This might, yet again it might NOT, be the last chapter.
But one thing's for sure, in case you couldn't tell from the title...
In this chapter...
Oscar is COMING HOME! By the time he gets home, the "All Of You" sequence ends. And just for a bit of outside information...
Mirabel hesitates to put the doorknob in because she misses Oscar too much (Abuela DID feel immense guilt for driving him away, in case you'd like to know). She doesn't want to do it without her best friend.
I tugged at your heartstrings, now CRY!
Song featured: "The Climb" originally sung by Miley Cyrus.
..........
That catastrophe turned biggest life accomplishment that happened two weeks ago... But it felt like only yesterday! For anyone who'd like to know, Gamberro and that anaconda went their separate ways after Ignacio died. But them parting was mostly because they didn't dare mess with Tawney anymore. Gamberro said he "wasted enough time with that wacko. I have a squadron of my own to dote on." And the snake... I haven't a clue where he is now. Not that I care much.
Anyway, Yesterday, I thought about my last day at the Encanto for a few hours. In a good way. I wasn't putting myself down anymore. My thoughts... Temporarily, I forgot that... Abuela lost her home... lost everything... She's suffered so much, by herself, so it wouldn't happen again.
But even though she put a lot of pressure on the family... We were saved because of her.
We were given a miracle because of her.
We were a family because of her.
And if Mirabel taught me anything, it's that nothing could ever be broken that we can't fix together.
I know, it's not an excuse for her to put a lot of pressure on us... But that's the thing. It's NOT an excuse. It's more like an explanation. There's a difference. Like me being scared of almost everything (at least I used to be) wasn't, and isn't, an excuse for me to try new things. After all, I did just save Tawney's life, however inadvertently cause the death of my father... This whole wilderness adventure was a new thing for me.
Was I scared at first? Of course! But once I met my childhood friend Tawney, I had no fear of being alone. I guess that's my life lesson... There isn't much to be afraid of once you're accompanied by someone.
"Something on your mind?" Tawney asked behind me. "Yeah, actually." I answered with a slight nod, taking in the jungle environment in front of me. "In the months that I've been living out here... with you... I learned that Mirabel was actually right; I AM braver than I thought I was. I mean, I just went up against my obsessive father! I saved your life, after you saved mine."
"You sure did. And I'm proud of you for that."
A loud noise interrupted our moment. It almost sounded like... Barking? It progressively got closer and closer, until we heard galloping footsteps, and a large white perro (dog) emerged from the bushes. It was completely white in color, with dark eyes. And even with my newfound bravery, it scared me! I don't do well with dogs! "Ah! Dog!" I screamed, hiding behind Tawney, who growled at it. "Now, hold on un minuto! I know what you're thinking; what is an Argentinian Mastiff doing out here in the Colombian wilderness? Right? Isn't that what you're thinking?"
Tawney and I shared an awkward glance. "¿Sí? And what about that?"
"Well, you see, I can explain everything. In as few words as possible." The dog said. "First of all, my name is Fuerza, I'm the Guzmán's dog from the Encanto."
"The Encanto?"
"Yes. And my beloved owner Mariano, on behalf of the Madrigal family, sent me out here - well, actually, I volunteered - to find their missing cat. What was his name again? Oscar?"
Upon hearing my name... and the mention of the Madrigal family... I shyly walked out from behind Tawney. "That... that would be me."
"Oscar! Thank goodness you're alive! You know, the Madrigals are worried sick about you. Especially Mirabel." Fuerza said, bending down to my level. "They... still care about me? After I ran away when they needed me the most?" I asked, in complete disbelief. "They're your family, muchacho. Of course they still care about you. They're terribly worried that their missing family member."
They consider me family...
"Your Abuela might be missing you the most. She felt so much remorse for driving you away. Others... some thought you might never come back... and... others thought you died. They haven't seen you in so long. It's dangerous out here for a domestic cat."
I sat there in yet another shock. "Oh, boy, do we have stories for everyone!" Tawney exclaimed. He was looking at me, but I wasn't paying attention. "Tawney..." I started, walking towards a scenic clearing in front of me. "Yes?"
"Remember when you said you'd take me back to the Encanto when I was ready?"
"I like where this is going. Yes, Oscar, I do."
I took a deep breath. "Well, I'm ready to go back home. Today."
There was a moment of silence. "That's great! One hiccup; I knew the way back there, from where we first met up. From here, I don't know... which way to go." Tawney said sheepishly. "Not a problem. I got myself into this forest, and I can get us out of this forest back to the Encanto." Fuerza said. "There were some obstacles I had to face, though..."
"I don't care." I said. "I don't care about what's in our way. All that matters now is our destination."
"Now there's the optimistic Oscar I know!" Tawney said with a wagging tail.
I can almost see it, that dream I'm dreaming
But, there's a voice inside my head saying you'll never reach it
Every step I'm taking, every move I make feels
Lost with no direction. My faith is shaking
But I, I gotta keep trying
Gotta keep my head held high
There's always gonna be another mountain, I'm always gonna wanna make it move,
Always gonna be an uphill battle, sometimes I'm gonna have to lose,
Ain't about how fast I get there, ain't about what's waiting on the other side,
It's the climb.
The struggles I'm facing, the chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down, but, no, I'm not breaking
I may not know it but these are the moments, that
I'm gonna remember most, yeah, just gotta keep going
And I, I gotta be strong
Just keep pushing on, 'cause
There's always gonna be another mountain, I'm always gonna wanna make it move,
Always gonna be an uphill battle, sometimes I'm gonna have to lose,
Ain't about how fast I get there, ain't about what's waiting on the other side,
It's the climb.
Yeah
There's always gonna be another mountain, you're always gonna wanna make it move,
Always gonna be an uphill battle, sometimes you're gonna have to lose!
Ain't about how fast you get there, ain't about what's waiting on the other side,
It's the climb! (Tawney: There's always gonna be another mountain, we're always gonna wanna make it move)
Yeah, yeah (Fuerza: Always gonna be an uphill battle, sometimes we're gonna have to lose)
Keep on moving, keep climbing (Both Tawney and Fuerza: Ain't about how fast we get there,)
Keep the faith, baby (Ain't about what's waiting on the other side)
Oscar, Fuerza, and Tawney: It's all about, it's all about the climb!
Keep your faith, keep your faith
Whoa
I see the Encanto in the distance! Watch out, familia Madrigal! Oscar is a-comin' home!
Well... This is it. I'm gonna find out if what Fuerza said is true... Do the Madrigals truly miss me as much as he said they did?
Knowing them, they probably did. I just can't help but think that they hate me for just... leaving.
Fuerza, Tawney and I burst out of the bushes right next to [the new] Casita. Fuerza turned to a different direction, presumably to find Mariano. I was on Tawney's back. "Stop everything!" He roared, right before stopping and sitting down, panting for breath. I hid myself, hoping they wouldn't see me. They were shocked to see a mountain lion stop in front of them. "Okay, first things first, my name is Tawney, my family has been living near this beautiful Encanto for... more generations than I can count. I'm not a stalker or anything, trust me, but I can't think of anyone who doesn't know who at least one of you..."
I think it goes without saying that Tawney hasn't interacted with others much. He's almost as socially awkward as Bruno.
"But that's all besides my point. My point... For several months, since the Casita was destroyed, I found this serval/Bengal mix out here in the wilderness, taking good care of him until he was ready to come back, and, well... I'm hoping this is the right one."
A couple seconds silence. "Show us." I identified the desperate yet calm voice as Abuela's. You know, the one who drove me away even though I am very well aware she had ZERO intention of doing so. Tawney turned his head to me. "Go ahead, muchacho." He whispered. I hesitated to move. "But... what if they-"
I didn't get to finish my sentence. He rolled his eyes with a sigh, then used a paw to push me out from behind him. So now I'm in full view of everyone. The reactions I got... were far from the reactions I was expecting.
WARNING:
You are about to witness is another tooth-rottingly adorable scene filled with hugs, apologies, and kisses. You might go into cuteness overload. Side effects may include crying, melting hearts, and chronic smiling. Read at your own risk!
About half of them gasped, covering their mouths in pure shock. Isabela was one of them. Camilo almost burst out into tears the second he saw my face. Luisa already had tears falling from her eyes. Dolores had both hands over her heart, trying herself not to burst. Antonio's jaw dropped. Isabela wiped her eyes. Bruno looked relieved, if anything. (I'm almost positive that Mirabel FELL APART.)
But it was Abuela I was looking for. And as you might have guessed, the second I saw her, I leapt into her arms, hugging her tight while being gentle with the nails. "Oh, Oscarito..." She whispered. I felt more pair of arms wrap around me and Abuela, of course they were Pepa, Julieta, Bruno, Félix, and Agustín. My beloved aunts and uncles...
Subsequently, I myself burst into tears. "I'm so sorry!" I couldn't help but wail. "Oscar, mi vida, no..." Julieta consoled, stroking my mane. "I know I'm a coward, I can't help it! But I just... I'm sorry... I just... left you all here when you needed me..."
"Oscar, por favor, don't be sorry." Abuela whispered in my ear. I pulled away from her shoulder to make eye contact with her. She wiped my tears away. "You've done nothing wrong. I've treated you terribly. And I am so sorry, mi nieto. You and Mirabel never hurt our family. We were broken because of me. You ran away because of me."
"Te perdono (I forgive you), Abuela. You never wanted to hurt anybody, either. You've gone through so much. Lost everything. And you didn't want that to happen again. Entiendo (I get it/I understand)." I wiped my eyes again and sniffed. "I'm just glad everyone's okay."
"We're even more okay now that you're back home, mi amor." Tía Pepa said, planting a kiss to my cheek. "We missed you." Bruno added. I swallowed, "I missed you too. All of you." They parted from the hug, and Abuela set me down. This means I gotta say hi to everyone else. And say hi, they did. The very first Madrigal grandkid to attack me with a hug was Antonio. Arms tightly constricted around my shoulders, my own around his waist, it was evident that he was trying to hold tears back. He wasn't doing a very good job, though. "I missed you so much." He whispered.
"I missed you too, Tonito." I whispered back. The two of us hugged for a pretty long while. I pulled away to give him some long overdue kisses. He giggled as my tongue dragged across his cheek multiple times.
"¡MI VIDA!" Camilo screamed, I kid you not. And to justify that he missed me, he LIFTED ME INTO THE AIR. He nearly strangled me in a hug with strength that I'd expect from Luisa, but not my ruana bro. I returned his embrace, my head resting on his shoulder, gripping his ruana. Dolores joined the hug next, resting her forehead on mine. Trying not to burst again, I just closed my eyes, sighed, and purred. "Estábamos tan preocupados por ti (We were so worried about you)..." She whispered.
It's getting harder for me to hold back tears, but I really wanna save the extreme waterworks for when I hug the life out of Mirabel.
Isabela joined the hug next, muttering softly and sweetly in my ear "Mi dulce gatito." And I felt her tears on my neck. I didn't care at all. And last but certainly not least, Luisa picked all of us up off the ground in a hug, which only multiplied everyone else's tight hugs by about two. I basked in the warmth of the group hug. "So happy you're home." Luisa whispered, her voice cracking. I swallowed the lump in my throat. "I m-m-missed you t-too." I stuttered, on the brink of crying.
They released me after a moment, setting me back down. "There's one more person you didn't say hi to..." I interrupted Camilo by turning around and sprinting to the door of the new Casita. "Yet..."
I let the tears fall from my eyes as my best friend got down on her knees, arms open wide, tears falling from her own eyes.
"Mirabel!"
"Oscar!"
Using all of my strength, I launched myself into Mirabel's arms. The impact of it sent her crashing into the door, now in a sitting position, but telling from how overjoyed she was, she could care less. My face buried in her shoulder, she hugged me as tight as she could, bending over for good measure, all the while crying her eyes out. I let my tears fall also, but I wasn't sobbing as hard as she was. She's BAWLING.
"I tried to find you... But... I couldn't." I said, even though it was muffled against her shoulder. She cried a bit harder. "I thought... I thought...!" Mirabel was speechless, if anything. "I'd never see you again." She whispered. I pulled away from her to make eye contact, even though my body was willing against it. "I felt the same way about you. I couldn't find you..."
"Hey, look at me." She held my head in her hands. Her soft, gentle hands that I thought I'd never feel again. "You found your way back home, and that's what matters now. Because we missed you so much." Her smile was a genuine one. Another thing I thought I'd never see again; her smile. And her voice. I licked the hand Mirabel put in front of me, and she wiped my eyes. "We had to rebuilt Casita without you."
"It's okay. It looks great." I said as she stood up again, me now on her shoulders. She had a doorknob in her hand. "I wanted to do this... with you."
Aaand I stopped breathing for a couple seconds.
"After all, we did it together."
Ay, Mirabel... Forget it, I can't tAKE IT ANYMORE!
I attacked Mirabel's face with licks, and she laughed. "Oscar, stohohohop!" It went on for a few seconds until I did stop, nuzzling her. She nuzzled back. Sure, I'm being all mushy in front of the family... and some of the people in the Encanto... but did I care? Heck, no!
Just as she was about to put the doorknob in, I placed my paw on it. With a synchronized nod, in it went. An explosion of light spread throughout the house, and the Encanto. Everyone, Tawney and myself included, stared in awe. Is... is the magic back? I would assume the cracks are gone now. But what got me the most... was that the WHOLE family was on the front door now, including me, tío Félix, Agustín and Tawney.
Wait, Tawney?
"W-why am I on the door?" Tawney asked, baffled. "You did bring Oscar back." Antonio said with a grin, stroking his shoulder. "And you said you wanted to be a part of the family Madrigal, so..." I added. My mountain lion friend took all of it in for a moment... before smiling. I think his eyes brimmed with tears, even.
I heard noises coming from the house. Turning, I saw that it 'waved' at us. Mirabel and I waved back, "Hola, Casita."
Suddenly, the house zipped us through the front doors and inside "C'mon, get in here!" Mirabel said, as Casita yanked everyone else in. Alright, let's check out the new house!
Gotta say, it looks almost exactly like the old Casita. You know, before it collapsed and all. Evidently, everyone got their powers back. Antonio rode past on his jaguar, with Tawney following him with a triumphant laugh. Isabela decorated her dress (again) while creating new, wacky plant I've never seen before. Luisa got her strength back, but she's chillaxin' now. And my aunt, Pepa, was dancing under her hail could with tío Félix.
Again, Casita moved everyone for a family picture. One of Bruno's rats were on top of it.
"Everyone, together!" Abuela said, then, right before Casita's floors squeezed us all together and the picture was taken, we yelled for the picture;
"La Familia Madrigal!"