Our Little Sunflower (An Encanto Story)

Chapter 15: Coming Back to Where you Belong.

(Meanwhile in America)

Ricardo's own family were celebrating his birthday and Valentina's birthday. He was a twin to Valentina. "Feliz cumpleaños" yet they were all just sorrow. "I still can't believe that they are gone.." he was the middle child of the five children. "I know.. I know." The eldest son Mateo spoke solemnly, holding his head. Their parents Manuel and Catalina were grief stricken. "We don't even know if his child is still alive!" The eldest daughter Elena told them. "We need to go back to Colombia and find our closure. There's nothing here for us. And we need to find the child." Catalina stood up. "Our grandchild!" Everyone nodded and packed up their things.

(Back in Colombia)

Celestia was already up and she goes into town with some beautiful flowers. Going to the two gravestones of her family like she always did. Only then she didn't know who they were but only knew that they traveled to try and find a better life.. only to die trying. She kneels before the graves and sets the flowers down. "Hola mami, papi." She talked about her day ahead of her. Celestia then sees Julieta approach her. "Hey sweetie. Isa told me about the nightmare you had. Are you ok?" She nodded and stood up. Julieta held her gently. "Hey. Tió Bruno wants to see you. Something about giving you your first vision from him.

Celestia did some quick tasks around the village before going back to Casita and going to find Bruno. She eventually finds him and he looked down at her. "Bruno is busy. Can the brave Hernando speak with the child?" He had his Ruana hood over his face. Celestia laughs a little and then said. "Come on Tió. Mama said that I should see you." Bruno lifted his Ruana hood. "Ah I'm only kidding. Alright, come on kid." The two of them made their way to the sand circle outside and they sat down in the middle. "It might be a bit rusty, for the heads up. Ok?" Celestia puts her hands in his own as the sand began swirling around and around. Bruno's eyes opened to a glowing green.

"What are you seeing Tió?" She asked as her hair began blowing in the wind it was creating. Her bows coming loose and letting her bronze colored hair go wild. There was a group of people.. going to the casita. Then Celestia herself? "A family.. coming to our city! And finding you? They must have some sort of connection somehow!" Celestia was confused as she looked at the vision blurs, it then shows Celestia telling the family to leave, all but one. A young Woman. She looked like her real father. Bruno stopped it there and gave her the vision plaque.

The still image was of Celestia and her back turned to this group of people. "What does this family want with me..?" Bruno gets up. "I'm not sure but please try and see what they want. Give it a shot. For the family?" She was a bit hesitant, but Celestia eventually agreed to see what their intentions were.

(Several weeks later)

The rest of the Sanchez' made their way back to their old village and to the house that Ricardo and Stella lived in before they left. Only to see there was different people living in it. Mateo came up to the villager that was in it and asked if they knew anything. "I'm not sure. I saw this random book about a place called Encanto." He pointed to the crack in the mountains. "That's the cracked mountains. Go through there. You should be able to see it." The family all traveled on the same path that Ricardo and Stella followed all those years ago.

The sun starts to set and they continued to walk through the valley. Then they make it to the village. Valentina noticed lanterns being sent into the sky. When they make it, Mateo asked one of the villagers what was happening. "Tonight is the anniversary of the villagers that traveled far from here to get the Miracle Child into safety. Ricardo and Stella Sanchez. We're honoring their spirits." The youngest son Carlos spoke up. "Um.. we have a confession to make. We're the family of Ricardo."

The music stopped and the Madrigals turned to see them. Celestia hid behind Julieta. "We had a feeling that you would be coming... Cele?" Mirabel called to her and Celestia comes out showing the vision plaque. Valentina hugged her and had happy tears coming down her Face. "Celestia! I never gave up finding you. I'm your father's twin sister. Tiá Valentina." She was a bit confused but she hugged her back, feeling the sincerity in her voice.

Each one of the family introduced themselves to the Madrigals and joined in with the celebration. Ricardo and Stella's spirits watched the entire thing unfold. He only told his twin sister everything about their daughter and that if they were gone, she would be the sole care taker of Celestia, but since they left, it wasn't possible. "Why is everyone else back here?!" He growled. The people couldn't see them of course. Stella shakes her head. "Party is over, it's time for haunting." Stella's spirit flies by the many lit candles making them go out. Abuela notices. "Oh, looks like they're not happy. Alright everyone, go home." They hurried it back to the casita and the Sanchez's follow them to their home.

"So what brings you wonderful people back here to Colombia? And what do you seek in Our Starlight?" Abuela asked Manuel and Catalina. The two of them turned to each other and Valentina was about to speak up and say something but Catalina said what she had first. "We came back to bring Celestia home with all of us." "What?! No! That's not what we discussed!" Valentina told them before Manuel raised a hand to stop her from talking any further than she has. "That's what I wanted discussed."

Celestia felt hurt. They came back just to take her from the one place she called home? Away from her family? And lose the gift that she has? "Excuse me, you can't just do that. You can't just take the child WE promised to protect." "For now, it's Celestia's decision to decide. Stay or go." Catalina crossed her arms. They leave the casita and stayed in a random home for the night. Celestia turned to her family.

Isabela knelt down to her sisters level. "Dulce hermana pequeña.. it's up to you to decide.. do you wish to stay here in Encanto with all of us or leave us and potentially risk losing your power..?" Celestia felt overwhelmed and felt like crying. Luisa wiped her tears away. "Little C. We will be there for your decision. All of us. Every step of the way." Everyone went to their rooms for the night and Celestia does the same. Going to the dream world.

"THOSE DEADBEATS ARE BACK FOR THAT?! Except Valentina.. I know her.." Ricardo was angered at this. Stella felt disgusted. "Unbelievable. Making her forget her culture and losing everything that once stood for." Celestia looked down at her feet and held onto her dolls, burying her face in all of them. The two picked their daughter up. "Whatever you do, don't let them do any of this. They thought that you died with both of us from the same thing. I am not taking the risk of you forgetting your culture like they have.." Ricardo told Celestia. Stella agreed. "But let Valentina stay. She'll vouch her good intentions. She only came back cause she wants to remember where she came from." Celestia thought about it before agreeing with them. "Ok.. I won't go with them."

(The next morning.)

After breakfast, the Sanchez' came up to them. "So have you decided sweet Celestia?" She opened up her mouth and everyone grinned with excitement hoping for her to say yes. "No!" Celestia said with a firm tone. Catalina gasped. "You.. dare?" Celestia used her super speed to get up close to them all. "You thought I was dead for the past five years. Almost all of you." Mateo was stunned. "We couldn't have known.." "Exactly.. you didn't. If you really did love me, you would have come back sooner and took me back. But you just stayed in glorious America, wherever that is and just came in to take a stink bomb on us.." Manuel and Elena just sat in silence. "I'm sorry, but I'm not risking myself not getting along in a place I don't know. You're not my family.. you never should have come back looking. Please, just get out and go back to the place that you were living in."

They began to walk away. "You sure you won't change your mind..?" Carlos asked his sobrina and she nodded. "I'm sure." Valentina was about to walk away, but Celestia stopped her. "Except you. You stay.." Valentina turned to her. "Huh?" "I had a dream.. my real mama and papa told me about how you wanted to come back and find yourself again in the culture. Please.. don't go." Celestia pleads. They both share a caring embrace. Abuela was surprised to see her stand up for herself. Even if it meant losing the other family. It was a lot to process for someone like her. Hopefully one day she'll come around and let them back into her life one by one. For now, it's basically minimal contact