Mirabel's Doppelganger

Chapter 1: In the Shadows

The warm afternoon sun sat high in the sky, casting a warm glow on the faces of the townsfolk of Encanto. The streets were filled with the joyous cries of children as they chased each other around, their childlike games making those around them smile as they ran past.

Everyone went about their day in the warm sun. All except my shadow-loving self who lurked in the darkness cast by the casitas around me. It was as if I was invisible to those around me, no one even looked my way. And indeed I was invisible, at least to the majority of the would-be onlookers.

If they looked a little closer they would have seen the outline of my body within the shadows. My projection wasn't complete. I wasn't hiding...well not on purpose anyway.

Looking through the swirling darkness I watched as not even one person bothered to give me a second glance. Sighing quietly, I settled myself down onto the bench beside me. It was really awful how my gift responded to my emotions, it made my powers unpredictable, and I didn't like it.

In response to the flood of emotion that my thoughts brought forth the darkness around me grew darker, blending me further into the shadows. Hiding me completely like a chameleon blending into the background. Once again I closed my eyes as I focused, attempting to make the darkness go away.

With a deep breath, my eyes slowly opened.

Darkness. All I could see was darkness.
My surroundings were still clear as if I was looking through a one-way mirror but it was still there.

In frustration, I let out a growl and the people closest to me looked around. They looked genuinely confused at not seeing anyone there. The looks of confusion quickly dissolved my frustration, which was quickly followed by hurt.

Today is not a good day.

It started when I saw Camilo, and got much worse when my family got an invitation to Antonio Madrigal's gift-giving ceremony.

The invitation grudgingly welcomed my parents and the rest of my family to the celebration by name.

Everyone except me.

It didn't outright bar me from going but definitely implied I wasn't welcome. Not that it was really that surprising but it hurt nonetheless.

So they still had not forgotten, that much was obvious. Had I really expected that they would, even if it had been 12 years?

No.

But still, I had hoped. Twelve years and yet I still avoided them, and a good portion of the townsfolk as well.

"Y/N!"

A voice scared me out of my downward spiral and I jumped. Looking around, my eyes finally landed on the person calling my name.

Just my pesky older brother Angelo.

I rolled my eyes slightly annoyed but mostly thankful he was there to break me out of my thoughts.

Angelo still looked around for me, but my shadows did their job, making it almost impossible for him to have fully seen me.

"I'm right here Angelo" I called, and his eyes landed on the wall behind me pinpointing where my voice came from.

Slowly he walked over, "I'm assuming you're sitting on the bench right here, so I'm gonna sit on this side." He said gesturing to the side I was sitting on.

"Don't sit on me you oaf, try the other side!"

He rolled his eyes before taking a seat beside me muttering "How am I supposed to know that. I can't see you!"

People around us gave him weird looks, and I can imagine it looked like he was talking to thin air, but they stopped when they realized the air was talking back.

Being in Angelo's presence calmed me enough that my shadows thinned, and he hummed in concern as he glimpsed my disheveled appearance behind the swirling darkness.

He didn't say anything but threw searching looks in my direction. I was grateful for his silence, it helped more than anything he could have ever said, and I think he knew that. We stayed that way for a while until I was finally able to get a grip on my power and push away the tendrils completely.

"Viejita?"

I looked over at Angelo, smiling slightly at his use of my family's pet name for me. They affectionately referred to me as their little old woman, as they had since the night my life changed so long ago.

I raised my eyebrow urging him to continue. He ran his hand through his curly hair and looked at me carefully.

"Do you want to go to Antonio's ceremony tomorrow? I know the invitation wasn't particularly welcoming but..."

He sighed before continuing, "Well, it's been a long time. They won't kick you out if you do go. They can't...and don't you want to see Antonio get his gift?"

I glanced over at him, studying his face carefully.

"You just want me to go because Isabela will be there, and you won't go if I don't."

He wrung his hands in guilt, looking at me apologetically, and started to open his mouth to speak before I interrupted.

"Don't. I really appreciate that you won't go if I don't but seriously you should go. Maybe Isabela will stop mooning over Mariano long enough to give you the time of day!"

I saw his face fall before I finished speaking and I instantly regretted what I had said, immediately mumbling an apology.

There was a moment of silence before he replied softly "If nothing else you should go for Mirabel, she has been there for you all this time regardless of her family's opinion of you. And she would want you to be there."

I looked up and met his eyes still feeling guilty that I took my pain out on him.

Meeting my eyes and then breaking eye contact to look at the ground he whispered.

"And you would get to see Camilo if you go."

His smile was gentle, in direct contrast to how I treated his crush on Isabela, and a shard of glass dug itself into my heart. Always he had been there for me, through my angry outbursts and quiet pain, he was always there.

"Okay."

Taking a deep breath I repeated myself.

"I'll go. But only for you."

He smiled eyes twinkling as he raised an eyebrow.

" Y/n we both know it's Camilo your going to this for."

I grumbled but didn't deny it...so maybe I might have had some ulterior motives.

"I'm going aren't I?" I quipped

He held up his hands in surrender.

"Hey, I'll take it."

I glared at him playfully "If you say too much more I might change my mind!"

He chuckled and waved his hands in a placating motion "Say no more,"

As he walked away he looked back at me throwing worried glances in my direction. Though we had been joking around with each other, he still seemed to know I wasn't completely alright.

He knew me all too well. But my conversation with him at least helped brighten my mood. Even if I was terrified about how the next night would go.

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Hi guys,

One major thing in the storyline that has changed is that everything is happening two years after it did in the movie. However, Antonio is still 5, so there is a larger age gap between him and the rest. This means, Antonio is 5, Camilo is 17 and you are 16!

With that out of the way enjoy!