A rain cloud would've formed above Pepa if it could.
"And it was so bad… none of you realised Mira wasn't in the picture after Antonio got his gift…" Kat spat.
"Mira, I'm so sorry!" Antonio cried out, looking up at the girl miserably. Mirabel just smiled and picked him up, briefly glancing at the shattered expressions on the rest of the family.
"We were in the courtyard with her when Casita showed us the cracks", Caleb said. "And we told her not to tell you all because we knew what would happen!"
Julieta, a hurt expression painting her face, took a step forward. "Is that why you found the vision?" She asked her daughter.
"Because I could sense the magic was in pain", Gladius barked, making everyone look up at him. The doom took a few steps back as the magical sword hovered down, looking at her harshly.
"Everyone", Mirabel started. "This is Gladius. He was with me all of yesterday, and saw it all."
"What?" Dolores cried out. "But how?"
"I'm an ancient and magical sword", the blade explained. "I can make myself invisible to whoever I want… And make who I want completely silent to people with hearing so sensitive they can hear a heartbeat…" The doe's eyes widened. "I was with Mirabel starting the night of Antonio's ceremony, and all throughout yesterday I saw all of you act like the most dishonest family ever."
He started flying around, continuing to rant. "I saw Luisa trying to bury her worries, watched Alma belittle Mirabel, listened to all of you sing how awful you MISSING family member was, and that atrocious engagement dinner. All while your miracle, the magic that connected all of you, screamed and cried in pain. It WANTED to die, because you all forgot to be a family!"
He sighed. "I can see a lot, being thousands of years old. All of you have suffered greatly. From constant noise, identity issues, overworking, all of it. Each and every one of you."
"To be a family, you need to pick the pieces back up", Caleb said. "Mirabel deserves a family that knows love is the most important thing."
The Madrigals all remained silent before a few of them made moves to speak. But before a word could get out, there was a distant scream. Everyone looked over towards the edge of the jungle to see Marina, Sig, Sparky and Betty all rush out. They looked over, locked onto Mirabel, and sprinted.
Before she could react, the bespectacled girl was glommed on both sides by the disguised mermaid and hyena. They both started crying in joy, relieved she was okay. Sparky looked her over carefully, and Betty fused over her.
"Don't you ever do that again!" The Galactic Guardian said as she circled the group. "Of all the reckless things… especially during an earthquake! You could've been hurt!"
Mirabel blushed. "Look, I get it, don't run off. But can we not make this a big deal?"
Caleb and Kat shared a smile, but the rest of the Madrigals watched the scene with… Conflicting emotions. There was jealousy, guilt, worry, sadness… all because none of them could remember the last time they were like this with the once giftless Madrigal.
Julieta sucked in a breath, trying to not cry. Gladius hovered down next to her, placing a reassuring wing on her shoulder. "We only want Mirabel to come with us to heal. She needs to be away and discover who she is deep down. And I swear to you, Julieta, she will be safe."
"Are you certain?" She whispered.
"I am."
"Plus…" Caleb said loudly, making all attention turn to him. "Didn't want Mirabel to go down the same path I did. Because… I've been in her place before." He gave the family a tired smile. "So trust me, I know what to do."
There was a moment of silence, where Julieta walked over to her daughter and cupped her cheeks. "Mi vida… I'm going to hate what I'm going to say… But I think you should go." The girl's eyes widened a bit. "We haven't been a good family, but we will fix this for when you return."
"Because she will come back!" Caleb said suddenly. "Just wanted to make that clear."
"Good." The eldest triplet nodded, then looked back at her daughter. 'You are amazing and special in your own way. These people… obviously helped you more than we ever could. So… You can go."
Mirabel gave her a wet smile, and hugged her, all the rest of the Madrigals joining in swiftly. Caleb and his little group all watched the scene with a smile, only for Sparky to perk up.
"Oh, right!" He said with a smile. "The ship is ready, so we should get going."
"Well said, Sparky. C'mon gang!" Caleb started to leave, leading his friends back towards the jungle. Mairabel waved goodbye before skipping after them. Gladius hung back, however, as he turned and faced the family.
"Fair warning", he said. "Our mode of transport is bizarre. All I can say is… keep an eye on the sky." He flew off after his companions, leaving the family in confusion.
But as the strangers left, Isabela and Dolores shared a look and nod.
~X~
The final bits of cleanup at camp went smoothly. Mirabel sat on one of the downed trees, watching as Ransack and Crumplezone worked together to empty the clearing that bit more so the takeoff could be as smooth as possible.
"So, you two just race and that's it?" She asked, a curious glint in her eyes.
"Yep!" Ransack said proudly, thumping his chest. "We've won a few races against some of the heavy hitters on Velocitron!"
"Do you guys have trophies back home?"
"Velocitron doesn't do trophies", Crumplezone explained. "At least, not unless you win the Planet Cup. But Override, our planet's leader, she's too fast. Closest we got to beating her was when we tricked her and Dirt Boss down the wrong road."
Mirabel pursed her lips, and glared at the two Transformers. "So you two are hooligans?"
"I more prefer the term punks", Ransack corrected. "And that's only on the race track."
"Plus", CZ added. "Races back home are really dangerous. There's been times me and Ransack were blown up right at the start because someone cat in front and dropped a mine."
The girl frowned. "Oh… So there's no rules?"
"Not that we know of", Ransack mumbled. "They say there are rules, but no one has told anyone what they are. So me and CZ think it's all smoke and mirrors to make it more interesting."
Mirabel hummed and nodded, standing up and walking off to let the two robots work away. Heading elsewhere, she passed by Sparky and Zig, who were loading up the last supplies as Bernie and X-5 did a last run through. Continuing along, she smiled as she came up to the duos of Marina & Sharko, and Caleb & Kat. Gladius was busy keeping watch for anything dangerous.
They all looked over at her, and smiled. "You look ready to go, Mirabel", the boy said, grinning.
"You know it!" Mira responded happily. "And I will say this: When we get back to the Capital, I'm going to try and make everyone something. Maybe I can embroider or something, I don't know."
"I'm sure whatever you come up with, Mira, will be amazing!" Katania cheered. Marina squealed in delight, and Sharko nodded with a grin. But it fell when he sensed something, so he snuck off to get the jump on it.
As the now quartet talked, they didn't catch the nearby bushes rustling. But when they finally did, Caleb was picked up when Luisa grabbed him and held him up.
"What the?!" He cried as the others jumped back. The boy looked in shock as the strongwoman was suddenly flanked by Isabela, Dolores and Camilo.
"What are you guys doing here?!" Mirabel cried out in shock.
"Just get out of here, sis!" La Senorita Perfecta spat. "Something about these guys is fishy, and we aren't letting you go with them. So go back to Mama, now!"
"No!" The younger girl shouted back angrily. "What, are you just angry because I ruined your perfect engagement?"
The older sister growled. "You won't get it. Just listen to what your big sis says, now."
"C'mon, Mira, let's leave these guys", Camilo said nonchalantly. "Heck, if we're lucky Luisa will cream this kid."
"I'm older than you", Caleb said flatly.
"I never agreed to that", Luisa shot back.
Dolores flicked her brother's ear, and looked at Caleb. "No matter what you say, it won't change our minds. Mirabel is coming home."
The boy rolled his eyes. "What about him?" He said, pointing behind the intrusive Madrigals.
They all looked at him in confusion, only to pale when a harsh breath blew on them. Turning around slowly, they were greeted with the terrifying Sharko, giving them all a glare. Then, he roared in their faces, almost knocking them off their feet. When he stopped, Luisa released Caleb, and the second generation of Madrigal and stumbled.
"W-W-What?" Luisa stammered. "How's a shark here?!"
"Meet Sharko", Mirabel said With a thankful smile shot at the shark. "Who's just as strong as you. So you better be careful." She turned around. "Oh! And this is Ransack and Crumplezone.
The intrusive quartet turned around, and paled even more when they saw both the towering Transformers glaring down at them.
"Trying to take our friend away?" CZ said in a threatening tone.
Luisa finally fainted, and Calen sighed. "Look, I know you four don't trust us. But believe me when I say we don't want to hurt Mirabel. But, at this point, I feel like showing is better than telling…"
He pulled Mirabel to the side. "Do you want them to tag along at all?" He whispered.
"Why are you asking me?" She whispered back.
"Because I know you. Do you want them to come along?"
Mirabel opened her mouth, but after hesitating for a moment she closed it. Then, with a sigh, she turned to address her family. "Look, There's a lot you guys need to fix, even if you don't want to…" She subtly glanced at Isabela. "But I don't want to fully leave. At least, not without bringing someone else along. And since you guys decided to pull this, you can tag along."
"Do we get a say in this?" Camilo asked.
"Do you want to miss an opportunity to see other worlds?" Caleb asked with a smirk. "If no, then get on the ship!"
The shapeshifter didn't hesitate as he walked on towards the ship, quickly heading inside. After a bit of hesitation, Isabela followed him, giving her youngest sister a complicated look. Mira just looked away angrily.
Shortly after, Dolores let out a squeak, and darted after her brother. Luisa was carried in by Sharko, and the others all followed them inside. The strongwoman, who was slowly coming out of her fainting spell, was set down at the table. All the Madrigals sat at the table with her, silently soaking in each other's company.
Caleb gave them a pinched look, waiting by the open access ramp for Gladius to return. Thankfully, the sword showed up shortly after, giving the Madrigals a look.
"I had a feeling it wouldn't just be Mirabel", he whispered.
Caleb shrugged, then smiled. "The more the merrier. Hey, guys!" He called out at the Madrigals, earning their attention. "Follow me to the bridge. You're gonna want to see take off."
They all shared a look, and followed the bot to the front of the ship. Caleb greeted everyone there, and went back over to the slot Gladius had made. He looked over his shoulder, and when Mirabel nodded with a smile, The boy stabbed the blade inside the slot.
As the ship crackled with energy, Sparky started to take it into the air. The Madrigals all shifted on their feet, then looked outside. With wide-eyes, they watched as the strange vehicle they were in went higher and higher, fear and excitement coursing through them.
Kat held Mirabel's hand as the boy synced with the sword, making the ship's tractor beam shoot out and open a portal before them. Before they headed. into it, Mirabel looked out the front window back towards her home, and waved goodbye. In a blur, the ship shot into the portal, and disappeared in a flash of colours…
~X~
And that's the Encanto arc all done and dusted! This chapter was shorter than the others, yes, but after how long the other chapters were, I deserve an easy one. Plus, with these author's notes, it's already pushing 5k, so it's not nothing.
Anyway… Yep, more Madrigals are joining the journey! Isabela, Dolores, Luisa and Camilo, all set to add their unique and dynamic personalities to this little adventure. Trust me, when you see where the next arc takes place, you'll get why they work so much.
But yeah, an arc I was super excited for is finally done. 23 chapters, and I'm still going strong. Getting ever so closer to that coveted 0ne million total words for this series, and almost at the point I can go "Now that's something to be proud of."
FYI, while I won't start it now, I was thinking of another story idea. I won't share what it is, but it takes place before this story and isn't a one-shot. So I hope y'all are excited!
Be sure to leave a review/comment, and think about joining my art collab!
Up next: Now with all the Madrigals tagging along, the group crash again to see themselves in a world sucked of colour and fun, forcing them to fight against a deranged dictator…
~Kat~