#(Dolores) it's a heavy lift 🔊

[sorcerymuses]

Dolores smiled right back at Gigi.

"I can ask Isa to make you a bed, or--" she broke off, noticing something. "Or Casita could have already done it."

She pulled a little trundle bed out from under the main bed, laughing a little.

Isabella winced at Whisp's tone. Yeah...even she'd admit the pink got to be too much sometimes.

"Pick a colour, I can fix one of the corners for you," she offered. "Or you can ask if your sister wants to trade rooms..."

She got the feeling Whisp might take the second option...

Looking to each other, the twin princesses didn’t have much of a choice. With their magic being block by this sentient house, they were trapped in this new world and don’t have many options. The risk of the other citizens in this ‘Encanto’ place was too great. Gigi maybe able to pull it off, but they would definitely freak over Whisp’s appearance.

With one last guilty glance, Gigi let Dolores take her to the room where she would stay. Making sure not to be spotted by the family matriarch. On the way, Gigi couldn’t help but marvel of the decorated foreign place. It was quite beautiful.

She gave a soft smile to Delores in hopes she’ll make a new friend. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad after all…

Whisp’s eye twitch as she looked at the room…

… this was just not her day.

       ❝ Hell… no. ❞

[sorcerymuses]

Dolores Madrigal, Hears Too Much

Height: 5'6" Hair: Shoulder length dark brown hair with tight curls usually worn in a high bun with strays held back by a red scarf Eyes: Brown FC: Isabela Merced Birthday: September 30

The Encanto, a magically created caldera in Colombia. The Miracle that created the shelter granted Gifts to the children of Alma Madrigal. Dolores, the second oldest grandchild of the matriarch, oldest daughter of Pepa Madrigal, was Gifted with extremely good hearing by the Miracle of the Encanto.

With this heavy Gift, she hears everything that goes on within the caldera with the only place she can't hear it all being her own room in the family's magical home. As such, she is soft spoken, whispering as her own voice is too loud at times, and struggles to keep the gossip to herself.

[sorcerymuses]

@strcngered asked: ❛  i bet he's having a mid-life crisis!  ❜ from Camilo to Dolores

🐝  *  ―  𝑴𝒀 𝑰𝑴𝑴𝑶𝑹𝑻𝑨𝑳 𝑺𝑬𝑵𝑻𝑬𝑵𝑪𝑬 𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑺. | Always Accepting

Dolores rolled her eyes at her little brother's words.

"Camilo, everyone gets like this when something...," she lowered her voice to an almost inaudible whisper. "Tío Bruno said before comes true." She ended her comment with a little squeak.

[sorcerymuses]

This was really back and forth. The Madrigals had been doing this for fifty years. They were so used to the routine. The façade they put up to keep everyone happy…

Dolores smiled weakly at Gigi. The princess was right, of course, but it was more complicated than just speaking out about how she really felt.

"It's not that simple," she mumbled. "But I appreciate the sentiment." She flinched at a crack screaming open in the walls. "I care about myself, that's not the problem…Abuela is the problem," she accused softly.

Normally she wouldn't be so blunt or quick to place the blame on her grandmother. But it all stemmed from her trying too hard in all the wrong ways. Talking about earning the magic they already had. Proving they deserved it, she supposed.

Julieta sighed and looked at Whisp.

"You're right, but things are a lot more difficult than simply letting our concerns known," she mumbled. "We've been doing this too long to change habits now. Maybe if Mamá were to actually listen and change...but she's...well, you've been here long enough to see how stubborn and stuck she is..."

She flipped one of the Arepas she was absently making.

The conversation felt back and forth between the both of them. Both princesses were relentless and not letting this go, no matter how stubborn the Madrigals were. Despite magical controversy, they were human too!

       ❝ But you shouldn’t be! And you don’t have to be! ❞

Gigi couldn’t stand it before she stood up and pulled Dolores from her seat by the hands to make her look eye to eye.

       ❝ I know what it’s like to sometimes… not like what others consider a gift. It’s hard and you’re too afraid to speak up because you don’t want to be the burden to others. But if you don’t… then you feel like it doesn’t matter but it DOES. You MATTER, Dolores. And you should say so. Because you’re family loves you and they’ll understand if you say no. So don’t hide away. Don’t ignore it. It may feel like it helps, but it never does. Tell them how you feel. ❞

The sun princess looked with begging eyes for her friend to see. She couldn’t… no she wouldn’t let another being with magic doubt their self worth ever again!

       ❝ –should understand you’re family and not a slave! ❞

Whisp spoke out and refused to take it back. At this point, the bandage was ripped and she was never the best at being subtle. The princesses have only been here for two weeks and Dolores wasn’t the only person who can hear things.

       ❝ Yes, I said it and I’ll say it again. Don’t think I haven’t been hearing the stuff around here. “For the good of the Encanto’. ‘Everything must be PERFECT!’. ’ Push harder’. 'For the good of the community’ You know what words I never here? 'Are you alright?’ 'Do you need a break’. 'Don’t push too hard’. ’YOU being comes first’. ❞

Did she sound mean? Maybe. But the moon princess has learned this lesson along time ago when she was younger… she would never forget. Especially when she had to learn it from visiting a certain princess who wore glass slippers in France. She never felt more sickening of making someone else feel that low… Whisp swore she never wants to be what… Alma is now.

       ❝ I’m not saying it’s bad to want to help and want good for others, but to spoil is another reason and you all are suffering because you refuse to speak up or draw a line. Your strongest daughter is lifting a church everyday for 'just the right sunlight’ and picking up donkeys when the real solution is fixing a simple gate. Your oldest wearing a fake smile and posing as a doll to make sure her family is happy while refusing to express any emotion that isn’t 'perfect’. And Mirabel… ❞

Whisp took a pause as she turned her head to the side, shaking her head in disgust of some of the things she hears the town talk about her.

       ❝ …no one deserves to be constantly berated or told to get lost just because they’re not 'special’ enough when they’re working their hardest for their family’s love. You don’t EARN family love. Does THAT sounds perfect to you? ❞

[sorcerymuses]

Julieta turned back to her cooking, almost absently. She just needed something to do with her hands.

"You should really get going to one of the girls' bedrooms," she sighed. "Casita...communicates more with Mirabel lately. If it doesn't want Mamá to know you're here, Casita won't tell her."

Dolores wrapped her arm around Gigi's and gently tugged the princess up to her bedroom. The glowing doors on the second floor of the house clearly declared which room belonged to whom. Images of the family members declaring their Gift almost seemed to watch them as they went to the one with Dolores' name and image. Oddly missing was a door for Mirabel...

"There's actually a lot that Casita doesn't tell Abuela...or Mirabel," she mumbled.

Once they were behind the door, an eerie silence hit them. Not even their footsteps or the door closing made a sound.

it was simply furnished, with only a bed, bedside table with a record player on it, bookshelf, and a desk.

Isabela sighed heavily and took Whisp up to her own room. Hers was the only one decorated, with perfectly a symmetrical arrangement of pink flowers and ferns adorning the doorframe. And even as she opened the door, they were struck with the strong scent of lavendar, roses, and rosemary.

"Currently...besides Tío Bruno's tower...mine is the biggest," Isa sighed.

She waved Whisp into the pink room covered from floor to ceiling in flowers and fallen petals. The pink was only broken up by the occasional red or purple from the roses and lavendar scenting the room. Little rosemary plants were practically hidden among the more attractive flowers.

Whisp didn’t resist covering her face with a groan, ignoring the reminders of how un-lady like it would be. As much as she would love to embrace the manners that were beaten into her, this was a really bad situation. Stuck in some kind of new world with no way of getting home.

At the very least, the inhabitants were hospitable… most of them anyway.

   ❝ I’m really sorry about all of this. I didn’t mean to cause trouble. ❞

   ❝ Oh you WILL be sorry, sis. You’ll have the honor of explaining this to father the minute he finds out. And what about this Abuela lady? Isn’t she gonna find out two magical princesses are staying? And wouldn’t the house tell her? ❞

[sorcerymuses]

Julieta's eyebrows scrunched in confusion. Both at the shadows and the girls being able to understand Casita. She thought only her mother and Mirabel could do that.

Dolores flinched as Whisp raged. She tried to focus on the sounds outside of the kitchen. It seemed like no one outside the room were hearing anything, which meant that maybe things were quieter than she thought.

"Right, well...," Isa started. "We have time before dinner."

"We should get you guys to our rooms...Abuela won't be happy about us trusting strangers so quickly...," Dolores whispered.

"I have room for both of you in my room," Isa added.

Gigi gently helped her twin sister up from the ground, the moon princess holding her head from the harsh landing. She groaned before feeling something thrusted in her hand. She looked to see Julieta muttering something in a familiar yet foreign language.

Meanwhile Gigi felt guilty before trying her best to cast Cura on her sister’s wound. However… nothing happened. The sun princess tried repeating a few times, het green hand then turned golden and almost… halting the magic.

Whisp was about to question why the food was in her hand, but her stomach rumbled and figured now would be a good time. The moment she bit into the food, she felt her headache… disappear? Ruby eyes blinked and looked to Julieta. Did the woman’s food… cure her?

Before she questioned it, as Gigi explained to the others what Whisp was trying to do, the moon princess heard the cluttering sounds the house made…

      ❝ What do you mean ‘We can’t leave?!’ You best rephrase that because if we can’t, father’s going to be furious! ❞

The house made the noises again as if guilty and reluctant as Whisp’s irritancy made the shadows around them wiggle.

      ❝ …the magic says… you need us here? ❞

[sorcerymuses]

"Okay...that's unusual," Julieta sighed, staring blankly at the spot where the portal had been. "Whisp, mija, are you okay?"

Julieta ran around the counter island and went to help Whisp up. She thrust an Arepa into Whisp's hand, muttering in Spanish. The counter tiles tapped a worried sounding rhythm.

"Guess you're stuck...," Isa grumbled. "For...whatever reason..."

"Is everyone okay?" Dolores squeaked, coming back to the kitchen. "I think I was the only one that heard that but..."

Gigi gave a worried look, hoping she didn’t offend the women when Whisp insulted the mother and apparent head of the household. She was always telling her younger twin that even though they hold higher authority, it didn’t give the princesses any right to belittle anyone!

Even IF the woman was scary…

The pink princess wanted to go after Pepa since Julieta pointed out the cloud as Whisp was thrusted with new clothes. The moon princess sighed and groaned in annoyance for this entire mess. She would make sure Gigi would talk to father about ALL of this later. She allowed her powers through shadow to come behind her and carry the clothes.

       ❝ That won’t be necessary. We appreciate the hospitality and everything you’ve done for us, but we should be heading home now. We’ve worried father enough thanks to SOMEBODY wandering off. ❞

Whisp then held out her palm, ignoring Gigi’s pleads of possibly saying goodbye to the others for helping them. Her eyes then turned black as she focused on making a portal to connect back to their home. The kitchen’s shadows began to move and swirl before forming a circle near Julieta…

It’s began to grow and grow… with a bit of light showing a large castle at the other side of it…

But then… something was wrong…

       ❝ Wh… what?… ❞

The familiar gold glow of the candle’s magic surrounded the portal and fought back against Whisp’s will before finally closing it, sending a small shockwave to knock the moon princess back against the wall!

       ❝ Whisp! ❞

[sorcerymuses]

Alma made a point to chastise everyone in the room, including Julieta. Who was the only one to give her own mother a stern look.

"I already explained," Dolores whispered. "And besides, I don't do anything anyways." She ended with a squeak and flounced out of the kitchen. Her statement made Abuela growl a little.

"And no one else wanted flowers," Isabela sighed to another growl. Isa shrank into herself a little. Which Alma responded to by stomping over and 'gently' pushing her granddaughter back into a better posture.

"Mamá...," Julieta groaned. A few tiles clattered, moving a set of plates over to her.

Mirabel rushed in, holding a bundle of midnight blue fabric. "Mamá, have--Abuela! Hi...," she greeted nervously, inching back towards the hall.

"Mirabel, what are you doing?" Alma groused. Mirabel adjusted her glasses nervously.

"N-Nothing important...I uh...made a new dress and...um...it's nothing...," she fled the kitchen. Alma made a noise, but left soon after and both Julieta and Isabela relaxed visibly.

The moment the other girl spoke of someone coming, Whisp sense something off in the shadows. Instincts acted out first before pulled herself and Gigi to hide in the shadows.

And she was right to do so as the stern elder woman held a firm and stoic appearance. This was obviously the leader or the head of the family. And by the tone, she was not pleased.

Whisp quickly covered Gigi’s mouth to prevent her twin from speaking. The shadows may have been easy to use to cover them completely out of sight, but one ounce of noise and they would be heard with the family just feet in front of them.

Gigi clasped her hands together, remembering that they weren’t just in any kind of house. She gave a silent plead for the house–Casita– to not reveal that the princesses were here. They were in enough trouble and the sun princess acknowledged it was her fault. But they couldn’t be caught…

[sorcerymuses]

Isabela watched the siblings as Julieta turned back to the stove to check on a steaming pot of tamales, the older woman not reacting in the slightest to Whisp's appearance.

"I guess you didn't have to look for her after all," Dolores laughed, stepping into the room. "But...Abuela's on her way," she squeaked. "So is Mirabel."

No sooner had the words left Dolores' mouth than Alma stormed into the kitchen.

"What is everyone doing home before dinner?" she snapped.

Whisp eyed the mother-daughter duo in the dark corner, not ready to come out. Though she felt the familiar pulse of magic as if nudging her to not hide away. She resisted it, of course. How would they react in this strange new world to her… appearance.

She was about to reject the gentle offer when suddenly…

A very energetic Gigi came in dressed in her new Encanto wear, hair down with a red flower and wearing a red and gold color outfit to represent the warm side of the family. She even had the nerve to twirl around in it with a beaming smile!

  ❝ WHISP! Look at what Mama Pepa and Dolores found for me! Isn’t it pretty? ❞

The shadow princess resisted the urge to twitch her eyes as Gigi could spot her clear as day in the darkest corner of the room. She held her tongue before she felt the tiles… move? She tried to step backwards to stop it but soon was pushed out of the dark!

She fell on the floor with a grunt, clear in her ballgown and lavender skin clear as day. Gigi only knelt down, finger poking her lip before asking…

       ❝ Why where you hiding in the dark, sis? ❞

       ❝ I hate you SO much right now… ❞

[sorcerymuses]

Dolores sighed. Gigi wasn't wrong to be worried, if she was honest.

"At least you can control it," she whispered, so quiet she almost hoped that she was the only one to hear it. She wasn't going to admit aloud that she kind of hated her Gift. "But you don't have to worry...I'm used to this," she assured.

Julieta sighed. She understood where Whisp was coming from and yes, it got frustrating to see the same people over and over again. Her husband was an exception with how accident prone he was. But what choice did she have but to let this go on?

"Well," she sighed. "I can't exactly refuse to heal them. We all have our duties around town and mine is to heal the townspeople. Mamá--" she broke off. She didn't want to place the blame for anything on her mother, but she was a big part of the routine.

Hearing Dolores speak only made Gigi grow even more concerned for her new friend. There were benefits to powers… but also downsides. When Gigi remembered how she got too excited before and accidentally blinded people with her powers, she didn’t come out of her room and was so scared to use it until her mother coaxed it.

Super hearing was a very precious gift… and a struggle.

      ❝ I just… I’m just worry about you. I know we don’t know each other long but I know what it’s like to be… cautious with my power. And super hearing sounds… terrifying. ❞

      ❝ And how do you know they’re not doing it on purpose? ❞

Whisp wasn’t being fooled as she remembered when her mother before did the same thing. The queen… was too kind to her subjects until their grandfather, the king at the time, caught wind of the villagers injuring themselves on purpose. The moon princess remembered getting angry that she was forced to promise not to retaliate. After all, it wouldn’t do good for a future ruler to lose their temper easily.

The princess knew when her hand was played… but that didn’t mean she let it go… nor would she let it happen again to anyone else.

      ❝ That’s not enough. Don’t you think it’s crazy that everyday people get hurt with so many 'injuries’ by accident? Everyday? Excuse me, but I know when people are taking advantage of you. I’m not trying to accuse, but you shouldn’t be treated like a free nursemaid for an entire town, especially since you’re not even being thanked. If you’re going to have supernatural powers, you need to be treated with respect and know you deserve it. ❞

[sorcerymuses]

Dolores had blinked at her friend. It shouldn't have surprised her that Gigi was concerned, but...so few people actually cared about her 'Gift' in any way other than finding out things...

"Well...it only hurts if I'm too close to loud noises. Like fireworks or things like that...," she sighed, unwilling to admit that 'loud noises' included parties and crowds.

"I can't hear what goes on in the bedrooms of Casita...but otherwise, yes. It's why I go to the forest...," she trailed off. And...surely Gigi had notice how quietly she spoke. Her own voice was too loud. "And...no one ever shouts at me when they can see me. What brought this on...?"

Julieta barely paused in her cooking as Whisp rattled off her questions. She'd smiled gently at the princess and went back to work. She could talk and work at the same time, after all.

"Mija, I enjoy cooking," she assured. "It gets...annoying sometimes," she admitted. "Other than Augustín, it feels like people do reckless things because they know I can heal them...and they don't thank me that often. Not that I need thank you's..."

"And...," she considered the question of 'how long'. "I got my gift when I was five...same as everyone else in the family. But Casita cooks breakfast for everyone, so I can sleep in with my husband a little," Julieta added brightly.

Whisp thought about what had happened before the whole house came down… figuratively and literally…

Red and Aquatic eyes watched in synced as everyone gathered together just in time to see Alma Madrigal come to take her anger and blame everything that was going on at Mirabel.

Mirabel, the one who has been doing nothing but trying to HELP the family in the first place!

The twin princesses tried to help as much as they could. After what happened with Luisa and finding out she was so stressed, she wondered if any of the other family members felt that way.

Gigi started off easy and talked to Dolores first, seeing how her gift may be one of the hardest for her. The ability to hear was powerful but also dangerous for the user.

       ❝ Does it hurt? Do you listen to everything? Did… did they ever shout at you? ❞

Meanwhile, Whisp knew she wasn’t going to get ahold of Isabella at all with the head witch Monarch holding her nearly all day with the upcoming engagement party. She rolled her eyes at the blind old bat not seeing Isabella’s obvious strained smile. Whisp decided to find Julieta instead, knowing she would be in the kitchen cooking.

Unlike Gigi, Whisp didn’t take the soft approach much and liked to get to the point. Once she saw her working again, she just blurted it out.

       ❝ Aren’t you tired of cooking constantly all the time? Don’t they ever give you a break? How long do you constantly overwork yourself? Do the villagers even thank you?! ❞

[sorcerymuses]

Dolores kept trying to listen for distant signs of her cousin, but got a sharp reminder of the uncomfortable silence. She had no idea how everyone else was handling the change, but she'd gotten so used to the noise...all she could do now was keep her eyes peeled for Mirabel.

Her door had blinked out first when Casita fell, and she was glad for that. The sound of the cracking was like screaming. She didn't want to imagine what Casita crumbling would have sounded like with her Gift.

Pepa rested a hand on Gigi's shoulder.

"Thank you for your help, Mija," she said lightly.

Some people had wanted Isabela to stay behind and help her mother deal with injuries or some other safe task. But this was her little sister. She'd been so awful to her and just when they'd reconnected, this happened.

She felt guilty, even though she didn't have to, seeing Casita crumble the way it had. So quickly after she and Mirabel reconciled. She'd just been glad to see that Mirabel wasn't hurt. Now, she just wanted her back.

"You and me, both...," she mumbled.

Encanto Royals - For @sorcerymuses​

Afternoon settled into the Encanto, and everyone was still on their search for Mirabel Madrigal. Everyone was on the alert and looking around, ESPECIALLY the family Madrigals. The family who no longer had the magic of the candle NOR their own home, Casita.

The ones who pushed themselves the most were the visiting princesses. Gigi and Whisp, who were now exposed to the Encanto, were looking as well too using their own magic as much as they can. Still dressed in their Columbian outfits, they were on a mission to find their friend. The madrigals lost their powers, but the princesses didn’t.

Gigi, who was searching with Pepa, Camilo and Dolores, was using her solar power to search the darker parts of the Encanto. Whisp who was searching with Luisa and Isabella used her powers of the shadows to try and sense Mirabel’s form.

      ❝ Don’t worry, Mama Pepa. We’ll find her. ❞

      ❝ I can’t believe how everything happened so fast. ❞