It was expected. Mirabel also had enough, just like Bruno. She left on Antonio's birthday, fearing he would slowly drift away from her too.
Ten years have passed since she left, and now the Madrigals are faced with a new challenge, one they never ex...
After the Madrigals split up, Antonio took off with Parce and Araya.
The town's people were shocked that two random fifteen-year-old kids roamed the streets of their peaceful village with a jaguar on their side.
Neither noticed the stares, though. Antonio became the new Bruno back at Encanto, being the weird kid who only had animal friends and that one other even weirder kid.
Unlike the others, he was able to ask not only the people but the animals as well. But they had no luck. The only information they managed to find was that there was a woman who looked similar to Mirabel, but her name was different; it was Mariposa.
Suddenly, they heard a bird cry for help. She had an injured wing and couldn't fly.
They learned from her that there is a girl who has basic medical knowledge and could help her.
As they were walking down the streets, going where the bird was leading, people became more and more confused. They were whispering behind their backs. Mostly about Parce. He was an unusual sight, even though jaguars lived in the forest nearby, but the fact that Antonio had a full conversation with a bird was also unusual.
They reached an old fountain, and there was a girl sitting with little kids playing around her.
She was wearing a dark green skirt, an off-white shirt, and a long denim vest. Her hair was so puffy; her pigtails were almost bigger than her whole head each. She was tall and slim, a little younger than the duo, maybe around thirteen. She had brown, almost yellow eyes, and one-one identical birthmarks under each of them.
She was oddly familiar, but they just couldn't tell how. She was just finishing a little boy's scraches when she noticed Antonio and Araya with an injured bird in the boy's arms and a jaguar on his side.
- Uhm... Hola. Soy Leilah, uhm... Mucho gusto? – the girl said with an awkward smile, confused, not taking her eyes off Parce in fear. She had never seen a jaguar this close before.
- Hola. I'm Antonio, and this is Araya. I heard you help the stray animals. – Antonio said, with an awkward smile as well. Araya only wawed at the girl with a creepy smiel, which was her usual smiel.
- Is that jaguar with you? – Leilah asked them, still a bit frithened, but Parce had a different idea. He showed sympathy by rubbing his head against her arms, shocking the girl at first.
- His name is Parce. He's friendly; don't worry. – Araya said, trying to calm the girl down.
After Parce cuddled with her, Leilah wasn't that scared of him anymore. She petted him and looked at the bird.
- Okay! Onto you, dear! – she reached for the bird in Antonio's arms.
- DANGER! DANGER! – the bird started to chant after she was placed in the girl's arms – They'll attack! They'll attack you in November!
- It's okay. I know. – Leilah answered with a calm and still-concerned smile. – Everything will be alright.
- NO! NOTHING WILL! – the bird continued – If you don't leave, they'll kill all of you!
- Darling, you're being overdramatic. – the girl answered, trying to calm the bird down. – We've been through this many times. I know it's bad, but it's not the first time this has happened.
Both Araya and Antonio were staring at the young girl, who just seemed to have a full conversation with an animal. Something only Antonio was supposed to be able to do.
- Antonio, did she...?
- WAIT! YOU UNDERSTOOD WHAT SHE SAID? – Antonio couldn't hold it anymore, cutting Araya's words- And, like, she was just warning you about some kind of danger. Shouldn't you be more concerned? – now Leilah was surprised.
- He? What are you talking about? What kind of danger?– the girl answered with a question, shocked – This is not the first time she hurt her wing; she's always way too dramatic. We'll finish in a few minutes, and she can walk to Senora Rose's house, where she'll be taken care of.
- Oh. So that's what she said... – Antonio said with a weird smile.
- Wait... but no... but maybe... – Leilah was thinking out loud, mumbeling, until she formed the big question.– You can speak to animals?
- Uhm... - Antonio had no words. Did he just expose the magic of the family? This is not good. What if people here hate magic?
- Well.. you see... – Araya tried to save what could be saved, but she was cut off by Leilah.
- Wait. Antonio, was it? – he nodded, still in an awkward manerism – JUST LIKE IN MY BOOK! – Leilah yelled excitedly. – Sorry... Ma made me a book about this family with all kinds of magical abilities when I was young. There was a boy named Antonio who understood what animals said. – Leilah was so excited, she was still close to yelling. – Also, I came from a family of witches, so magic is not that new for me. I mean, in this form, it kind of is. Witchcraft is not like turning someone into a frog or whatever. – she said, already close to finishing the bird's wounds. – I mean, there are unexplainable and obviously magical things, but still. Almost nothing this strong.
- About family! – Araya tried to change the subject, signaling to Antonio to take the lead.
– Yes! Thanks Ara! We came here searching for my primas. One of them ran away around ten years ago, and the other one came here searching for her about a week ago. – Leilah listened while finishing the bird's bandages.
- Not many people appear all of a sudden here. – she said with a calm tone - But at this time of the year, a little bit more do. People visiting family, you know, for Día de los Muertos But if you can describe them, I might help. – Leilah offered, - Though the one who came here ten years ago has been here longer than my family is, if they're still living here,
Antonio took out a picture from his vest. He even forgot it was there. He sneaked it out of Abuela's photo album years ago, when Mirabel went missing. He was kind of ashamed he only now remembered it. It could have made their search easier.
It was a portlet of hers. In that picture, she was around ten. It was old, but more than nothing. This was the first picture of Antonio as well. She was holding him with the same love with which she last held him when he was five.
- Her name is Mirabel. She's the one who went missing ten years ago. – as Antonio took the picture out of his pocket, Leilah's expression changed from excited to terrified.
- Ma... Mama! I can hear mi Mamí calling me! Look, I would looove to help, but maybe next time! Chao Antonio! It was amazing to meet you, Araya! – and with that, Leilah ran with full speed, only taking time to pack her most important belongings and leaving the bird behind too.
As they tried to process what happened, Antonio realized it. This is the reason she was so familiar.
She was the girl from the vision.
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Leilah (For colored images, check out my Instagran, link in bio)
