Female Caught in the Storm [Encanto, multiple F, Cold]

[Selkie]

Hey, hey, this was a commission for @Katzoo12 who asked for an Encanto fic featuring Isabela, Dolores and Luisa. Hopefully this is what you were expecting, I know you had high expectations for this! Again this was a fandom I'm unfamiliar with so please forgive any mistakes I may have made

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:**:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:**:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

 

Isabela, Dolores, and Luisa lounged on their patchwork quilt spread across the sun-soaked grass. It was one of those rare days in the Encanto when the weather seemed to conspire with the lush surroundings to create a perfect harmony. The sky stretched out in an endless blue, adorned with fluffy white clouds which travelled across in the light breeze. 

Their laughter filled the air, punctuated only by the occasional rustling of leaves on nearby trees that were beginning to flower. Isabela was in her element; she had planned a game of charades for them; her eyes sparkled with mischief as she gestured wildly trying to act out a word that either of them should guess.  

But amidst their fun, a loud altercation had snatched Dolores attention away from their game. A voice yelled out and she held up a hand to quieten the other women. That voice, it sounded so familiar. She listened hard, gently shushing her cousins as she tried to concentrate on the ongoing situation.  

The absolute last thing she had been expecting to hear was the voice of Pepa growing furious as she lectured what she had presumed to be a villager about their disrespect and blatant rudeness regarding her brother. The air shifted; the once serene atmosphere tinged with a palpable tension. Isabela paused mid-gesture, her expression faltering as she glanced towards the source of the disturbance. You certainly didn’t need heightened hearing to make out the loud, booming crack of thunder echoing overhead. 

“Pepa?” Isabela asked, seemingly already knowing the answer as the three of them looked up to watch the once peaceful sky, cloud over with dark, hostile storm clouds. Clouds which seemed to writhe and twist with anger as they took over the sky, snatching the light and hiding it behind their grasp. 

This wasn't just any storm; it was one of Pepa's storms. Her emotions had the power to fuel the weather, the more intense they were, the more powerful the effects she had. Nobody really knew just what the limits of their potential was. Dolores turned back to exchange a nervous glance with Isabela and Luisa, silently conveying the urgency of the situation.  

“We should get back before it starts to-” 

She hadn’t even begun to finish her sentence before a heavy downpour began to storm down from the clouds above. Cold, icy drops of rain began to soak them as they rushed to gather up their things. 

"We need to go, now!" Luisa shouted over the rising wind, her voice barely audible amidst the growing clashes of thunder and battering of harsh rain pelting down on them. 

They darted towards the path leading back to their home, their steps hastened by the driving rain. But the storm seemed to be fuelled by Pepa's anger, growing stronger with each passing moment. Lightning cracked across the sky in jaggered spikes of anger. 

Dolores stumbled, her foot catching on a loose stone hidden beneath the waterlogged ground. Luisa reached out a steady hand, helping her regain her balance before they continued onward. Isabela's hair, normally sleek and neat, now clung to her face in sodden strands as they pressed forward against the battering rain. 

By the time they’d finally reached Casita, all three of the women were soaked and shivering. None of them had expected to be caught in such weather and with the recent hot spells, they’d be dressed in light airy clothes, which now stuck uncomfortably to their drenched skin.  

“Goodness! Look at you three, what on earth happened?” Came the worried voice of Julieta as she rushed out to see the three of them shivering helplessly. She ushered them inside without a second thought, racing to get a towel for each of them in a futile attempt to soak up some of the rain. 

Dolores thanked her for the towel, gently dabbing her hair as she began to explain, “Pepa got angry, we got caught in her storm.” She stopped to untie her hair in hopes to let it dry it a little better, “None of us were really prepared...” 

Julieta shook her head, “I can see that, the three are you are going to catch a chill if you don’t warm up soon. Something warm to drink, that should help!” She continued to smother the girls in an attempt to keep them warm.  

It was just as she had been finishing up three hot mugs of chocolate santaeforeno that Pepa had stormed in, arms crossed with a scowl painted across her face. 

“Just wait till I tell you what I overheard-” She began but stopped as she took in the sight of the three girls still damp as they sipped on their drinks, “What happen- Oh girls, I am so sorry! Is this because of me?” Her previous anger seemed to wash away, being replaced by remorse as she realised what her outburst had caused. 

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean for you to get caught up in this, look at you all!” She pressed a kiss to the tops of their foreheads, “I can’t believe you three got caught in this, I really am sorry, I was just so angry earlier!” 

As Pepa's apology spilled out, the tension in the room seemed to slowly dissolve just like the storm outside, its power slowly winding down as the older woman calmed down. Dolores, Isabela, and Luisa exchanged glances, their expressions softening with understanding. 

"It's alright," Dolores said, her voice gentle. "We know you didn't mean for this to happen. Sometimes storms just come, and we find ourselves caught in them." 

Isabela nodded in agreement, offering a small smile. "We're just glad to be back safe and sound. We just need to get a little warmed up.” 

Luckily for the rest of the night, the girls managed to stay inside, keeping themselves toasty and warm. But despite their best efforts, it seemed some may have been in vain. As was discovered by Dolores when she had woken up the next day. 

She had known something was up from the moment she’d woken up. Normally being waken up to the warm glow of the sun filtering through her curtains would always set her in a bright and positive mood but something was wrong. She sniffled, immediately registering the feeling of settling congested behind her sinuses. She muffled a groan into her pillow, whining softly before pulling herself out of bed. The morning air sent a shiver over her exposed skin, goosebumps crawling up her arms.  

Dolores shuffled her way to the bathroom, her steps slow and lethargic. As she flicked on the light, the brightness stung her eyes, causing her to squint. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and frowned at the sight of her flushed cheeks and slightly puffy eyes. “That rain...” She mumbled to herself in realisation just before her breath hitched sharply once and she was bent forwards, her curly hair falling loosely infront of her face. “Hih! Hhhh’tshoo!” 

Whatever! It was just a cold. It could be ignored; she had a job to do. You see, Dolores had recently volunteered to be a scout of sort. The cracking of the surrounding mountains had opened a new pathway into the village, as a result, traders from far and wide had been making their way in to visit the village. Of course this was a good thing, the extra trade was great for business after all but at their local council meeting, it had been addressed that some were weary of the newcomers. As such, Dolores had volunteered to use her gift to keep an ear out on things, making sure there was nobody up to no good.  

She splashed some cold water on her face, hoping to shake off the lethargy that seemed to cling to her limbs. After a quick breakfast of hot tea and toast, Dolores wrapped herself in a warm shawl and stepped out into the crisp morning air. The village was just beginning to stir, with merchants setting up their stalls and villagers going about their daily routines. It was as the hustle and bustle of the morning really got going that a sudden realisation hit her... 

It was quiet? 

No, no, that couldn’t be right. She could clearly see the villagers setting up markets for the day, in any other situation she’d be surrounded by the sound of conversations, scaping tables and all sorts of regular morning noise.  

She couldn't shake off the uncomfortable sensation of her ears feeling clogged, as if they were stuffed with cotton. She fussed at them, trying to alleviate the pressure somehow but nothing seemed to work, and they continued to muffle the sounds around her. Only made worse when- “Hh’tshhu! O-oh god, ouchhhHH’ttshoo!” 

She leaned against a nearby wooden post, the pressure from those had only served to make her ears throb with pain as she furrowed her brow and sniffled thickly in frustration.  

The bustling sounds of the village should have been all around her, but instead, everything seemed muted, distant. If felt like what she imagined standing centre of a bubble to be like, isolated from the usual cacophony of activity. With a growing sense of unease, Dolores strained her senses, trying to catch even the faintest whisper of conversation or the clatter of merchants arranging their goods. But instead, all she could hear was a faint, muffled murmur, like the sound of voices underwater. She couldn’t continue like this, what good was she to anyone if she couldn’t hear anything! How was she meant to be useful like this? Maybe she just needed some time away from the village to get herself together then she could go back out and actually help. Yeah, maybe that was what she needed, that cosy bench beside Casita ought to be a good place. 

Meanwhile on the outside in the garden of Casita, Isabela was having an equally awful day. She’d woken up feeling as if her throat had been turned to sandpaper overnight, her voice becoming raspy and sore. 

With a groan, she dragged herself out of bed, feeling every ache in her body protesting against movement. Wrapping herself in a thick sweater and scarf to ward off the chill of the morning air, she made her way outside to tend to her plants. She’d promised a few days earlier to take care of the garden of Casita, making sure it was beautiful and in order and she wasn’t about to neglect her duties just because she had the sniffles. Absolutely not. Instead, she stubbornly grabbed a handful of tissues, shoving them in the pocket of the thick sweater she’d pulled on and headed outside. 

As she got on with her work, her nose ran incessantly, and she sniffled between watering the flowers and pulling out weeds. Isabela's body felt heavy, and her movements were sluggish. Though being surrounded by so much beauty did make her feel somewhat better, even if only by a little. 

As Isabela continued tending to the garden, her nose kept running, twitching and itching as she tried to hold off the inevitable- “.Hh-Hhep’tshu! …Hh’ishiew!” 

However, when she sneezed, something truely strange happened. A burst of vibrant flowers sprouted from the ground, but they seemed to be appearing in all the wrong places. Instead of neatly lining the pathways or complementing the existing flora, they popped up randomly amidst the carefully arranged beds. 

"What in the world..." Isabela muttered, rubbing her watering eyes. She reached for her gardening tools as she tried to fix her mistake without too much issue but the sweet scents of the blooms only aggravated her already irritated nose, making her breath hitch in anticipation, she knew she was going to- 

“Hhuh’tshiew! Hhh..Hep’tshhhiew! HhH- HHiii’tshiew!” 

She quickly bent to the side to muffle another series of sudden sneezes into her elbow, blinking back tears as she realised it had happened again. With a frustrated sigh, Isabela wiped her nose on her sleeve and surveyed the damage. Purple daisies sprouted in the midst of her carefully arranged rows of sunflowers, and delicate lilies burst forth from the surrounding ground, messing up her delicate display of flowers. She really hadn’t meant to do that... 

Of course, sometimes Isabel had created flowers accidentally without meaning too but never like this before, never so many and never so out of control! She felt beyond drained, and her growing fatigue only made things worse. She stood up shakily, seeing her vision swirl a little as she got her bearings. 

Feeling utterly exhausted and somewhat bewildered by the unexpected burst of flowers, Isabela decided she needed a moment to collect herself. She coughed weakly against the sleeve of her sweater as she came to rest on a bench beside Casita, letting her aching muscles relax as she sank into it. Maybe she’d just stay here for a while... 

Similarly, Isabel’s sister Luisa had also, unsurprisingly, woken up feeling under the weather but much like the rest of her family, she had her own responsibilities to tend to. Even though the village had begun to rethink its reliance on its help from the Madrigals, Luisa still enjoyed lending a helping hand when needed. 

Such as today, on market days, she often found many of the older villagers struggled to set up stalls with heavier items and Luisa had decided that whenever that was the case, she’d be the one to help. 

The strong woman sniffled quietly, pushing the back of her wrist against her nose before noticing a lady struggling to lift a large container out of the corner of her eye, "Hey, need a hand?" She called out to offer, her voice was hoarse and was followed by a course cough afterwards but the sincerity behind her tone was still clear. 

The stall owner, a middle-aged woman with a warm smile, looked up in surprise. "Luisa, dear, you should be resting. You look positively pale my love.” 

Luisa waved off her concern with a dismissive gesture. "I'll be fine. Besides, I can't just sit back while everyone else is working so hard. What can I do to help?" 

Grateful for Luisa's offer, the woman turned to point to a few large containers, presumably filled with some kind of delicious treat, "Could you help me lift these up on the table? They’re just too heavy for me to lift myself.” She stepped back to move out of her way as Luisa nodded. 

“Of course, stand back I’ll-” She began but a dreadful itch in her sinuses interrupted her, Luisa’s nose almost visibly twitched with the itch, and she shakily held a hand in the air and took a step back, quickly apologising, “Hh- excuse me-Hih!” 

“hAH'CHIEW! HIH’ESCHHIEW!.. Hihhh- Hahh.. HA’HASHOO!” 

Luisa swayed dizzily on her feet, the world spinning a little as she regained her composure, she sniffled a little harsher this time, already sputtering out an apology for just how loud those had been, “I’m so sorry, they were so loud, please excuse me.” 

The stall owner rushed forward with concern etched on her face, placing a reassuring hand on Luisa's shoulder. "No need to apologise, dear. Are you sure you're okay? You don't sound well at all." 

“I'll be alright, just a little cold, I think. Nothing to worry about, I swear." She insisted as she leaned down to pick up the container but as she strained to lift the object, she quickly realised her usual formidable strength wasn’t working? Why was this so heavy? Why couldn’t she lift it?! 

She let out an annoyed huff, standing back for a moment to roll up her sleeves before trying again, finally it budged a little, getting a small distance from the ground. Luisa pushed herself further, a bead of sweat rolling down her face as she strained as hard as she could to lift it. With a strained grunt, finally it seemed to lift, and she managed to get it completely off the ground, holding it in her arms. 

“Just over here?” She wheezed and nodded to the table, her hoarse voice cracking as she spoke. 

The villager nodded, “Yes please.”  

As Luisa carefully maneuverer the heavy container onto the table, her muscles quivered with the effort. However, just as she was about to set it down, a sudden surge of strength coursed through her arms, causing her to lose control of the container's weight. 

With a loud crash, the container slammed onto the table, causing it to splinter and crack under the force. Luisa stumbled back; her eyes wide with surprise. 

"What... what just happened?" she muttered, her strained voice barely above a whisper. She stared at her hands, unable to comprehend how she had just shattered the sturdy table with seemingly little effort. 

The stall owner rushed to Luisa's side, her expression a mixture of concern and disbelief. "Luisa, dear, are you alright? What happened?" 

“I- I dont know? My strength it just-” She stammered, trying to explain herself even though she barely understood what had happened herself. She wouldn’t have had much to explain anyway because it was only seconds before her breath hitched with a sudden desperate itch, “HhhH’HhtSHHOO!” 

Luisa stumbled back from the force of her sneeze, her body feeling even weaker than before. The stall owner steadied her, her eyes filled with concern. "You really should go home and rest, Luisa. You're not well." 

She knew it would be irresponsible to stay any longer, not with her strength so unpredictable. So, Luisa nodded, whispering a goodbye before she made her way through the market, her steps slow and unsteady. As she approached her home, she spotted her sister Isabel and their cousin Dolores sitting on the small bench, both looking equally ill as she felt.  

Isabel glanced up at the sound of approaching footsteps, her eyes were weary but a small smile forming on her lips at the sight of Luisa. "You too?” She mumbled, but everyone already knew the answer 

Luisa muffled a raspy cough she sank onto the bench beside them. "Looks like we're all in the same boat." 

Dolores nodded in agreement, wincing at her still-painful ears, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yeah, seems like it." 

As the three of them sat together, Isabel, Luisa, and Dolores exchanged tired glances. With a collective sigh, they agreed that it was time to go inside and get some much-needed rest. 

Isabel pushed herself up from the bench, her movements slow and deliberate, “Julieta will take care of us.” She sniffled and ducked into her elbow with a sharp sneeze, the ground beneath her sprouting with flowers just like earlier, “Come on, let’s get inside.” 

As the trio made their way inside, it didn’t take long for Julieta to notice their exhausted appearance. She shook her head, “I knew this would happen. Why did none of you come to me earlier? Or better yet, stay inside and rest whenever you felt this come on!” 

Luisa opened her mouth to protest but found herself interrupted by a sudden fit of coughing, her throat raw and scratchy.  

Julieta sighed softly, her maternal instincts kicking in as she ushered them to the living room. "No more arguing now. You three need rest and plenty of fluids. I'll take care of you, I promise.” 

Settling them on the sofa, she rushed off to make some herbal tea, a nice blend that was sure to have them feeling better in no time however by the time she returned, the three women had already fallen asleep, tucked beneath the snug blankets. 

Julieta smiled softly; maybe the tea could wait till awhile...

[Katzoo12]

Not bad, not bad at all. Definitely better than my commission from my forum donation. I did notice some typos though, plus it seemed a little impersonal with Isabela acknowledging Pepa just by her name instead of Aunt/Tía. Same at the end when she said Julieta instead of Mamá. Plus maybe Isabela wouldn’t use gardening tools? Since she has chlorokinesis and all. However…I will acknowledge you said you weren’t that familiar with the source material, plus I DEFINITELY liked the way the sneezes were spelled, you’re very good at that! A for effort. ☺️Also coincidently, the title you picked was the exact same title the AI generator put when I entered the prompt for the story.

[Selkie]

1 minute ago, Katzoo12 said:

Also coincidently, the title you picked was the exact same title the AI generator put when I entered the prompt for the story.

really? I was struggling with the title and asked for help with it from a friend who gave me that one, but as its only a title I’m not going to cause a fuss  

I try my best with grammar and spelling, running it through checkers so I apologise if some slipped through the cracks.

and you’re correct, I am unfamiliar with the lore/content of Encanto as I didn’t particularly enjoy the film itself but regardless I’m still glad you were able to enjoy!

Thanks for the feedback!

[SleepingPhlox]

Ooh, hello, powers malfunctioning from sneezing? That's like my catnip.

I loved how you had the different characters affected by the cold symptoms in different ways, reacting to it in different ways, and reacting to their issues with their powers in different ways all in line with the characters' personalities.  That's one thing I always admire about your writing, is how real and natural and full of personality you write every character!

Wonderful work!

 

[Selkie]

2 hours ago, SleepingPhlox said:

Ooh, hello, powers malfunctioning from sneezing? That's like my catnip.

Ooh I’m glad you enjoyed! ;D

 

2 hours ago, SleepingPhlox said:

That's one thing I always admire about your writing, is how real and natural and full of personality you write every character!

 And thank you!! Thats so sweet, I always tend to lean towards having more plot/character emotion (even if im unfamiliar with them) rather then just straight snz so I’m glad someone noticed and likes it! ;D