Author's Note:
I'll try to keep this short, so don't worry!
This is my very first fanfic, so please bear with me. I would very much appreciate constructive criticism, but please no flames. I'm going to try to update a couple times a week if possible, but I can't make any promises.
A few important notes for this fanfiction:
If you couldn't tell, this is Agustín Madrigal-centric.
In this story he has a job as a bookkeeper for most of the shops in Encanto, which is sort of important for the story.
This is mostly—if not completely—canon compliant, and takes place a couple weeks after the events of the movie.
Also, I'm estimating about 30-35 chapters.
Let's get into the story!
Disclaimer: I don't own Encanto
Chapter One:
Agustín walked briskly towards Casita, eager to get to lunch. He had a large stack of paperwork in his arms, so tall he could barely see over it. Looking back, that probably wasn't the best idea, considering his clumsy tendencies.
He'd barely gotten a block from his last client when he collided with a tall, thin figure, sending the papers flying everywhere. He hit the ground hard, slipping in the mud from the storm the night before.
As it started raining, Agustín glanced up at Pepa, who was glaring murderously at him. "Watch where you're going!" She snapped. "I just fixed my hair, and now it's ruined again!"
She wiped soggy papers off her dress and shoes and turned to stalk off.
"Look what you've done!" Senor Chávez, the blacksmith exclaimed, pointing at the slop of mushy papers coating the ground. He was Agustín's highest-paying client "Those papers were important for my business!" His entire face was bright red with fury.
"I'm sorry, senor." Agustín stammered, intimidated by the huge man. "I didn't mean to—"
"I'm not talking to you." He snapped, glaring at Pepa. "You need to control your weather!"
Pepa bit her lip. "I'm sorry." She ground out, hardly keeping from causing a hurricane. "It won't happen again."
Senor Chavez huffed. "It better not." He stalked off to his shop, leaving a smoky smell behind.
Pepa ran off in the direction of Casita, leaving Agustín standing in the mess. He glanced down then ran after his sister-in-law. "Pepa!" He yelled, gaining on her. "I'm sorry—"
Pepa wheeled on him, her face dark. "I'm tired of getting in trouble because of your stupid clumsy self! Next time don't let it happen, then maybe I'll accept your apology!" She was thundering now.
"Pepa—"
"Just leave me alone!" She screamed, as Agustín dove to avoid her lightning.
When he looked up she was gone. He sighed and wiped the mud off his clothes and face.
He took a step towards home but froze when he heard an unfamiliar voice.
"Senor?" A woman's voice came from behind him. "Your wife dropped this, I believe."
Agustín turned to see a woman around his age, holding out a golden and turquoise bracelet.
"My wife?" He frowned, then his eyes widened. "Pepa?" He laughed sheepishly. "She's not—"
"Regardless, she dropped this." The woman seemed oddly familiar, yet Agustín knew he had never seen her before in his life.
"Pepa wouldn't wear that, it would clash with her dress." He said, backing off slightly. This woman made him uneasy. "I need to go—"
"Take it." The woman said suddenly, offering the bracelet. "I don't need it."
"Me?" Agustín stared at her. "That's obviously expensive, you could sell it for a fortune. I have no need for jewelry."
"I insist—" The woman drew unnervingly close, her stunning green eyes seeming to glow.
"No!" He yelled, raising his voice more than usual. Her eyes widened. "I–I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—" He began.
"It could make a good gift for your wife…" She continued, as if nothing had happened. "Assuming you have one, of course."
"I do, but—"
She shoved the bracelet in his hand. "Good." She turned to leave.
"Wait!" Agustín shouted, confused as to why she was so eager to be rid of the piece of jewelry. "I don't want it." He gave it back to her and walked away, wondering who she was, and why she was so pushy.
As he left he heard the woman murmuring something under her breath. He couldn't tell what she was saying, but it sent shivers down his spine.
Casita had just come into view when suddenly, his vision blurred. A colorful shape he recognized as Antonio's toucan shot past, Agustín's glasses gripped in his beak.
He ran shouting after the mischievous bird, yelling for Pico to return his glasses. "Hey! Get back here!" He tripped several times, hardly being able to see anything. "I need those!"
The toucan swooped down and brushed past him, flying to the top of a tall tree and depositing the glasses on one of the highest branches. Pico seemed to be smirking at him, although that was probably Agustín's imagination, considering that he couldn't see.
Without thinking, Agustín grabbed the lowest branch and heaved himself up. He was going to get those glasses back. Before he knew it, he was rather high in the tree, more than a dozen feet from the ground. That was when he made his first mistake.
He looked down.
Instantly, he felt light-headed. In the heat of the moment he had temporarily forgotten his fear of heights, but one look at the ground fifteen feet below changed that. Next thing he knew, his foot slipped and he plummeted to the ground.
The branches battered his face as he fell, adding to his panic. His arms flailed as he tried desperately to grab something— anything.
Then… Everything stopped.