The Creepers Trying to Steal All Our Stuff Again

Chapter Text

"I picket this city burn down, these passions slowly smouldering. A lesson never learned, only violence. Is your world just a cleaved promise? Is your love just a driblet of rain? Will we all just fire like burn down?" - Permit Information technology Burn, RED

Present Day…

Mirabel paused in her story as Luisa sniffled, wiping at her eyes.

"Yous okay, hermana?" Mirabel asked.

"I'm fine," Luisa insisted. She blinked quickly and looked up at the sky. "Just peachy."

Mariano reached across to hand her a handkerchief and Luisa blew her olfactory organ. Isabela patted her on the arm and Antonio, all the same on her lap, wrapped his arms around her neck in a loose hug.

"Don't worry," Mirabel told her. "I absolutely bawled my eyes out all over poor Tio. If he hadn't been crying too I probably would take scared him again. It was a lot."

Cecilia's lip was wobbling; even Juancho was unusually solemn, for once not bouncing in place or fidgeting.

"Hey, now," Mirabel said gently. She scooted frontwards and wiped at the children's watering optics. "It's alright."

"Happy tears," Alejandra mumbled. Cecilia nodded in agreement.

Luisa sniffled once more.

Camilo looked around at everyone and seemed similar he wanted the footing to open up and eat him, no dubiousness uncomfortable with so many teary-eyed gazes.

"Jeez," he muttered. "Improve become back to the happy stuff, Mira."

"And your big entrance," Mirabel teased.

Camilo instantly straightened up and tossed his hair back, puffing his breast out. The kids giggled and he grinned at them.

"You can't tell a story without the star!" he proclaimed.

"You were a supporting character at best, primo."

"Lies." Camilo slapped at her arm, his grinning widening when Mirabel laughed at him. "Lies and slander, I won't take this abuse!"

Isabela's vines separated them. Her disapproving stare was eerily like Abuela'due south. "How about we go back to the story, hm?"

"Antonio's better behaved," Dolores said.

"I am!" Antonio said proudly. Which- okay. Fair plenty.

Her pride downwardly for the count, Mirabel got back on track.

One year ago…

Zarita glided through the shadows, eyes peeled for any movement, ears cocked for any sound.

She grinned sharply when she heard a human curse.

There they are.

She strode towards their shoddy army camp and the Diaz Brothers gaped at her in astonishment before rapidly pulling out their weapons. They were soaked to the bone, bloody and bruised. She remembered the guards at the Snuggly Duckling; they must have caught upward with the men afterward all.

"Oh, please," Zarita sighed. "There's no need for that, boys."

"Who the hell are you?" Gabino demanded. The wanted posters proclaimed him the leader of the duo and Zarita could instantly encounter why.

She smiled at him, at them both. Her most mannerly smile.

"My name is Zarita," she said. "And nosotros have a common enemy."

Gabino'south eyes narrowed. Julio's grip on his knife tightened. "Oh, do nosotros?"

"Indeed. Princess Mirabel Madrigal."

Gabino scoffed. "What did that footling bitch do to yous?"

"She stole something precious to me," Zarita said, stepping closer. "And from you lot, no?"

"How d'you know virtually that?" Julio snapped.

Zarita gave a careless shrug. "My foolish ward is being hoodwinked past her," she said. "Just heaven forbid he listen to reason. She has that crown with her right now."

"Where is she?" Gabino demanded. His eyes were debark with rage, he somehow seemed even bigger. He stood, towering over Zarita, practically radiating murderous rage.

Proficient. Very expert.

Killing Mirabel herself would be messy. It would enhance a lot of questions that Zarita did non intend to answer. She could try to take Mirabel's memories, simply she had no doubt members of the Madrigal purple court would know magic when they saw it. Over again, more than questions she merely couldn't gamble beingness asked. She didn't want more royal guards combing the woods. She could hardly move the blasted belfry, now could she? And, try as she might, protective charms had never been her forte. Loathe equally she was to acknowledge it, they tended to literally blow upward in her face.

She could effort to wipe Bruno'south memories again, take away the last few days…But so how to explicate why he was in the forest in the first place? And, sooner or later, he'd try to run again, she had no uncertainty nigh it.

So, all-time instance scenario, she needed him to come back willingly.

Mirabel may but exist the central to that. The useless Madrigal with a purpose at last.

"They're not far from here," Zarita said sweetly. "I can lead you right to her."

The Diaz Brothers eyed her warily merely their need for revenge won out. They looked at each other, scowling, well-nigh seeming to read each other's minds.

Gabino nodded and held his hand out. "Alright," he said. "Deal."

Zarita shook his hand. "Pleasance to do business with you lot, gentlemen."

Julio huffed in amusement. Gabino put out their small-scale fire and they followed in her wake.

"What did she steal from you anyway?" Julio asked. "Brat's a princess."

Zarita didn't carp to look dorsum. "An of import artefact of mine," she said. "I that was hard to go and one I don't intend to lose."

Because hither was a secret: Bruno was the first seer of his kind that Zarita had met in all her long years. Oh she'd seen seers, oracles and prophets…But ones that could take multiple visions a solar day, voluntary and involuntary? Who could run into minutes or years ahead? I that could manifest those prophecies as a physical object? A seer who could let you join in their ritual and scout the futurity in move? Zarita had never seen it before, non until the petty Madrigal Prince turned five.

She made sure Bruno didn't know it, merely he was powerful.

It was magic the likes of which she'd never seen.

Information technology was magic she wanted.

Information technology was magic she had every intention of keeping.

They walked in silence for a while, Mirabel clinging to Bruno'southward arm. She kept looking at him similar she was agape he'd disappear.

Bruno got it. Honestly, he kept glancing sideways to brand sure she was still at that place too.

Mirabel was…His niece? He had a niece. A whole bunch of nieces and nephews, according to Mirabel.

"What are their names?" he blurted out.

"Huh?" Mirabel blinked at him.

"Your, uh- siblings. And cousins. What are their names?"

Mirabel smiled at him, large chocolate-brown eyes softening. "My eldest sis is Isabela. Senorita Perfecta." She rolled her eyes, trying to wait unbothered. "She's Abuela's favourite, so Abuela was shocked when Lord Mariano approached her about courtship Dolores instead. Turns out, Isabela had been chaperoning them, but anybody thought Dolores was chaperoning Isabela and Mariano, and-"

"Huh?"

"Oh, correct, pitiful. Er…Isabela'southward the eldest, like I said. We're Julieta's daughters."

Bruno nodded, trying to bandage his memories dorsum, trying to remember Julieta. He had the impression of a warm hug, the odor of baking. A daughter grabbing his easily, guiding him over a crack in the pathway and singing, "Sana sana colita de rana…"

"Isabela makes flowers," Mirabel connected. "That's her Souvenir."

Bruno nodded again.

"There's Luisa, she'due south my other sis. She'south super strong- literally. That'southward her Gift. But betwixt y'all and me, Tio Bruno, she needs a pause. Ten breaks. And then many breaks."

Tio Bruno. She said it and so hands, then naturally. She seemed totally at ease. Bruno wished he was.

"And and then in that location's me." Mirabel grinned at him. "You know me."

Bruno couldn't aid simply smile back. "Aye," he said. "I know you're crazy."

"You lot accept me at that place."

"And your cousins?"

"Oh, you lot're going to love Antonio! He tin can talk to animals and he'south literally an affections. The sweetest fiddling child you've always met. Yous show him those rats and he'll be all over yous."

Bruno's smile widened. In his pockets, the rats slept soundly. "I'll continue that in mind."

"He just got his Souvenir a few months agone," Mirabel connected. "He's the youngest of the states. Camilo's only a few months older than me, he shape-shifts. He won't finish until he makes you smile, so brace yourself. And Dolores, she can-" Mirabel stopped, squinting alee. "Hm…"

"What'south wrong?" Bruno asked, tensing upwardly. "Is it-?"

"DOLORES!"

Bruno jumped back, clapping his hands over his ears. Mirabel cupped her easily effectually her mouth and continued to shriek.

"I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME Past At present! I'M OKAY!"

"Mirabel?" Bruno squeaked. Had she lost it?

"AND I KNOW Y'all JUST HEARD ME SAY TIO BRUNO! YOU HEARD RIGHT!" She sounded maniacally gleeful. Maybe the stress of the twenty-four hour period had gotten to her. "I'M BRINGING HIM HOME AND I NEED Yous TO KEEP QUIET FOR A WHILE LONGER!"

"Mirabel!?"

Mirabel turned to him, looking totally at ease. "Dolores has super hearing," she explained calmly. "We're about out of the forest, nosotros're dorsum in her hearing range."

"O-oh…"

"Say hello."

"Huh?"

Mirabel stepped upwards closer and, yep, she did wait a fiddling crazy. "Say howdy. She can hear you."

Bruno looked around, wondering if this was some sort of weird joke. But no 1 popped out to shout "Joke!" or "Surprise!" and he didn't wake upward when he pinched himself, and so he was forced to admit that Mirabel hadn't lost it. Or, she mostly hadn't.

"Um…" He turned ahead again, towards the thinning tree line. "Um, howdy- Dolores? Hi."

Mirabel nodded in approval. "Bit quiet, but she'll hear it okay."

"That's…Skillful?"

Mirabel nodded again, hands behind her back.

Then she threw her head back and shrieked again; "I Mean Information technology, YOU Better NOT RUIN THIS SURPRISE, I Want TO Show HIM AROUND Start, WE'RE GOING TO Make THIS THE BEST Altogether EVER!"

An owl hooted. Some animals ran away, Bruno could hear them in the bushes.

Mirabel took a deep jiff and smiled, plainly washed screaming. Bruno had absolutely no idea how to respond to any of this.

Slowly, Mirabel'due south smile faltered. "Dang," she muttered. "Gonna exist awkward if Dolores was in her room. I'll sound crazy."

"Right," Bruno said weakly. "That would be crazy." What in the world did Dolores's room have to do with anything? Surely information technology was only a room?

An absolutely massive room, far bigger than expected. A tower room with swirling dark-green and gold patterns on the walls, a sand waterfall at the door that he could turn on and off with a wave of his hand. A screw staircase leading to a room full of sand, and a glowing greenish tablet slowly lowered into his hands.

He turned to his sisters with a mischievous grin.

"Got the answers for tomorrow's exam right here!"

Bruno snapped out of information technology when Mirabel shook him.

"Are you okay?" she demanded. "You got all…I dunno, spacey? Y'all weren't having a vision, were yous? Your eyes didn't glow."

"No," Bruno said quietly. "No, just- I call back I was remembering?" His frown deepened. "So, Antonio, Camilo and Dolores are Pepa's kids?"

"They are."

Pepa. Pepa. Sunshine and stormclouds. Rainbows and snowflakes. All he could run into was a yellow blur in his mind'south eye.

Why couldn't he remember? Sure he'd been 5, only…

"What'southward my mamá'due south proper noun?" he asked, cut off Mirabel's concerned questions.

Her expression utterly bankrupt. Her grip on his shoulders tightened and, before he could fifty-fifty have some other jiff, she pulled him into a hug.

"Alma," Mirabel whispered. "Her name is Alma Madrigal."

They stopped at the tree line. Ahead, Bruno could see a path, a bridge and mountains. He could meet a few lights- houses, no doubtfulness. He could hear a river. Even in the dark, he could see the outline of a castle overlooking the metropolis.

Encanto. Casita.

They were here.

Mirabel utterly beamed at him from her spot by the campfire. "That'south it," she said quietly. "That'south dwelling house."

Abode.

Not a belfry, hidden in the woods. Not simply Bruno and his rats. Not Zarita. That, right there, was…His home. He had a family unit in that city. He had a family sitting right behind him.

What had Zarita done to him? Why hadn't he remembered annihilation?

She always said her magic was parlour tricks, cipher much. Some other lie.

But before they went whatsoever further, there was one more thing Bruno needed to talk about. Well, 2 more than things.

He went to his satchel and pulled out the crown, held it out to Mirabel. He watched her eyes widen, her mouth drop.

"It's yours," he said. "I'thousand lamentable. Again, I mean. Distressing over again."

Only she shook her caput. "No," she said softly. "It's yours, Tio. You concur onto it." Her eyes glittered. "Nosotros can give it back to Abuela together, okay?"

Bruno ran his hands over the goldwork and jewels, still beautiful, nonetheless glittering, even in the night. It didn't really experience like his. To think he'd tried information technology on his tower, only for a laugh.

He put information technology away and pulled out the remains of his broken vision, still wrapped in textile.

"That candle nosotros saw," he said. "You lot said information technology couldn't go out?"

"It's the source of the Miracle," Mirabel explained. "It'due south literally incapable of going out, or even going dim. It just…Information technology doesn't. If it did then…" She trailed off, biting her lip. "I don't know what would happen," she admitted. "Merely it wouldn't exist good."

Bruno winced and held out the textile. "I recollect I know," he said. "Madré- she told me to have at least six visions prepare past the time she got back, but when she saw them she shattered them." Because he'd seen Mirabel, because he'd seen Encanto, because Zarita had lied. "Guess now I know why."

Mirabel unwrapped the shards, held them together and held them towards the bivouac, getting a better view. Bruno saw the horror take over her face up, the mode her easily trembled.

"T-Tio?" Her voice croaky. "I don't…Why am I...?"

Gently, Bruno wrapped his hands around hers and tilted them. Simply like that, the vision pieces showed Mirabel standing in front of a repaired Casita. His niece's jaw dropped. She tilted the vision from side to side and gaped at him.

"What?" she whispered. "Why is it irresolute?"

"I don't know," Bruno was forced to acknowledge. "I- I've never seen a vision with more than i outcome before. Not until now. But, my gauge? Whatever'southward coming next…It'll all come down to you lot."

"I don't desire to hurt my family," she said, eyes too bright.

Bruno idea of all he'd seen: the thugs at the Snuggly Duckling, the festival at Encanto; Mirabel riding through the woods, desperate and adamant. The castle crumbling and healing, the candle dimming and blazing.

He thought of Pepa and Julieta hugging him.

He looked Mirabel (his niece!) correct in the eye.

"You won't," he said. Bruno was not an optimistic person, simply now he felt a warm certainty deep in his bones. "You lot won't," he repeated. "I retrieve you're going to fix it."

Zarita stopped dead, the Diaz Brothers correct behind her. Before them was the remains of a campfire. No Mirabel.

No Bruno.

Her fists clenched and she took a deep jiff in, deep breath out. She tried non to shriek in sheer rage.

Gabino had no such qualms. He punched the nearest tree with a roar. Julio snarled at the remains of the camp, pacing furiously.

"Don't throw tantrums," Zarita snapped. Even as she said it, she felt a shimmer on her hands. She looked downwardly and seethed as she saw new wrinkles form.

"Come on." Zarita stormed dorsum to the trees. "They're going to Encanto. We need to catch up."

Take hold of upwardly earlier someone puts two and ii together.

She'd stolen Bruno from Casita once, in the dead of dark, when he was simply five. Try as she might to deny it, she wasn't wholly confident she could practise it once more.

Zarita sighed as she marched along, the Diaz Brothers grumbling in her wake.

She did so hate being rushed.

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Source: https://archiveofourown.org/works/36587146/chapters/92684002

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