Here is blackdragonsama’s contribution to the Encanto Big Bang for @untoldstories113’s fic! ⏳🕯️

You can find her official EBB post here! ✨💚

Encanto Big Bang!

Behold, my entry for the Encanto Big Bang 2023! @encantobigbang My piece is a scene from @untoldstories113 ‘s fantastic work Buried ! I adore it so much and have thoroughly enjoyed taking inspiration from it! 

This piece pushed me to develop new skills, try new techniques, and explore challenges! My art improved drastically because of this piece and I am forever grateful <3

Summary: “Bruno would never forgive himself, he’d only started taking care of Valentina and the other rats about a month ago!”

READ IT!!: https://archiveofourown.org/works/44686381

CW for blood and injury under the cut

Weiterlesen

New Story: Buried!

Summary: "Bruno would never forgive himself, he'd only started taking care of Valentina and the other rats about a month ago!"

What's that? Two stories in one day? And it's another story for @encantobigbang 2022? Yep, I was the backup writer for my art partner @orchidlatte. Thank you for your lovely artwork!

Short excerpt: "Diego!" he called out softly. "Valentina! Chico!" It took a moment, but then a smile spread across his face when a furry snout poked out from behind the room divider, sniffing for the treat he was offering.

But the smile turned into a frown when it was only Diego and Chico who came for their breakfast. Valentina was missing. He checked behind the divider where the other two had been, between the logs near the stove, under the dresser, in the flower display in the kitchen entrance…

"Bruno, seriously…"

"Just a moment!" Bruno called back in a frenzy, wringing his hands in worry. "I can't find Valentina!"

New Story: Temporary!

Summary: "Technically, Bruno had never meant to leave at all. He had meant to hide. And then he’d spent years mourning his failure to communicate that to his family."

Written for @encantobigbang 2022! My art partners for this story were Blackdragonsama on Twitter and Noni_Art_16 on Instagram. Thank you both for your lovely artworks!

Among my large backlog of Encanto ideas, this is one of my most loved ones, and I'm so glad it's finally out. It's actually chapter 1 of a bigger story, but for the Big Bang, this can definitely stand on its own as a one shot.

Short excerpt: The prophecy may have been duplicitous, but Bruno's resolve was straight-forward. He knew exactly what his next step would be. Stall for time, until he could figure out a way to tackle the problem. Because this was a problem that had to be tackled. This wasn't a matter of appeasing a furious customer. It wasn't like navigating toxic family dynamics. It wasn't the never-ending and ultimately futile struggle of continuing to see the good in his Gift that everyone else had grown to hate. In short, it wasn't something on which he could give in and retreat, not this time.

Also, it wasn't about him. His niece's entire destiny was at stake here, and if he gave in to Mamá's pleading this time, he would doom Mirabel to the exact life that he'd had to suffer through up until now. He was not going to allow this amazing little girl to become the candle's next plaything.

New Story: Condemnation!

Summary: "Just WHY couldn't she find her daughter? It was Bruno all over again!"

Written for @encantober-official, prompt #3 Tragedy. And I do mean tragedy; the more I was writing, the more I realized how traumatized she truly was.

Short excerpt: She should've done more! She should've told Mamá to respect Mirabel! She should've put her foot down, should've demanded better behavior, should've stepped in whenever Isabela used mean words against her sister, should've found the right words to truly make Mirabel see how much she was worth, should've integrated her baby girl into the family better…

She should've done everything in her power to make sure she wouldn't fail Mirabel the way she'd failed Bruno.

Why I don't blame Bruno for staying in the walls

Had a discussion in a Discord server about how it would've been better if Bruno had tried to talk things out, and figured I could put it in here as well so I'm using my tumblr more. :P

Should Bruno have tried to talk to his family about his vision instead of hiding away? Yes, absolutely. But I believe that there are many things he tried to talk about when he was younger, and it never worked, so at some point, he probably stopped trying to talk to people about things even though he wanted to.

We only have Mirabel's fifth birthday in hindsight. We know what happens after. We know that hiding didn't fix things, and that talking things out among themselves would've been better. But we know all that because the movie showed us. At the time Bruno made his decision, he didn't know any of that.

We see the four non-Bruno adults defy Abuela in the scene before the vision scene, but it falls on completely deaf ears even though they try. We see the way Pepa talks about what he did at her wedding, we see him apologize to her for it - it must've been two decades ago and he never tried to apologize before, even though the literally apologized to Mirabel the moment he accidentally raised his voice in frustration? I think he did try but she wouldn't hear it.

What's more, he says "I love my family, I just don't know how to...", and that indicates to me that staying in the walls for so long wasn't what he wanted to do, it just ended up being the only possible choice he had.

As well as the "we don't talk about Bruno" thing - that's likely not a rule that Abuela one day came up with and everyone was expected to follow, because then people probably would've defied her and not been so cool with following it. It's probably more of a thing that developed over time. For example, it could be that his sisters broke at every mention of his name, and therefore, at some point people just silently agreed not to bring him up.

...what I'm trying to say in way too many words: If Bruno had tried to talk to them, what would've happened? Abuela never listens to people defying her. Pepa never let him apologize for the wedding. Julieta has always been aware of Abuela's mistreatment of Mirabel but never put her foot down to stop it; why would she do anything like that for Bruno if she wouldn't do it for her own child?

So I think while staying in the walls was stupid and didn't prevent anything from happening, it was the only choice that had a chance of protecting Mirabel. He weighed his options and none of them were good, so he chose the one with the highest chance of success.

2nd and last chapter of Forecast is out!

Wanted to post it before the absolute hurricane of fan works that will be #Encantober. ;) Looking forward to seeing lots of great stuff from people!

Personally, I wanna join that event, but I'm stressing out about it a little. Of the, and I'm not kidding, eighty-seven stories on my Encanto idea list, twenty-five would fit the Encantober prompts, but there's no way I'm gonna post twenty-five stories next month. ;) So I'll take it easy and tell myself to do at least one, hopefully more.

Anyway, short chapter two excerpt: Pepa's knock on the front door was loud and thundering as if she was intending to unhinge the thing, leaving no doubt that she would be entering that building, one way or the other. And the landlady, a woman maybe half the triplets' age by the name of Moreno, seemed to get the message, because she wasted no time opening the door. Clearly she, too, had still been up. The ghost of a shock flitted across her features for a moment, but she caught herself quickly and gave Pepa, as the nearest visitor, a small, courteous bow. "Señora Madrigal. What a pleasant but unexpected surprise to see you and your family at this late hour, especially in such hard…"

"We need to talk to your son," Pepa cut across her. "Where is he?"

Félix lightly rapped Camilo's head for snickering, and Bruno counted five transformations before the boy regained his composure.

New Story: Forecast (ch1)

My first story in the Encanto fandom, and there are many still in my brain waiting to be written. Hope someone out there enjoys!

It's Suspense & Angst with a healthy dose of Hurt/Comfort, Bruno POV, and features (almost) the entire Madrigal family, with a focus on Mirabel, Pepa, and Alma.

Short excerpt: "It was the third evening of their ongoing search, but still no sign of little Antonio. They had combed the entire Encanto day and night, every single one of them, but his sobrino remained missing. Only Mamá had stayed at home, due to her age, but more so in case the boy showed up at Casita's doorstep all of a sudden. Not that that had happened so far. They had asked all around town, but no one had seen him, and many had checked their own homes just in case, and then joined the search of the mountains, the riverbanks, the playgrounds, every dark back alley they knew of. They had even asked the animals, every toucan and capybara and hummingbird and anteater they came across, but no one actually understood what they were saying, and none of the little critters made any move to lead them to places. The animals couldn't resolve the situation, either."