Work Text:
Bruno was walking back to Casita after delivering a vision to some sheep farmers about some adorable baby lambs they were about to deliver into the world, who would all be black with very good wool. He was rounding a corner when he heard a familiar voice inside one of the older sheep barns crying. Alarmed, Bruno sprinted inside and gasped as he discovered a manure-soaked Mirabel on the ground. She was crying with her hair badly sheered off and sporting a cut near the corner of her eye. Bruno’s Tío instincts kicked in as he rushed over to his sobbing niece, wrapped her in his ruana, and hugged her to his side.
“Mirabel! Mariposita, ¡¿qué sucedió?!”
Mirabel sniffled and sobbed into Bruno’s shoulder.
“M-Maria Gòmez, a girl I went to school with. Sh-she tackled me a-and cut my hair off with wool sheers. I w-was about to walk home a-and try to clean myself up-“
“Why didn’t you call for help!?” Bruno cried. “I would have been there for you! You know that!”
Mirabel looked ashamed, still teary-eyed.
“I was embarrassed a-and I didn’t want to cause a scene. Besides, she did this to me as a kid too, b-but no one ever believed me. I didn’t want to be accused of something like that all over again.”
Bruno had to push down his fury and sadness in the name of giving Mirabel the care she needed.
“Well, I believe you.” Bruno smiled before replacing it with determination, “I’ll make sure this never happens again mi mariposita. Come on, let’s get you home.”
Bruno picked Mirabel up in a princess carry and started running back home. He was already plotting against the bully in his head and swore to himself that history was not gonna repeat itself.
💚⏳⌛️💚
It may not come as a surprise that Julieta wound up trying to feed Mirabel ten arepas while the rest of the family fussed and speculated how this happened.
“Who could do this to her?!” Agustín cried.
“I bet it was Manuel!” Pepa thundered, “He always had it out for our family!”
“Maybe it was Chepe.” Félix guessed.
“After what Bruno did to him?!” Agustín pointed out, “I doubt he would lay so much as a glance on Mirabel!”
Alma hadn’t drowned in guilt this much since the day Bruno returned. She hadn’t noticed her nieta was having problems like this. Once again, she had failed to protect her family in a way that truly mattered.
How long had this been going on? Why hadn’t she noticed that Mirabel was being bullied? Did Mirabel seek attention or was she telling the truth this whole time? How long have these bullies taken advantage of her not believing Mirabel?
Well, it will certainly be the last time. That much she was sure of. She resolved to repair the damage she had done as soon as she apologized to Mirabel for what felt like the millionth time.
Meanwhile, Bruno was itching to get to his vision cave to scry for ways to rectify this mess in his way.
He first started by reviewing his mental profile of this Maria girl.
Maria Gómez… Ciervita… 17 years old… Farming hand… Has a younger brother named Reece… Six visions of her… Two with her being the main subject… Never had a vision with her… Enemy…
Once that was done, he snuck away in that chaos of the family fussing over Mirabel and rushed into his room en route to his vision cave.
💚⏳⌛️💚
Finally, Bruno was able to make it to the quiet of his vision cave. He couldn’t help rubbing his hands together in anticipation. He hadn’t done anything like this in a while, and he was especially eager to get started because this time, his best friend was here to offer his advice.
“You look like you’re plotting another prank, Uno.” The ghost grinned, “Who invoked your wrath this time?”
“A snooty little brat named Maria Gòmez who thought it would be a good idea to cut Mirabel’s hair off with wool shears.” Bruno snarled, “I’m gonna teach her a lesson, but first I’m gonna check the future to find the best way to do it.”
“She did what!? Unacceptable! I’ll help you out! No way is this kid getting away with it. I’ll find out if she’s really gonna learn her lesson. ”
“Thanks, Nando.”
Hernando smiled before phasing through the door to his basement to do what he needed to do. The ghostly seer eventually returned and added a turquoise vision tablet to the set of green ones Bruno had just finished creating. Bruno looked at the image before his eyes widened.
“Wait, that’s really what you Saw?”
“ Sí.” Hernando nodded as he picked up one of Bruno’s tablets, “If you follow this path, then my outcome is the most likely to occur. I was almost confused at first but… It’s definitely the most suitable outcome.”
Well, that last part that Hernando provided was a bit unexpected, but events of the future usually are if you’re not a seer.
Now that the visions were over, Bruno knew exactly what to do.
Looks like it was time to talk to his favorite chameleon.
💛💚⏳🦎💛💚
“Sobrino? Are you interested in ratting out the bully who cut Mirabel’s hair off?”
“Heck yeah, I am! In fact, I know a few guys who would be willing to help.”
“Fantástico. So here’s what I’m thinking….”
💛🦎💚⏳⌛️💚🦎💛
The stage was all set. Bruno had been setting up all night and giving Camilo and his friends their instructions all morning. Now the only thing left to do was to take their places and wait for the curtain to rise on the scene.
Maria was having a seemingly normal day. She had gone to deliver a few bags of groceries around town and was enjoying her lunch break. She was walking down a wide, vacant street with no idea of what was about to happen.
The scene began when Maria stopped to admire some flowers that were growing in a street side pot next to a wagon that, unbeknownst to her, was about to start rolling. That’s when it happened.
If one were close enough, or if you were Dolores, one would be able to hear a scream in the distance that sounded like this:
“MY DREEEEEEEEEEEESS!!!!!”
That was the sound of Maria screaming because her skirt had gotten caught on the wheel of the moving wagon and was unceremoniously ripped off which exposed her bloomers. Maria let out another indignant shriek and looked around wildly, trying to figure out where the wagon that held her skirt went when she spotted a certain girl in a teal skirt and glasses. Maria’s eyes widened when she noticed Mirabel looking straight at her with a flabbergasted face.
“Oh my goodness I am SO sorry! Are you ok?” Mirabel fretted.
Maria, ashamed of her nudity, attempted to run away to save face. But, she tripped on the cane of what from the corner of her eye appeared to belong to a hooded old man. Maria was sent careening straight into a low-set wagon… filled with fresh, smelly, steaming-hot manure. The old man spoke and seemed absolutely beside himself with guilt at what had happened.
“Goodness me, are you hurt?” The old man cried, “That was a nasty fall!”
The old man put his hand out, but Maria was so livid she shoved the man away. She wiggled her way out of the manure wagon and stalked toward the girl she ran away from. Her eyes were the very definition of absolute fury.
The choice she made next was the moment that everything changed. Maria could have gone home and just assumed everything had been a freak accident. However, Maria was too enraged and embarrassed to keep up her usual public act of a perfectly polite girl. She wanted someone to unleash her venom and rage on. So, she made the crucial mistake of going off on the Madrigal.
“YOU DID THIS!”
“Did what?”
“Don’t play dumb! You hooked my shirt on a moving wagon wheel just because you got mad that I trimmed your hair!”
Maria didn’t notice the man whose cane she had tripped on creeping closer, but she couldn’t have cared less. The Madrigal girl looked shocked and hurt at the accusation Maria was tossing at her.
“I would never do that!” Mirabel insisted.
Maria gave a dark chuckle, having just gotten a cruel idea she could use to get revenge.
“Well, which one of us is more likely to be believed!?” Maria grinned, “I was always more popular than you! It’s my word against yours, you giftless waste of space!”
Maria scooped up some of the manure coating her and reeled her arm back, tossing it straight at Mirabel’s face. However, the manure suddenly glowed an emerald green and was frozen in time. It was floating just inches from the young Madrigal’s face.
“H-huh?”
Shocked, Maria looked around for a potential cause of this and finally noticed the old man. Only it wasn’t an old man. It was Bruno Madrigal who had just pulled back his ruana and was holding his glowing green hand out. He was clearly the one who stopped the manure. Bruno then spoke to Maria, finally using his own voice instead of the false voice he had been using.
“Actually, it's YOUR word against yours.”
Bruno then reversed the flow of time on the suspended manure, which flung it right back in Maria’s face. Maria started spluttering and spouting foul language at both the seer and Mirabel…
But, then she wiped her eyes off before realizing she and the two Madrigals weren’t alone.
As was planned, Camilo’s buddies had been hiding in strategic locations Bruno had set up for them last night. All so they could get a full view of everything that was set to go down. Now that Maria had publicly revealed the ugliness in her heart, they had all the evidence they needed to shatter the lie that was Maria’s good standing around town. And who better to break the news to Maria than Julio?
Not only was Julio indebted to Bruno because the good clairvoyant had saved Julio’s life, but he and Camilo were very close friends. The cherry on top was that Maria had a huge crush on Julio, and Julio knew it. But after this? Julio had completely lost any interest and respect he had for her. The boy was completely disgusted as he glared at Maria.
“Maria, I thought you were a nice girl who didn’t let other people bother you.” he deadpanned, “But, you have just proven yourself to be nothing but a bitter, distasteful shrew!”
“B-but it was MIRABEL who started this-“
“Mirabel?”
Camilo chose that moment to change back into himself, shocking Maria.
“Mirabel was never here.” Camilo growled, “Though I heard and saw everything you were willing to do to my prima when you thought no one was looking. Including admitting to the hair-cutting which all of my friends here also witnessed. Not to mention my Tío Bruno here, who is very protective of Mirabel.”
Bruno was glaring daggers at the girl with his rage punctuated by the dark emerald glow in his eyes.
“You're lucky Mirabel would never let me make a bird bath out of you!”
Maria’s attention was brought back to Julio, who had stepped forward with a completely indifferent look on his face.
“Maria, you should know that Bruno has saved my life from me trying to pull a stupid stunt and Camilo is one of my best friends. And yet you hurt someone they both care about. I would never be associated with someone who would be that vile.”
Julio’s blank look then somehow got even more indifferent.
“I feel nothing for you but disgust. My friends and I will tell everyone what you have done and said here and that you are rejected by the Madrigals. I will never speak to you again Maria. We’re through.”
Julio then started walking away without looking back, completely ignoring all of Maria’s heartbroken pleas to wait and let her explain. It was then that Bruno walked up to Maria with his eyes glowing and started to speak.
“Maria, your reputation in Encanto will be destroyed by the end of the day, and all of your friends will reject you. Your family and former teachers will say you disgraced them and your house. Your old life is well and truly over.”
Maria had finally realized the full weight of what was happening and had fallen to her knees. The seer was right. This was the ultimate screwup and now everyone knew she was nothing, but a rotten bully. Her reputation had gone up in flames, never to rise again. The girl started crying, thinking that she would never find true happiness.
Lucky for Maria, Bruno had enough compassion in his heart that he and Hernando had scryed up a solution. The only solution she had left.
“…The only chance you will ever have to find any new friends… And yes you do still have a chance… Will be to leave the Encanto. No one here will ever look at you otherwise. But, if you’re truly interested in changing your ways, there’s a nice convent in Venezuela you could venture to. Give your ruined life over to God. That would give you a chance to at least find happiness.”
Maria, feeling miserable, scared, and hopeless, sniffled and looked up at Bruno with red-rimmed eyes.
“B-but... I don't want to leave…”
Bruno shrugged.
“What would be worse though? Leaving, or never feeling like you have a place you belong to, a place that doesn’t scorn you for your past mistakes? The Encanto will never accept you as you are again. But, out there, some people have never even heard your name. You could start over and become someone new. The outside is your only chance to find new acceptance.”
“B-but… Venezuela? A convent? I will never wed if I follow that path.”
Bruno gave her a small, bittersweet smile.
“I know nuns can’t marry. But there are worse lives to live than having fifty-seven sisters to call your friends and spending your days praying. Not to mention helping those in need to find peace.”
Maria sniffled and stood up. But that’s when they all heard another sniffle and realized that the real Mirabel had found them.
“M-Maria's leaving? B-because of me?”
Mirabel teared up at once and looked ready to run away. Bruno ran over to Mirabel and tried to reassure her.
“No, no Mariposita. She is leaving because of her own actions and wrongdoings. It’s not your fault.”
Mirabel just continued to cry.
“Yes, it is! If I just had a Gift, Maria wouldn't have to leave everything she knows!”
The seer shook his head.
“You having a gift never gave her the right to hurt you. Besides, it will be good for Maria to see the world and find maturity. And maybe one day…”
Bruno then sneakily showed Mirabel an emerald green vision tablet of a slightly older Maria in a nun’s habit visiting Encanto during a convent mission trip. Maria looks happy with all of her sisters.
“She will prove herself worthy of her family’s pride again.”
Mirabel, however, just sobbed and ran away. Bruno sighed and turned back to Maria, putting away the tablet.
“Remember this… Mirabel has a big heart and a huge capacity to forgive. If you do as I suggested, you can earn her forgiveness.. and mine.”
Bruno points up to one of the more easily climbable mountains instead of the big crack opening up into the valley.
“I recommend going over that mountain and heading west. You’ll eventually reach a road to follow. Normally I’d say to go through the crack in the mountains. But, this other route will let you avoid the river which will flood tomorrow. Encanto won’t be affected, but anyone traveling through it will be swept away.”
Maria couldn’t help but watch Mirabel run away.
“Sh-she wants me to stay... After everything I did to her…”
“That’s because Mirabel is incredibly empathetic and kind, in a way you never showed her back. But, she struggles with self-blame.”
Maria then seemed to make a decision and chased after Mirabel before Bruno could stop her. Camilo watched Maria run away, confused about why Bruno wasn't stopping her.
“Is that a good idea? The news has already spread halfway around town by now.”
“I know. Maria will become the victim she turned Mirabel into if she doesn’t leave soon. But…. Mirabel deserves an apology first. Besides, it's time this town learned that people can redeem themselves. That, and it's never right to kick them when they already learned their lesson.”
“I saw that tablet of yours. Maria will really be happy at that convent?”
Bruno smiles and pulls out another tablet, the turquoise light shining from it reflecting the hope in Bruno’s eyes.
“More than she ever would be here. Besides…” The seer smirks then lets Camilo see the contents of the tablet.
“… Maybe one day an experienced nun will come and found a new convent here in Encanto. After all, this place can always use a little more faith.”
💚⏳⌛️💚
Mirabel was sobbing under a tree when Maria finally found her.
“Mirabel?” Mirabel sniffed and looked up at Maria miserably.
“I’m sorry Maria. Because of me, you have to leave your home.”
In a rare moment of maturity, Maria decided to reassure Mirabel.
“No Mirabel, it’s because of what I did to you, not because you exist. It was my own choices that led to Bruno predicting that my only path now was to go away. You just happened to be there. It could have been anyone but you. The truth is… I felt a lot like you.”
“What?”
“I always struggled with a feeling of inadequacy, and I stupidly thought making others look less adequate than me would make me look better in comparison. I saw you, realized you were already struggling to look as good as the rest of your already prominent family, and saw a chance to look better than a member of the most influential family in the whole village. I was thinking of the status boost instead of how we actually had similar problems. I know this will never make up for everything I’ve done to you in the past but… I’m sorry. I don’t know if I’ll ever get the chance to prove that to you. But, I can tell you that whatever happens to me, I’ll try to be the person people thought I was.”
Maria chuckled.
“You were always better than me at truly being yourself instead of being what you thought would make yourself look good. It’s about time I took a page out of that book.”
Mirabel stood up so she and Maria were looking at each other from equal heights.
“I… I hope that you find happiness out there Maria. I really do.”
“And I hope that you find happiness too, despite our past. Keep being yourself Mirabel and I’ll go find myself too.”
Maria was about to walk away when she turned back to ask one last question.
“Do you think, one day, if I ever see you again…. We could be friends?”
Mirabel gave her a teary smile.
“My Tío may be the seer, but I think we’ve got a pretty good chance.”
Maria went home, rinsed herself off with several buckets of water from the old well, and went inside to take a proper shower and pack for her trip. She said goodbye to her parents the night before, stating that she was leaving at first light. Her father let her take a donkey and her mother gave her water and food. Though they did say everything Bruno had predicted. Maria never said goodbye to her now former friends. Her little brother said they had all told him earlier that they had no interest in Maria anymore.
Just before sunrise Maria left her parent’s house for the last time and went to confession with the priest who prayed she would be safe on her travels. Maria took the route over the mountain Bruno had said to climb, finding her donkey could make it over just fine.
Maria did not look back, but at the top of the mountain, she cut off all her hair and buried it there in an arepa wrapper. Along with the scissors she had used to cut Mirabel’s hair all those years ago.
From that day on, Maria would never cut her hair again.
💚⏳⌛️💚
Maria did indeed find the Venezuelan convent Bruno had directed her towards and she eventually took her vows to become a nun. The fifty-seven other nuns there welcomed her with open arms and understanding hearts. She wound up volunteering at an orphanage nearby in her spare time, helping to raise several children and telling them all her story.
When La Violencia ended in 1958, several of her fellow sisters expressed the desire to go on a mission trip to help rebuild and assist people whose homes and families were torn apart by the war. Maria joined them, suggesting a travel route that included the path she took to leave Encanto behind all those years ago. She told them she believed the people there would be glad to give the other nuns supplies to help them.
When she arrived she saw that Encanto had only grown and Mirabel was happy. Maria had tea with Mirabel and a few others. The two made up and became friends. They would continue to exchange letters for many years to come and Maria helped Mirabel direct anyone from Encanto who wished to undergo the sacrament of holy orders to her first convent for quite a while.
Maria’s mission group had picked up a few refugees on their way to Encanto all those years ago with Maria saying she knew a place where they would be safe. One of these refugees included a young woman who would one day become Reece’s wife. The couple would eventually adopt a little boy Maria had raised in the orphanage, who would legally become Reece’s son. Maria also made up with her parents who were proud of how she’d changed. Maria was even invited back to Encanto for her brother’s wedding and her nephew’s first holy communion.
When Maria was around 60 years of age, she decided to move back to Encanto. Here, Maria lived out her years to the ripe old age of 104 in a convent that Maria herself had founded. She got to watch her four grandnieces grow up. One of them even followed in her great aunt Maria’s footsteps and joined the Encanto convent herself.
Every year for Christmas, Maria sent a package of Venezuelan chocolate to the seer who had finally helped her to see the light and cast her into a new scene in the play that was her life.