42. The Final Ceremony

I figured out why I was out of sorts and unsatisfied with what I had been writing. I've been reading too much Angst and that bled into the chapters I was working on. I had forgotten this was supposed to be a nice family story, not something that continually breaks your heart lol so I'm back on track, but now completely rewriting stuff and it SUCKS!

Anyways, enjoy!

~Star

Antonio Madrigal picked at the lines in the hardwood flooring. He was already dressed for the occasion, but he was so nervous and scared, he didn't know what to do with himself. All he could think to do was hide under his bed. He knew his family was looking for him, but he didn't want to move.

He curled in on himself, trying to get smaller, when the door to the nursery opened. He watched as familiar pink shoes walked towards his bed before sitting on it.

"Everyone's looking for you." Mirabel said in a sing-song voice. He didn't move. A box was slowly dangled from the opening.

"This present will self-destruct if you don't take it in 3….2…1." The last number was drawn out, and he quickly reached out to snag it from its holder. "Oh." He heard an amused huff, and suddenly there were two people under his bed.

"Nervous?"

Antonio hesitantly nodded.

"You have nothing to worry about." Mirabel comforted. She sounded so sure, he wanted to believe her. "You're going to get your amazing gift that's just for you, open your door to your awesome room, and it's going to be wonderful."

Antonio picked at the box, unable to shake the feeling that something was going to happen. It hadn't left him since he woke up. Turning to his prima, he whispered, "What if it doesn't work?"

Mirabel's eyes fluttered in shock. "Oh, Toñito. That would never happen." When he didn't seem to believe her, she thought for a moment. "Well, if that impossible scenario were to happen, you'd still be a Madrigal and we'd still love you. Just like Tío Hernando, and Casita will make sure you get your own room." She tapped his nose. "With or without a gift, you're still special. Just like all of us." She smiled when Antonio giggled. Walking her fingers across the floor, she pulled the gift box closer to him and gestured to it with her lips.

Equal parts curious and excited, Antonio opened the box and gasped. Slowly, he pulled out the stuffed jaguar doll.

"I know you're an animal guy," Mirabel began with a soft smile, "and I made this so that when you get your new room, you'll have something to snuggle with."

Grinning, Antonio leaned into her. "Gracias."

"De nada." Mirabel said as she pulled him into a hug. They both giggled when Casita walked a clock their way. "Yes, yes, we know." She turned to her primo. "Okay, hombrecito, you ready?"

Antonio nodded. They both made to get out, before Mirabel pulled him into another hug.

"Lo siento, I just need one more squeeze." Mirabel grinned as Antonio giggled. They both huffed when Casita began to bounce them. "Alright, alright, we're going!" Mirabel laughed as they were rolled out from under his bed.

The primos made their way back to their family hand-in-hand. By then, it was already evening. Pepa sighed with relief as she saw them.

"There you are, Toñito!" She said as she brought her youngest into a hug, casting Mirabel a grateful smile before the teen left. She set him down and took a good look at him. "Ay, look at you, all grown up."

Félix chuckled as he rubbed Pepa's back. "Pepi, amor, you'll get him wet."

She took a deep breath, taking a step back.

"It's okay, Mamí." Antonio said. "I don't mind a little rain. It's just water."

"Oh, don't tempt me." Pepa cooed. "Pero tonight, you must look your best."

"¡Sí!" Camilo exclaimed before turning into a smaller version of their papá. Taking Antonio by the shoulders, he shook him gently. "You are making your papá proud!" He exclaimed in a mockery of Félix's voice, causing his hermano to laugh.

"I don't sound like that." Félix protested, and only shook his head in exasperation when his hijo mocked him. 'This chico.'

Dolores tilted her head to the side as she heard Alma speak to her. Glancing back to her family, she smiled. "Abuelita says it's time."

"We'll be right at your door." Pepa assures, caressing Antonio's cheek.

"Okay, vamos, vamos, vamos!" Félix called, gesturing for his family to follow.

Camilo, still shifted as his papá, copied him, only for Félix to grab him. "Alright, sí, I'm done!"

Antonio laughed at his hermano, then took a deep breath. He could do this. Turning to the entrance of the inner courtyard, he waited a moment before looking up. He saw his abuela and prima standing by his door. He saw as they waved him over.

Walking to the stairs, Antonio looked around. He was surrounded by his familia and amigos, and it helped ease his nerves. 'At least the whole town isn't here.' The thought was comforting.

Reaching the stairs, he smiled at his familia. Isabela, the oldest of his primas, winked at him. She was dressed in a colorful array of blue, yellow, and red, with a splash of green at the bottom. In her hair was a pink succulent, her latest fixation. Like her dress, her hair was dyed by the pollen balls she created. This evening she had red and yellow streaks in his honor. Dolores wore a pale orange dress tonight, complimenting her skin tone and bringing out the amber of her eyes. Hair in her usual updo and bow, she smiled proudly at him as he beamed at her. Luisa nodded at him, her smile reassuring. Julieta's second hija was as beautiful as she was strong. Because of the occasion, she had decided to let her long hair down, the wavy locks reaching her shoulder blades with a blue rose tucked behind her ear. She was dressed in a pale blue dress with royal blue accents. Next to her stood her parents, Tía Julieta dressed in a baby blue dress, her curly hair down for the occasion. His Tío Agustín wore a matching vest and slacks. His hermano Camilo had his best yellow ruana over a tan shirt and brown slacks, his curls left free and wild, yet somehow tamed for the occasion. His hazel eyes and smile were encouraging as he gave him a thumbs up. Next to him stood his Tío Bruno and Tía Marlena. Tío Bruno had traded in his favorite green ruana for a deep emerald one that brought out his eyes, his dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. Next to him, Tía Marlena had her hair down, the pale blonde strands reaching her waist. She wore a faded forest green dress with gold accents. Both of them smiled warmly at him. The second set of triplets in the family stood around their parents. Diego was the tallest, taking after his madre's side of the family as he stood at six-foot even at fourteen. His bicolored curly hair was an artistic mess, his slate grey eyes warm as he gazed at his youngest primo. He wore a fade greed ruana like his padre. Antonio couldn't help but feel his nerves decrease, his primo's smile widening. Rico's strawberry blonde hair was pulled back into a low ponytail like his papá's. His shirt was a forest green with gold accents, his slacks brown. His green eyes were full of happiness as he winked at him. Ofelia was in a dress like her mamá, her long dark curls loose and reaching her waist. The dress was a pale green color, somehow complimenting her amber eyes. They were full of excitement as they gazed at him. Next to her stood Tío Hernando, the boisterous man dressed in a faded purple shirt and brown dress slacks. His blonde hair was slicked back and his grey eyes were alight with energy as he shook his fist at Antonio in his side stood his final prima, Milagros. The teen's hair was short, kept at her shoulders. She was dressed in a violet dress with green accents, her pale blue eyes fond as they watched him.

Behind her stood la familia Flores and la familia Diminuto, along with his amigos from school. They were all smiling at him, and Antonio felt even more calm.

'I can do this.' He thought as he began to trek up the stairs. Once there, he met the proud gazes of his parents and beamed at them before he turned to his abuela and prima.

Mirabel had managed to change just before the ceremony, wearing a teal dress with gold accents. It held her touch, with embroidered butterflies and all of their symbols stitched into it. Her short curly hair was left down, a few inches shy of her shoulders. Her brown eyes were filled with happiness for him.

Just behind her and to the side stood his abuela. Her hair was more salt than pepper, her face aged with time and a lifetime of smiles. Her brown eyes were kind and full of love as they gazed at him. In her hands was the candle, their Miracle.

"Ay, how time has flown." Alma said wistfully. "It feels like it was yesterday when you came into this world, and now you're getting your gift." She felt her eyes tear up and rapidly blinked them away, but she couldn't help herself. Her family was finally complete, even fuller than before. "Today is a very special day, for it is the day you get your gift, and it is the day Mirabel gives her first gift." With that, she handed the candle to her nieta.

Mirabel took the candle with sweaty hands, heart pounding in her chest. She felt the warmth next to her heart flare up pleasantly as she lowered the candle to her primo. 'Okay, just like Abuelita showed you. You can do this!' Giving Antonio a large, if a bit nervous grin, she gestured to the candle. "Okay, hombrecito, place both hands on it. Bueno. Okay, so, do you promise to love and protect your family, yourself, and your community?" At Antonio's nod, Mirabel let out a soft breath as she felt the bond forming. She nodded towards his door. "Go ahead, primo."

Taking a deep breath, Antonio slowly reached for the door knob, his little fingers wrapping around it. Then he stared in wonder as puffs and sparks of magic flew from it as an older version of him carved itself into the door. It showed an older Antonio, his eyes closed with a smile on his face. He was dressed in a guayabera and slacks. He had an arm stretched out with a toucan on it, other animals surrounding him in the background. He barely had any time to take it in before a toucan landed on his outstretched arm.

"Hey tiny human." The toucan chirped. "Can you understand me?"

Antonio nodded excitedly. "Uh-huh, uh-huh. I can understand you."

"Many of us have heard your call. Can they come join you in your nest?" The toucan asked.

"Of course they can come!" Antonio cheered. He followed the gaze of the toucan as it cawed loudly.

"Everyone, come on in! The tiny human has allowed us entry!"

At that, many animals flooded Casita from the surrounding jungle, causing the family and friends to exclaim in wonder.

"I guess we don't need to ask what your gift is, do we?" Mirabel teased Antonio, who merely giggled in excitement. "Looks like they're trying to get into your room, hombrecito, why don't you let them in?"

Shaking with excitement, Antonio grabbed the door knob again before opening the door. He ran in, along with the animals, and stared in wonder. "Whoa!" He suddenly shrieked as something bumped him up from behind, and suddenly he was on the back of a jaguar.

"Hold on, human cub!" The jaguar called, before taking the niño on a wild tour of his room.

Hernando couldn't help but shake his head in awe, a sad smile on his face. "Such an amazing room. Bertito would have loved this."

"He definitely would have been jealous." Marlena agreed as they watched Antonio get catapulted from the jaguar, only to fall onto a hammock and bounce harmlessly. "I am not, however, jealous of Pepa." She chuckled as the redhead nervously called for her youngest to be careful, snow falling from her cloud.

Hernando threw his head back and laughed. "Thank goodness Mili's Gift is teleportation. I would have had a heart attack!"

Alma watched from the doorway as her family and her nieto's amigos explored the jungle room. She placed a hand over her heart, feeling the complete bonds of her familia. She did not stop the few tears that formed from falling, smiling gratefully as her entire family enjoyed this time together. And when it came time to take a picture, one of Bruno's rats manning the camera, the whole family was in it—no one missing.

They were whole.

"La Familia Madrigal!" They cheered as one.

'As we should have always been.' The thought left behind a bittersweet feeling. A hand squeezed her shoulder, and she looked up into the kind eyes of her nieto,

"It's okay, Abuelita." Diego said, lowering the guilt she felt. Even after all these years, she would not let go of the guilt. He was no longer subtle in his desire to help her, and she didn't tell him to stop, so he didn't.

"I know, mijo." Alma patted his hand, turning back to watching the family. "Everything is finally okay."

Having been looking for his eldest, Bruno had been near enough to hear his madre's words, and saw grey.

Bruno had his hood up, channeling 'Hernando' as he used the spackle 'Jorgé' had made. Even as he listened to the celebration of his familia as they were blessed with another Gift, he felt nothing but despair as he watched more and more cracks form.

'Will we ever be okay?' Bruno thought despondently. He hung his head. 'Lo siento, I don't know what else to do. I…'

Blinking rapidly, Bruno came back to the present, finding his madre and eldest looking at him.

"Papí, what's wrong?" Diego asked, sensing his padre's sudden shift in emotion. From elation to despair, it was giving the teen emotional whiplash. He, along with the rest of their family, knew about the Faded visions that plagued their papá. Unlike their madre, however, they were never told the contents of them. Instead, they tried to help him deal with the aftermath the best they could. Lately, they had been really bad, leaving him depressed. It worried them greatly.

"Ah, nada." Bruno forced a smile, knowing his hijo saw right through it. He saw the worry mirrored on his mamá's face, and tired harder. "Everything's fine. Lo prometo, everything is fine."

That night, when everyone had fallen asleep after the celebration, Alma dreamt of shifting emerald and pale yellow sands taking vague forms.

In the middle of the night, Bruno awoke with a scream. He shook in Marlena's arms, clutching to her tightly as he swore he felt something move where his gift rested near his heart.

Hehe.

I know this is basically a retelling of the beginning of the movie, but I wanted to highlight the subtle differences and WHY they are so big when you take everything into consideration.

I hope you enjoyed it.

After this, it's Post-Canon and into the unknown!

Until next time, ¡adiós!

~Star