Chapter 3: White Lie x Gift x Unexpected
"Where have you been all these years? What happened to you?" Julio's mother, Josefina, asked while they sipped a cup of tea at the Madrigal's home. Julio had used his super-thinking to come up with the best possible explanation, which honestly wasn't much of a lie, just an exaggeration of the truth. It was quite simple yet to the point.
"Well, I decided to go to the forest to think alone about some stuff and... I disappeared. I got whisked away to an expanse of infinite black." Julio said truthfully. After all, it was what had happened to the Julio Acosta of this world. Some might say that if he was lying someone like Dolores would be easily be able to tell, hearing his heartbeat, but Julio could accelerate it to the point were her human ear wouldn't be able to pick up any sound whatsoever. And knowing Dolores, she wouldn't bring it up unless someone asked her about it.
"I spent a long time there, in a state of... drowsiness. I could tell that time was passing and that I was changing, but I couldn't move. Then I saw a bright orangey light enter me, and I woke up in the forest, where I had disappeared before. And as you saw, I was super fast." Julio said as he explained his Speed Force in a way that the Madrigals would certainly mistake it for another miracle of sorts. Though a lot weirder than theirs.
Julio could see the gears turning in Alma's head on how to tie him to their family, but he wouldn't allow her to do so. Not unless he fell in love with some of them, and both Isabella and Luisa were out of the question since he wasn't attracted to them, while Mirabel was too young. That only left Dolores, but he didn't really know her that well and, besides, she was in love with Mariano. So, quickly changing the topic of the conversation, he asked something he thought was really important.
"So... is anyone going to tell me what is going on?" Julio asked while looking at the Madrigals, since they were the ones to surely know what was going on. Though the answer infuriated him.
"It is Bruno's fault..." Alma said, not really surprising Julio since she was selfish enough to banish her own son. "One of his predictions showed Encanto getting attacked by hordes of creatures, monsters of legend and tales, creatures unheard of..."
"*sigh*... I am going to help you deal with whatever is to come..." Julio began saying with a sigh, and amicably, but then his tone changed to a more somber and serious one. "... but blame this on Bruno again and I will make sure you realize how wrong you are. Bruno could see the future, Alma Madrigal. He couldn't forge it however he pleased. So instead of blaming an innocent person for telling you what IS going to happen, you should thank him for giving you time to prepare. Something I can clearly see you didn't do."
The Madrigals and Julio's own mother looked at him with their eyes wide open, surprised at the gall he had to talk to Alma Madrigal herself like that. But the more they thought about it, the more his words made sense. And then guilt set in. Julio then began talking once again, showing them how "wise beyond his years" he was. Of course, that was nothing but his knowledge from his previous life.
"I know what is happening to your miracle, Alma. And I know you won't like what I have to say, but I have to say it anyways." Julio ominously said, surprising every Madrigal present. Mirabel in particular looked at him with extreme seriousness, since she had witnessed the cracks appearing in casita around the candle.
"The miracle functions based on hope, on happiness, on bonds. Things that you, Alma Madrigal, seem to have forgotten in your fear of losing the power you hold." Julio said while staring at Alma like she was an idiot.
"You banished the person who loved this family the most, and you chastise the one person who is doing her best to help the family just because she doesn't have a gift herself. And even before that, you go and put extreme pressure on your daughters and grandchildren to be the best they can for their family, completely ignoring their needs and their own happiness." Julio said in one breath, citing one by one each and every mistake Alma Madrigal had made. And he was sure that, unless the situation had been as such, she would've tried to lie to the town's people by saying they had the attackers under control, when reality was very different from that.
"I leave these words with you not as me reprimanding you, but as a gift to make right by your wrongs." Julio finished, leaving the Madrigals in a somber mood, Alma in particular having a tear going down her face. Mirabel looked extremely surprised at how someone who had been away for five years knew the situation of her family so well. Even better than herself and perhaps the Madrigals themselves, she dared say.
"Thank you, Julio. Really. You have opened our... no, my eyes." Alma said solemnly, sincerity flowing from her mouth. Julio noticed Dolores looking at him with her eyes wide open, but he couldn't really tell why, so he just jumped over that detail.
After the serious conversation, the Madrigals spent some more time talking with the Acostas, which were only Julio and his mother since his father had passed away the year before he disappeared. wo hours of catching up later, Julio's mother decided to leave since she was tired. Julio on the other hand, decided to stay a few more minutes and then go explore Encanto and see what had changed in the five years he had been missing.
"I could bring Bruno to you... but that is a Madrigal problem. You should work it our yourselves." Julio said as he got up to leave. Then he looked at Dolores and showed a toothy grin in his handsome face. "Besides, it's not like you would have a hard time finding anyone in the entire Encanto. Right?"
Sending a wink in the girl's direction, Julio left the Madrigal's home and started walking aimlessly... only to be stopped in his tracks by someone shouting his name.
"Wait, Julio!"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone