Over the Mountains (an Encanto story)

Chapter 3. Friends

Antonio enjoyed exploring his cool, new room. The jungel-like area was filled with plants and animals, all local to the area of Encanto. There were trees with holes, small caves, artafical bird nests, and all kinds of hideouts for his new animal companions.

But there was one thing missing, or rather one person, the most important one.

Mirabel.

He was searching all around, but he couldn't find his favorite prima. Heck, his favorite person in the whole world. In the last five years, Mirabel spent more time with him than his own parents did. Counting in that nine months before he was born as well.

As he searched, he stumbled upon a rather hidden part of the room and saw a group of kids surrounding something. No, someone.

As he got closer, he saw a little girl about his age sitting on the ground, being mocked by the local kids he considered his friends before. But seeing this treatment was enough to finish those friendships once and for all.

The girl had dark skin with even darker afro hair that was so big it covered her eyes. She wore a long orange skirt and a white, long-sleeved shirt. He had never seen her before, but he didn't care. There was someone in desperate need of help, and he was in the position to provide it.

- What are you doing? - he approached the group. Now he was able to see that the girl had white spots on her hands, legs, and in her hair. She was visibly shaking, trying to hold her tears back.

- Hey Antonio! Wanna join? - one of the boys around the age of nine asked.

- No this is wrong! You can't be like that! - Antonio yelled back at the group.

- What are you gonna do about it, huh? Command your capibaras and camelions to attack? - the boy laughed, and the rest of the group joined after a few seconds of hesitacion. It was clear that he was their leader.

At that moment, Antonio saw red. Maybe it was that the kids laughed at him and his gift, maybe that the bullying of the girl happened in his room, or maybe he saw Mirabel in that girl for a moment.

The animals seemed to feel his anger and started to surround the laughing ones. Growling beasts started to show up around them, leaving warnings to the kids, who at that point were terrified.

The most terrifying ones were a massive piton with emerald skin appearing behind Antonio, and jaguars with the sharpest teeth the kids had ever seen appearing behind the young Madrigal.

- Leave. Now. - and as Antonio said that, all the kids ran to their parents or directly outside the house itself in fear.

He approached the shocked girl, who looked at the boy with hesitation.

- Are you okay? - Antonio asked, holding his hand out for the girl to help her up.

- I... - the girl hesitated for another second - I am. - and she took Antonio's hand.

- I'm Antonio, what's your name? I don't think I've ever seen you before. - the boy looked at the still frightened girl with questioning eyes and a warm smile.

- Soy Araya. It makes sense that you never saw me. I don't really leave my abuelita's house due to my... problem. Kids don't really like to play with me. - she looked down on her hands. Antonio amidetly understood the reason.

- Why don't you come over and play with me and Mirabel sometimes? - he asked cheerfully, making the girl intarnally happy in the process.

And so, a new friendship begins. Antonio and Araya wondered around the room, searching for Mirabel and getting to know the animals living there.

Araya, the cheerful but awkward outcast, was disliked by many people. Her looks only topped it off, making her look like she was sick and it could be contagious. But the animals in Antonio's room didn't see her that way. She was a good human being in their eyes, worthy of love, and they quickly made her feel loved.

She loved animals just as much as Antonio. Only Araya liked the scary ones the most. This meant spiders, snakes, and all those creatures that people said were gross.

No wonder she earned the nickname Araña. After all, spiders were her favorites.

This friendship between the young Madrigal and the unknown girl was destined to blossom.

- Who has the best gift out of the Madrigals? - Araya asked Antonio after she finally lowered her guard. She was interested in the Madrigals to begin with, but now she had a chance to get answers not even adults could get.

- This one's easy! Mirabel off course! - Antonio answered happily, proud off his prima.

- Mirabel? But Abuelita said she doesn't have one. - Araya questioned the boy's answer with the information in her knowledge.

- She does, of course, but it's not like everyone else's. She's kind, and brave, and happy, and she's always there for everyone! She was always around when I needed her, or even when I needed someone who couldn't be there. So Mirabel has the best gift, whatever that might be. - Antonio gave his new friend his answer.

- Oh. I think I get it now! - Araya exclaimed happily, releasing an initially scary, but genuinely happy smile.

As they finally searched the whole room for Mirabel, they almost got back to the part where people were still celebrating.

- Antonio! Where were you? - Camilo approached his hermanito, obviously freaked out by his disappearance.

- I told you he didn't go anywhere. - Dolores followed close behind, way calmer than her younger brother.

- Have you seen Mirabel? I want to introduce my new friend to her! She's Araya! - Antonio presented the strange-looking girl to his siblings.

- Hi. - the girl waved at the older Madrigal kids.

Camilo and Dolores shared a concerned look. But it wasn't the girls' strange looks.

- I don't think you should bother her right now, Tonito. - Dolores lowered herself to face her little brother.

- Yeah, maybe tomorrow? - Camilo tried to side with Dolores, surprising her. She honestly thought he would be found of the idea.

- But why tomorrow? She didn't even check out my new room yet! - Antonio asked his older siblings in despair.

For a second, both of his older siblings stayed quiet. Neither had the right words to describe the situation in a way so little five-year-old Antonio could understand.

- You see... today was... hard for her. I think she has already gone to sleep. - Dolores attempted to explain the situation, assuring Antonio that it was not his fault that Mirabel had left early.

- But... she said she wanted to see my new room. - Antonio was sad. Why would Mirabel go without a goodye?

- I'm sure she does, - Camilo continued - but the sight might have been... overwhelming for her.

- Overwhelming? - the little guy questioned.

- Wouldn't it be better to give her a private tour when you're alone, just the two of you? No guest, no party, no strangers asking strange questions? - Dolores tried to convince her hermanito to finally let it go.

It seemed to finally work. Antonio cared a lot about his prima, but he was worried. Would she really just leave his party without a single word?

This isn't like her at all.