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achitka · 6 months

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Day 10: Help

So, this is an excerpt from my other story... I, personally, do not think Dolores gets enough love. Her gift is somewhat problematical, and I thought perhaps she would endure her Gift just a little better if she could, in fact, do more with it. Also, HC that all the Madrigals were never using their Gifts to their full potential. So I fixed it with a little help from Mirabel.

Dolores was just about to take a bite of her sandwich when she heard it. A collective of folks were really wound up and the overlap of the voices always meant trouble. She tilted her head and used her Gift to focus on one in particular. Señora Guzmán was shouting to someone. Probably from her veranda since her voice was not bouncing off anything.

(What do you mean missing?)

(Yes, have you seen them? They were supposed to come to my house for lunch today, but they did not come…) that was Alejandra's mother (…when I checked with Juancho and Cecelia's mother's they said they'd not seen them either. We've already checked all the places they normally go, and no one's seen them…)

"Dolores?" Abuela said when she noticed she was sitting frozen with her head tilted, mouth open, holding up her sandwich. Still listening, Dolores held up her other hand and set down the sandwich. She closed her eyes to shut out the sounds around her and let in a few more voices.

(…I saw them down by the school this morning…) Camilo

(When was that?) Alejandra's mother

(Uh…around nine, they were playing on the playground when I came out of the school around eleven thirty…)

(I can help too!) it was Antonio, he whistled, and Dolores winced, there was the sound of many bird wings (Pico, I need you and the rest of the birds to look for my friends…)

There was a squawk and chitter (Yes, those guys. They might be lost in the forest or something and maybe three calls if you see them…) additional squawking (Oh, you're right, okay send the others off, and you can tell Nadia too…)

(Camilo, what's happening?...) Tío Agustín and Mira together.

(Juancho, Alejandra, and Cecelia are missing. No one's seen them since they followed me to the school this morning…) Camilo

(Oh, thank heavens…) Señora Guzmán (Mirabel can you please go and let your Abuela know what's happening, and have her come into town with Mariano?…)

There was a pause then (Okay…) Mira said then another pause (Dolores, I know you're already listening. Can you let Abuela know? And then meet me in my room? There is something there I think you can help me with…)

Dolores opened her eyes and said, "Three children are missing, and they've started a search. Tío Agustín is helping to organize. Your mother," she said to Mariano, "is asking for you and Abuela to come into town."

Nadia, Dolores remembered was the head eagle in Antonio's room. Pico was coming, and she let out a squeak as she hurriedly got up and started for the stairs. Mariano and Abuela were up as well. "I will be right back," she said over her shoulder, "I have to open Antonio's door." She was sprinting now and pushed his door open in time to see Pico making a beeline for it, the bird landed just inside and began squawking furiously. There was an answering cry from the eagles and Pico promptly turned around and took off toward the forest. Six eagles in all swooped past Dolores and then things quieted, though there were more birds leaving her brother's room. Mariano and Abuela were looking at her from the plaza and Dolores said, "Mira asked me to wait here for her, so I will catch up with you both later."

Mariano nodded and headed for the door, Abuela hesitated for just a moment then she too started for the already open door. The door closed and Dolores went to Mira's room and gently knocked before opening it. Dolores came in and moved to the side. Someone else was coming and from the sound of the footsteps it was Luisa. She noted Casita had moved the furniture out to the walls and Mirabel was there just starting to roll up the carpet in her room with her back to her.

There was another knock and the door opened and Luisa stepped inside, "Mira, do you know what's happening? I heard Pico screeching all the way in my room. Is Antonio, okay?"

"Antonio's fine. He's with Camilo in town. Three other kids are missing though, and I came home so I wouldn't distract anyone who is searching." Mirabel sounded irritated as she struggled with the rug.

"Oh, right," Luisa said and took two steps and rolled the carpet in one motion, "Should I go help?"

"Thanks, no not yet I need your help with this," Mirabel said and stood up. She noticed Dolores and smiled. "Hi, Dolores."

Luisa turned and waved, "Sorry, Dol did not see you there."

"That's alright. What did you need me for Mirabel?"

"This," Mirabel said, hands on her hips. She was looking at the floor and for the first time Dolores noticed the small points of light moving around on it.

"Are those…people?"

"I think so," Mirabel said, "Only problem is we don’t know who is who."

"How can I help with that?"

"You know, I'm not sure, but I was thinking of all the times you rooted me out of whatever hiding place I'd picked to hang around in when I was little. I always thought I was being super quiet, but you always found me, no matter how far I went."

Dolores did remember. Mirabel had gained the habit of wandering off when she was sad after her Gift Ceremony. It did not matter who was looking after her, she was just really good at doing what she wanted. Dolores noticed it was Casita that was aiding and abetting her prima. Opening a door or the back gate. Most times she would go out in the woods behind Casita and sit in her favorite tree. She would cry as quietly as she could asking the tree why she wasn't good enough. After the first few months that happened, Abuela had Luisa pull the tree down, so she couldn't do that anymore. Mirabel would just stubbornly find a different spot. Each time Abuela would try to stop her from doing it by ruining whatever Mira built to make it her own.

While Abuela said it was so that Mirabel wouldn't get lost or hurt, Dolores was not so sure. She talked to her mother about it and her mother told her, from then on, to bring Mira back but to bring her to her Mamá instead of Abuela. Once Abuela started hyper focusing on Isabela she stopped caring where Mira was every minute of the day. It was hard to tell if Mira thought this was a good thing or a bad thing because for the most part, she did not interact with the family as much. Stuck at home she took to learning what Casita was saying, and sometimes she would play with Camilo, but eventually Abuela even separated her from him. So, it was just Casita Mira had to talk to.

Dolores remembered how once school started, Mira happy to be out and about, would often stay in town and play, mostly alone, trying her best to be that perfect non-magical Madrigal. It was right about then that Camilo started acting up in school, but it wasn't until later when she heard him talking with his prima on the way home that she realized why. If everyone thought he was in detention, then he could do whatever he wanted to before he would be expected to do chores. Her little brother had found a loophole and Dolores was not about to mess that up.

The door opened again, and Isa came in breathing heavily, "Okay, what…" she stopped and took a deep breath, "what are we doing?"

"You okay, Isa?" Luisa asked.

"Yeah, yeah, just ran all the way here. I'm alright," Isa said sitting on the bed. Dolores noticed Isa's heart was beating very fast. Faster than it should be.

Mirabel looked at her sister and shook her head. She turned back to the floor, eyes flitting about, and she said, "Dolores, do you think you can tell which of these might be Abuela, or Mariano or his mother?"

Dolores was now very curious if she could, in fact, tell where someone was just by listening but not being out in the town. This was something she never really tried to do without having a general idea of where that person was. She focused her hearing on the town and her eyes on the image. She heard Mariano's voice and could almost see his face as she smiled and pointed to a light that was moving through an alley. "That's Mariano."

"You sure?" Mira asked.

"Yes." Dolores said with growing confidence.

"Okay, Casita is there a way to label that light?" Mira asked. The tiles near the window clattered questioningly. "Yeah, words would be too long and hard to read, how about, I don’t know, maybe just his face?" Tiles bumped along with the floorboard and a tiny face appeared. It moved along the alley stopping at the windows and doors depicted.

"My goodness, that is just adorable," Mirabel said with a giggle.

"Mira there are hundreds of people in the Encanto, it will take too long to do this one at a time," Luisa said sitting next to Isa.

"Yeah, I know, but it is kinda cool though."

Out of curiosity, Dolores reached out and touched the light floating around with Mariano and pulled her hand back with a frown and small squeak, "That was odd."

"What was?" Mira asked.

"When I touched that light there," and she pointed, "it was not who I expected." Dolores had assumed it was Abuela or Mariano's mother. Turned out it was neither.

"You can tell who they are by touching them?" Luisa asked.

"Ummm, more like I can hear them," Dolores said, frown deepening.

"But can't you already hear them?" Mira asked.

"Yes, but that's not what I mean. I can only hear them. Everything else went quiet."

"Wow, that is odd," Mirabel said kneeling close to the floor and poking it a few times, "I don’t hear anything."

"So, who was it?" Isa asked from the bed.

"Acacia López," Dolores said flatly and almost felt angry. She knew Mariano was completely devoted to her, but she did not like the thought of that one being with him for any reason. Acacia was quite sure she was the one Mariano wanted to be with and had often said inflammatory and derogatory things to her about Isa's relationship with Mariano. She did not want to know what venom that one was spreading about her, so she made a point of not hearing her.

"That little snake," Isa said and slid off the bed next to her. "I should wrap her in vines and squeeze her 'til her beady eyes pop out."

Dolores suppressed a smile and gave Isa a gentle shove, "I don’t think that would be the best idea Isa."

"Oh, it would at least shut her the-"

"Guys, can we talk about this later?" Luisa said, "We are supposed to be working on finding those kids."

Dolores noticed that Mirabel had moved on to another section of town where no one was supposed to be living yet. There were a bunch of half-finished houses and though there shouldn't be any lights there; Mira said she thought she saw three tiny and very dim lights. It made Dolores wonder if that meant they were hurt.

"Dolores, come and touch these." Mira said waving to her and pointing to one spot in particular.

She did but shook her head. "I don’t hear anything, wait…" she said, brow furrowing. "No, I can hear breathing," she touched another, "All three are but it sounds too slow for little kids."

"I can go," Luisa said.

"Wait, there's one more thing, Dolores, I know this is gonna sound weird but if you can hear Mariano, maybe he can hear you?" Mirabel said, "Try it, and if he can, without freaking out, have him get Mamá and meet Luisa there."

Dolores nodded then tentatively touched the face of her beloved and said, "Mariano, can you hear me?" she took her finger off the face and heard; (Dolores?) "He can," Dolores said excitedly. "Oh," She put her finger back down and said, "Mariano, we think we know where the kids are. But they may be hurt, so you'll need to find Tía Julieta, Luisa's on her way now. From where you are now, go…ten streets west and look in the fifth house on the right." (I understand, mi amor) "He's on his way."

"I'm out," Luisa said and was out the door.

Dolores watched Mirabel as she paced watching the lights on the floor. Dolores had spent a little more time naming some of the lights and Isa was watching the tiny bodyless heads float about occasionally making tiny flowers appear in their hair. Dolores wondered if they flowers appeared in real life or if Isa was just dressing up the faces.

"They're out," Dolores said clapping her hands and smiling. Mirabel sighed and Isa threw some rose petals in the air. Dolores now focused on the three little lights as they moved further down the street. They were swarmed, by others, so she lost track of them. She touched Mariano's face and said, "Thank you, mi vida, is everyone alright?" (The children are with the doctor and your Tía. Once they wake up enough to eat something they should be healed. You will have to tell me how I can hear you when I know you are in Casita. You have learned something new, mi vida, that is so exciting.) And Dolores realized she had, all because her prima thought she could. (Dolores, since lunch was interrupted,) Mariano continued, (can you come for dinner?) "Yes." (Great, I will pick you up when I bring your Abuela home.) Dolores sat back and relayed everything Mariano had told her.

The clock chimed the five o'clock hour and Isa said, "Well guess that meeting's been postponed. Who's hungry."

"You could go start supper," Mirabel said.

"I could, but everyone would be afraid to eat it," Isabela said as she got off the bed.

"Why?"

"Everyone knows I can't cook."

"I will take my chances and I need to talk to Dolores about the thing."

"Okay hermanita, your stomach." Isa said and she was out the door.

"Mira everyone knows she's a disaster in the kitchen," Dolores said after the door had closed.

Mirabel snorted and deadpanned, "She wants everyone to believe she can't cook, but she used to make food for me and Luisa all the time when Mamá was out in town. Now Tío Bruno cannot cook to save his life."

"Mariano is on his way here with Abuela so what do you need to talk to me about?"

"Oh, well it's gonna take some time to explain and we'll need Camilo as well. How 'bout you come back once you're done, and I will explain it to you both then?"

"Alright Mira," she said standing up, "Oh, and thank you for today," she said gesturing to the floor. "I will be home by dark, so I will see you then."

"Great," Mirabel said as she walked with her to the door.

#encanto #mirabel madrigal #dolores madrigal #casita #encanto fanfic #encantober #help #Yes #yes there is a depiction of the Encanto on Mirabel's bedroom floor #I like upgrades

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