Chapter Text
Isabela sat around a group of children, 2 of them her own while the others were her nieces, nephews and cousins. She cleared her throat to get their attention as she spouted a few flowers from the ground to emphasize her storytelling. She used their petals and pollen to paint along the wall as she spoke.
"This is a story about my two sisters and I, when we were young. We were taught that the world was filled with magic and wonder. The source of this magic, was the ever changing lights in the sky. The shaman woman of our village, Alma Madrigal, aka Abuela or bisabuela in your case, told us that those lights were the spirits of out ancestors, and that they have the power to make changes in the world. Small things would become big, winter would turn to spring. They created change in everything. But the biggest change was that of my hermanita, Mirabel. A girl who desperately wanted to prove herself a woman."
It was a bright sunny day by the river. Isabela and Luisa sat down by the water, waiting for their younger sister. It was nearly time to go already when suddenly they heard the sound of a possible earthquake and someone yelling. Isabela looked on in confusion.
"What the hell..?"
"GET DOWN!"
Mirabel was running towards them with a group of donkeys running behind her.
"Get down! Get down!"
The two older girls ducked behind their kayaks, pulling Mirabel down with them. The donkeys were running around all over the place, but Luisa stood up and directed them to head back towards the village. Isabela got up from under where she was hiding and smacked Mirabel upside the head.
"What were you thinking?? You could've killed us Mirabel!"
"Sorry Isa, I just thought we might need one for our journey but I guess I might've scared them and they all started running."
"Ay Díos mío, you're gonna get us all in trouble Mira! Why would we need a donkey on the river?"
"..I didn't think that far ahead."
Luisa caught up to them and tucked a sister under each arm.
"Will you two knock it off por favor?"
"Don't worry Lulu, after today Isa won't treat me like that anymore."
"One right, your quinceañera, the big journey into womanhood since it's your 15th birthday. But it doesn't matter what the spirits say, you'll always be our baby sister."
"Oh yeah, well just wait until Abuela gives me my totem!"
"Baby sister!"
Isabela and Mirabel try to punch each other, despite being kept apart under Luisa's hold.
"Hey I said knock it off! We need to get going because the sooner we get back, the sooner we can get to Mirabel's ceremony. So let's just try to get along for the next couple hours, ok Isabela?"
"..Ok Luisa"
"Ok Mirabel-"
Luisa looks down to see that Mirabel has wiggled out from under her arm and was waiting her them in her kayak.
"C'mon hermanas, vamos!"
Luisa and Isabela get in their kayaks behind Mirabel and the three sisters set off on their journey down the river.