#pyrotechnician's interacts~

[dewedup]

the world is in flames (dewdrop ghoul)

The flames dancing in his eyes echoed into the depths of his soul, and he felt at peace.

-

Or Dewdrop earns a cult like following from the band's pyrotechnic team.

-

This was inspired by this post and I decided to elaborate on the tags I added.

This is purely to spark joy in my heart, no relationships but if you squint there's implied Raindrop.

Words: 2,014

Read under the cut or on AO3

Dew's favourite part of touring was the pyrotechnics. Even as a water ghoul he had a deep appreciation for the theatricality and beauty the flames added to the production of the show. But when he became a fire ghoul his fascination grew into a slight obsession. He loved the way the flames danced in time to the music and lit up the venues. He even began to practice his own pyrotechnic moves, and soon his skills were on par with those of the professionals. It was an art he was passionate about.

-

It started when the pyro team had an issue with one of the ignition sparks. It randomly stopped working and every attempt to restore it resulted in absolutely nothing. Dew watched silently from the stage, tuning his guitar idly as his fingers itched to join the madness the group was embarking on before him. After one too many dejected sighs, he suddenly snatched the guitar from around his body and deposited it on the stage below him. He walked right up to the team and peered over the lead’s shoulder as they moved wires around furiously. It seemed like a no-brainer to him, and he made his opinion clear by shoving his way through the bodies to rest a hand on the lead’s shoulder.

“Let me have a look,” Dew suggested, moving into place as he was given space to work. He fed a spark from his fingers along the wire he found oddly bent and was delighted to see it disappear into the fold. He heated his fingers to an ungodly level and welded the wire back into a more natural shape, pinching together lightly to bring the mechanism closer together. With a step back, he nodded at the woman in glasses standing in front of the control board. Her eyes widened comically, but she pushed the ignition button, nonetheless. The entire team let out a collective whoop as the flame sparked to life, casting light on Dew’s mask as a deep feeling of accomplishment settled into his body. The team continued to praise him, gracing him with light pats on the back, even a few handshakes, as they all reveled in delight at the miracle he had performed.

-

The band was hanging out on the tour bus, relaxing before the show that night as they usually did, when a knock sounded at the tour bus door. The ghouls shared a confused look as Rain detangled himself from the mess of limbs they’d created with a ghoul pile. He answered the door, and turned back to the group, surprise written all over his face.

“Uh, Dew? It’s for you,” Rain elaborated, which seemed to confuse the band even more. Dew, himself, felt somewhat hesitant to stand and walk to the door. The puzzled look on his face remained as he saw who stood there. The pyrotechnician with glasses was before him, wringing her fingers nervously as she bit her lip. Dew could feel the nervousness dripping off her, staining the air with an overwhelming scent of anxiety.

“Hi Dewdrop,” She spoke softly, swallowing hard. “I-well I mean we, the team, like collectively all of us, were wondering if you could give us a hand?” She stumbled over the words, almost talking so fast Dew had to strain to hear the words. 

“You need my help?” He confirmed aloud, his heartbeat picking up slightly at the idea of getting his hands on some pyrotechnic equipment again. She nodded in confirmation, a blush spreading across her cheeks at the group of ghouls who had gathered behind him, intensely watching the interaction between the fire ghoul and the human, like spectating a tennis match, eyes bouncing between the two. Dew wasn’t known for his positive attitude towards humans. Sure, he could fuck them, but he didn’t tend to make himself available for anything else, preferring the company of the other ghouls instead. The surprise continued to flow through the group as Dew leaped back into the tour bus, grabbing his jacket, and sliding his helmet into place as he ushered the girl before him out and towards the venue.

“Well, that’s new?” Mountain spoke aloud, the other ghouls nodded in agreement as they watched Dew disappear into the side entrance, already talking animatedly with his hands as the girl with glasses nodded along enthusiastically.

-

Swiss was going insane.

He couldn’t find Dew anywhere. The show had ended, and the group of ghouls were getting ready for a planned movie night, but a certain little fire ghoul was nowhere to be found. 

Swiss had checked everywhere, his bunk, Rain’s bunk, the bathroom, the smoking area outside of the bus. He even walked to the McDonald’s around the corner, knowing Dew had a penchant for nuggets that rivaled his love of guitar. He opened his phone to text the group chat, letting them know of the missing ghoul, when something caught his eye. The stagehand with the glasses had just walked out the door, a carry-out bag firmly in her hands.

Swiss moved swiftly, pushing out the door and jogging down the street to the familiar face. 

“Hey!” He shouted, the woman turning around with surprise, clutching the paper bag to her chest, as if to protect the food from whoever was chasing her down. Her wide eyes stared at him from behind the frames, her shoulders tensing as he came closer.

“Hello?” She questioned, eyes darting around to see if the ghoul was yelling at someone else but finding no one else in the vicinity. Confusion coloured her face as she lifted a hand, pointing towards herself, eyebrows raised in a question.

“You’re the one who came to the bus for Dew the other day right?” Swiss ventured, watching as the woman nodded. “What’s your name?”

“Oh, uh I’m Celeste, you’re Swiss right?” It was his turn to nod, and she nodded softly in return. He could almost see the wheels turning in her brain as she struggled to grasp why the multi-ghoul had flagged her down. “Did you forget your wallet or something?” She questioned, gesturing back to the McDonald’s they had just left. Swiss swallowed a laugh, as this almost stranger started reaching into her pocket, thinking he needed some money to get a late-night snack.

“No, thank you,” he replied gratefully, touched by the kindness she was showing him. It wasn’t often the ghouls were regarded with anything more than barely concealed disdain by their touring counterparts. “I’m actually looking for Dewdrop. Have you seen him around?”

Realization dawned on her face, along with a cheeky grin. 

“You mean the nugget fiend who bet Trevor he could eat 60 in a single sitting? Yeah, I’m about to bring these to him to watch the show. You want to tag along?”

And that’s how Swiss found himself following the woman back to the parking lot behind the venue. She brought him to another bus further from the ghoul’s own, and opened the door that barely concealed the excited shouting going on behind it. He climbed the steps and watched in amazement as Dew sat in the center of the room. The pyro team’s eyes were glued to his every word as he described how they could easily achieve a higher caliber of flames with just a few small tweaks to the equipment. The pyro lead looked like he was about to propose marriage, while another seemed to wipe drool from their face as they imagined the monstrosity they could create.

"Dew?" Swiss asked with a grin he couldn’t contain, even if he wanted to. The fire ghoul turned to him suddenly, just now noticing his presence. Dew’s face was pure excitement, no longer concealed by the helmet he had deposited unceremoniously on the floor. Not a single soul from the pyro team seemed to bat an eye at his exposed fangs and horns. Swiss even saw his tail swishing about behind him. Celeste carefully stepped over it to deposit her bag of nuggets on the center table.  

“Oh shit, I completely forgot about the movie night,” Dew moaned, his face falling as he slowly started to gather his things. The pack of cigarettes slipped back into his pocket as he retrieved his mask from the floor. Swiss felt the disappointment in the air and made a snap decision, pulling out his phone and sending a quick text to the group to start without them.

“I think we have more significant things to deal with,” Swiss said seriously, reaching up to undo his own helmet. He was greeted by smiles from the entire group as he revealed his own unmasked presence. Dew looked up in confusion, as Swiss took a seat on the floor with him. He nodded towards the bag Celeste had put down in front of, who Swiss assumed, was Trevor. Dew’s eyes lit up with realization, a cocky smirk gracing his lips as he narrowed his eyes at the lead pyro tech sitting in front of the nuggets.

“You’re right, there seems to be a bet to settle,” Dew chuckled darkly, grabbing at the take-out bag. Trevor, who had appeared confident up until this point, seemed to deflate a little at the gleam in both ghouls' eyes.

-

Dew couldn’t believe what he was seeing as he scrolled through the webpage, practically salivating at all the wonderful technology. He had offered to take over Swiss’ next heat from Cumulus in exchange for her help with the dark web. She was an electronic whiz and wouldn’t tell Dew what she used this specific knowledge to purchase. However, he was okay with staying in the dark if it meant he got unlimited access to the pyromaniac’s dream he was currently looking at.

Dew gleefully added everything that sparked joy in his heart to the cart, not bothering to look at the total as he used Rain’s crypto account to complete the purchase. He’s sure the water ghoul would notice almost immediately, but Rain could never stay mad at Dew. 

In a few weeks all the packages had arrived. Rain had become progressively more frustrated as the pile continued to grow in Dew’s closet. The ghouls all watched on as Dew carried the coveted items to the common room as he used some decorative paper he borrowed from Sunshine to wrap them. What started as a bystander event, quickly turned into a group effort when they noticed how excited, but horribly incompetent at wrapping gifts Dew was.

“Who are we addressing them to?” Mountain asked. Pieces of tape were stuck randomly to his horns to help craft the masterpiece before him. Dew mumbled something unintelligible, a fierce blush covering his cheeks as he ducked his head further, pretending to be completely enamoured by his wrapping job. Mountain eyed him curiously, smirking as he realized what was being said. He shrugged and returned back to his work, deciding to leave Dew to his own devices. He started adding more tape to his present, determined to finish it before Rain, who was struggling with an oddly shaped bottle of powder that was labelled ‘handle with care’.

“What was that?” Swiss chirped from the corner of the room, a grin spreading across his lips, because he definitely heard what Dew said, but wanted to confirm it.

“Flame gang,” Dew grits out, his chin tucked into his neck as the entire room erupted in laughter at the nickname for the pyrotechnic team.

-

Dew surprised them with the gifts at the start of their next tour, glad to see the same group of faces still in attendance. Celeste squealed with glee at the prospect of even bigger flames, and insisted they test it out immediately. Trevor agreed instantly but made them set up in an empty parking lot, not willing to test their luck in the venue as much as Dew claimed he could supress the fire from engulfing the entire building, even offering to enlist the help of the water ghoul.

Dew looked lovingly at his favourite group of flesh bags as they unleashed unholy flames into the sky. 

[yuurei20]

Jamil Info Compilation part 3: Firelit Sky

Grim invites himself along to the Yasamina River Fireworks Festival in the Firelit Sky event, despite Jamil doing “whatever it takes to talk them out of it.”

Jamil says he will not have time to babysit the prefect and Grim, but Kalim insists he wants them to learn about their home and Jamil acquiesces.

Kalim then decides they should bring “even MORE people” and that he will be inviting Cater and Lilia as well.

Kalim asks if Jamil has anyone he would like to invite and Jamil says he wouldn’t be able to host properly if he did. Kalim then decides to give both Cater and Lilia a plus-one and runs away before Jamil can argue.

The day before the festival Jamil gives the prefect and Grim five alarm clocks “just to be safe" so they will be on time.

The group meets with a monkey trained to be a pickpocket during the festival, and Jamil comes up with a plan to catch the street performer thief, saying, “I’ve spent my entire trip playing both babysitter and tour guide. And I refuse to let all that work go down the drain because of some petty thief! You’re going to pay for adding to my workload.”

(Jamil’s workload during the festival involves arranging for a driver, following Kalim’s instructions, interacting with vendors on everyone’s behalf at multiple different food stands and fetching fireworks for the group.)

At the end of the festival the pyrotechnician whom they helped by catching the thief thanks them by offering Jamil a role in “the most critical part of the Fireworks Fest.”

Much like when they pressured Jamil to allow Najma to join their group, Cater, Trey and Malleus each insist that Jamil participates.

Kalim asks if giving the signal felt like a lot of pressure and Jamil responds, “Of course not. I do a high-pressure job every day.”

Jamil admits that he has “never been in such a good mood at this festival” and that he had fun. When Kalim says they should bring friends every year Jamil says, “Do you have ANY idea how stressful this day was for me?,” but soon follows with, “…maybe having everyone here isn’t so bad after all.”

(He also has a voice line about how walking around with schoolmates in his hometown is much more embarrassing than he had expected.)

[tropicalsnuggles]

(Click the image Tumblr killed it) - Boom! Some more ocs! I try not to have so many ocs but these two just appeared at my doorstep one day.

Please take my lovely gay couple. They are a bit eccentric and I have spent two days drawing this,--

On the left - 

A four-inch fae named Dotburn. She is an aspiring paleontologist with a natural knack for the piano. Dotburn is serious, judgmental, and practical. She holds herself as if she comes from a prestigious line of royalty. When it comes to social settings she is extremely reserved but unafraid to let out a reputation-destroying quip when provoked. The fae is a radical perfectionist; having a hard time working with a flexible schedule. Having to take a different path to get to her room will deeply affect her. Dotburn has misophonia which leads her to become more isolated from society. Her favorite geological time is the Carboniferous period due to its giant insects. The fae avoids nicknames at all costs. Using constructive complaints as a sign of affection. Currently, she is the lead conductor and pianist for the theater run by borrowers and other small sentient species. She lives with her wife, Iriquoi, and the traveling theater.

On the right - 

Looking as if she has several diseases; Iriquoi the vulkey on first impression often upsets people. She quotes things that she has no context for which can lead to confusion and anger when interacting with her. She has a hyena-like laugh that can be heard even when the woman is crying. Despite her ragged appearance and the guilty way, she holds herself. Iriquoi is a very loving individual who will be a loyal friend to the end. She goes through drastic mood swings; she can go without sleep for days and then sleep for a whole week. There is no in-between. Iriquoi is obsessed with math to an unhealthy degree. Solving math equations that Harvard has been stumped by during random bursts of energy. Currently, she is a pyrotechnician for the theater run by borrowers and other small sentient species. She lives with her wife, Dotburn, and the traveling theater.

[pyrotechworkspacesolution]

Exploring Pyrotech: Revolutionizing Fireworks with Command Center Console

Pyrotechnics, the art and science of creating dazzling displays of fireworks, has long captivated audiences with its bursts of color, light, and sound. In recent years, the field has seen a remarkable evolution with the advent of pyrotech – a fusion of pyrotechnics and technology. At the heart of this revolution lies the command center console, a sophisticated tool that has transformed the way fireworks shows are designed, controlled, and experienced.

The Birth of Pyrotech: Traditionally, orchestrating a fireworks display was a labor-intensive process involving meticulous planning, manual ignition, and precise timing. However, the emergence of pyrotech ushered in a new era of innovation, where digital technologies took center stage. Command center consoles became the nerve center of these modern fireworks spectacles, offering pyrotechnicians unprecedented control and flexibility.

The Role of Command Center Console: Imagine a control room brimming with monitors, consoles, and cutting-edge software – this is where the magic of pyrotech unfolds. At the heart of it all is the command center console, a sleek interface that empowers operators to choreograph every aspect of the show with precision. From timing the explosions to synchronizing music and special effects, the console serves as the conductor's baton, guiding the symphony of light and sound.

Key Features and Capabilities: A modern command center console is equipped with a plethora of features designed to streamline the fireworks design process and enhance the viewer experience. These may include:

Real-time Visualization: Advanced 3D modeling software allows operators to visualize the fireworks display in real-time, enabling them to fine-tune every aspect of the show with unparalleled accuracy.

Synchronization with Music: By integrating with audio systems, the console enables pyrotechnicians to synchronize fireworks with music, creating immersive multimedia experiences that leave audiences in awe.

Safety Protocols: Built-in safety protocols ensure that pyrotechnic displays are executed with the utmost care and compliance with regulatory standards, minimizing the risk of accidents or mishaps.

Remote Control Capabilities: In some cases, command center consoles can be operated remotely, allowing pyrotechnicians to orchestrate displays from a safe distance and expand the possibilities of where and when fireworks shows can take place.

The Future of Pyrotech: As technology continues to advance, the future of pyrotech holds boundless possibilities. From incorporating drones into aerial displays to leveraging augmented reality for interactive experiences, the boundaries of what can be achieved with command center consoles are constantly being pushed.

Conclusion: Pyrotech represents a fusion of tradition and innovation, breathing new life into the age-old art of pyrotechnics. At the heart of this transformation lies the command center console – a powerful tool that empowers pyrotechnicians to push the boundaries of creativity and spectacle. As we look to the future, one thing is certain: the fireworks displays of tomorrow will continue to dazzle and inspire, thanks to the revolutionary capabilities of pyrotech and the command center console.

[shimmerbeasts]

Okay, do I now work on more drafts or try writing out the two modern verses for Jinx? One where she is a pyrotechnician (this is specifically to interact with the League bands) and one for the Star Guardian universe?

[swagsauce23]

firework go boom boom boom! | isabela madrigal

Pairing: Isabela Madrigal x Pyrotechnician!Reader Summary: The 3 times Isabela Madrigal encountered the hazardous, awkward and fire prone Reader. Word Count: 10k (bro i swear i got possessed by shakespeare or something wtf i didnt think it was this long) Content Includes: Light Swearing, my lackluster knowledge of fireworks and gender neutral reader (i switch back and forth between masc and fem words) Althor's Note: hi i haven't written in a long time so this might end up awful even though its so long (my love for isabela madrigal is so insane that i just HAD to do something about it so this is very self indulgent HAHA, some chars might be a little bit ooc so many sorries for that) there's some wholesome interactions here and there with the other madrigals, id also like to say im not columbian, so if there's anything wrong with this, please tell me! thanks! :)

Number one,

You carefully put your hand on the doorknob, turning back to where your sister and your mother are, preparing the food for lunch. "Mami, I'm going out to get my arms healed. Do you need anything?" You asked.

"Ah, no. Just make sure to come home safe, mi hijo." She answers, not looking up from boiling pot on the stove.

"I forgot the fireworks for Antonio's ceremony, mind getting them for me?" Your sister looks up at you as you give her an unamused expression. "¿Por favor?" She pleads. You sigh, before shaking your head. "You owe me!" You shout at her as you open the door to go outside. "Gracias, hermana!" She thanks you as you close the door behind you.

You make your way down town, where all the hustle and bustle is as the sun shines brightly on you. From Tia Julieta's little stand for her magical Arepa con Queso that can pretty much heal anything, to your own family's stand, where all sorts of firecrackers, fireworks, and other.. fire-y things.

The latter may or may not have exploded just a tiny bit the day before.. Nearly taking your fingers off from your hands when you were trying to show the kids the sparklers you made, which caused a firecracker to accidentally explode and resulted to the 3rd degree burns under your bandaged arms. It hurt just as much as the times your mami throws a slipper at you for whatever stupid thing you've done but you were glad that no one else got badly injured.  

That being said, you continued to make your way to Julieta Madrigal's stand where, as usual, the long line of people is. You sighed impatiently, looking around before seeing Mirabel, smiling as you approached her.

"MIRABEL THE MIRACLE!" You shout at her direction, grabbing her attention as she turns back to look at you with a groan (Although there's a smile present on her face.)

"That nickname is absolutely horrible! I told you to stop calling me that." She scolds you playfully, you only grin at her as you appear at her side while she assorts different fabrics on the table in front of her.

"Well, it's true, isn't it? Mirabel the Miracle, always helping the people of Encanto. Mirabel the Miracle, makes the best stuffed toys I've ever seen my whole life! Mirabel the Miracle-"

"Okay- okay! You can stop now."

"I'm serious, your name even rhymes with miracle! It fits you." You say encouragingly with a small smile. She returns it with one of her own, (You don’t mention  the slight downward tilt it has.) before her eyes drift downward to your bandaged arms.

"Jeez, you haven't checked that out with my mom yet?" Mirabel changes the subject as she asks you with concern, you only shrug.

A girl appears at your side, before the said girl transforming into Camilo.

"I believe those are the consequences of your actions." He teases you with a smirk on his face. You roll your eyes, "Did your sister tell you? Oh, who am I kidding, I pretty much embarrassed myself in front of the whole town." You sigh as you run a hand down your face.

"I think you should be more concerned with those injuries you have, you should really check that out." Mirabel says, scrutinizing the burns that aren't covered by the bandages on your arms.

You sigh dramatically, putting a hand on your forehead. "But my pride, Mirabel! The people of Encanto will now think of me as an idiota!" You exclaim haphazardly.

Camilo laughs loudly, "It'll never beat that one time with the amazing fireworks you made for my birthday." He says, pointing at you.

You and Mirabel processed his words, before Mirabel lets out a groan at remembering the horrible memory he brought up.

"Amazing? More like disastrous! It was horrifying!" She says with a laugh of her own.

"Wait, is that the one with the donkey scented fireworks-"

"Yes! Truly an unforgettable memory!" Camilo laughs even louder as he starts to remember more about what happened.

"Okay- wait! I don't think I should be the one being blamed for this, you were the one begging for those, I didn't even know how to scent fireworks!" You say as you try to put the blame on him, but he only laughs louder.

"And that was when you decided to put powdered donkey manure into the fireworks! I don't even know why you thought following Camilo was a good idea." Mirabel says as she points a finger at you, she begins laughing even harder at the horrible event. You cringe when you start remembering what happened.

"Well, I guess I wasn't thinking clearly. Also, I don't think it smelled that bad. I mean, the smoke seemed to cover most of it up." You tried to explain yourself but you were inevitably drowned out by the sounds of Mirabel and Camilo's laughing.

"Dios mio, Isabela had to cover the entire village with flowers for weeks!" Camilo says once he calms down from his laughing fit, you only groan louder at the embarrassing situation.

"And speak of the devil-"

As you were trying to get over the humiliation that was coursing through your body. Isabela Madrigal appeared on the center of the plaza, sprouting perfect flowers everywhere (to Mirabel's displeasure) as she slowly approaches the three of you.

"If it seems like I'm going to do anything irrational, please stop me." Mirabel says as grips your shoulder for mental stability.

"Sure, anything for my favorite Madrigal." You chuckle at her words as you put an arm around her, pulling her closer.

"I thought I was your favorite?" Camilo turns to you with a slight pout, you smile sheepishly at him before carefully putting another arm around him as well.

"Well, all of the Madrigals are my favorites." You say, both of the younger Madrigals groaning at how cheesy you are, just as Isabela stops in front the three of you.

"That includes me, right?" Isabela says jokingly, you raise your eyebrows as if to say 'Obviously.' with a small smile.

"Isa." Mirabel says, Isabel's eyes drift towards her.

"Sis."

"Adios, amigo." Camilo says as he senses the tension, removing your arm around him as he waves you goodbye as to go to who knows where.

You give him a small wave goodbye, looking between the 2 Madrigal sisters as they participate in an intense staring contest.

"Isabela, enjoying the lovely weather?" You say, cutting the tension with a knife. Isabela looks over to you, her eyebrows raising as she gives you a small smile.

"Mhm, Tia Pepa is excited as you can see, she's also very glad to hear Camilo not causing any trouble." She glances behind her to see Camilo playing with the children, before turning back to you. "It's nice seeing you around here, as well as accompanying my sister.." She says, teasing Mirabel and you can only pull her closer, making her groan in embarrassment.

"Of course. It's an absolute honor to be with her, Mirabel the Miracle. It's, also, an absolute pleasure to see you again." You put your hand up for a handshake, not missing the chance to tease Mirabel as she lets out another groan.

An amused smile appears on Isabela's face as she takes your hand, her eyes scanning the bandages around your arms. "Do you remember the donkey incident on Camilo's birthday? This person is the cause of that." Mirabel teases you back as she shoves your arm away from her shoulder.

"Mirabel!" You slap her shoulder weakly in retaliation as your cheeks grew hot from being embarrassed in front of her sister, causing you to release your hand from Isabela's.

Isabela lets out a small snort, immediately covering half of her face with her hand. You and Mirabel look at her with wide eyes. The silence is suddenly in the air, Isabela fake-coughs behind her hand, followed by a small 'ahem.'

"Right. Uh, Mirabel, Mamá needs help restocking the food." Isabela says. Mirabel raises an eyebrow at this, "You sure I'm the only one who's getting called?" She questions her suspiciously.

Isabela rolls her eyes, "I'll help too." She mutters quietly. A small smirk appears on Mirabel's face.

You quickly looked over at the place where Tia Julieta's stand is, seeing it empty with no people lining up at all. You looked over back to Mirabel and Isabela. "I’ll come with you, I need to treat these arms after all." You say, raising your arms slightly.

"Oh, right! We need you patched up. Let's go!" Mirabel says, grabbing your arm as she drags you towards her house. You wince at the contact, "Mirabel, easy on the arm, it's as weak as my will to live!" you joke as she loosens her grip on you.

"Perdón, just needed to get myself away from her before my will to live gets even weaker than yours." She sighs.

"Her? Your sister?" You ask, Mirabel gives you a look that says 'Who else?' You hum, looking back to see Isabela just trailing behind the two of you. She looks around the town before being stopped by a little boy tugging on her dress. She pauses for a moment, grabbing a flower from her hair to put in the little boy's. She gives him a small smile, he giggles before he says goodbye to her, running off to somewhere else.  

"Just look at her, ay, she cuts my lifespan by 50%." Mirabel grumbles to you, you chuckle. "That's a little over the top, Isabela seems all right." You say, admiring Isabela as she gives more flowers to another person who approached her.

You're fully aware of Mirabel's detest of her older sister. You don't know her sister well, so you assumed it was because of sibling rivalry, or maybe jealousy. The normal sibling thing, but as you got to know the young Madrigal more, it was clear that it was something deeper and quite unhealthy. You've tried asking Mirabel about it in hopes that you can help, but it always ends up with you stuck in her room as she goes on about how much she despises her sister and how much her sister despises her. You're more than glad to indulge in her antics.  

"Sure, but that's what she wants you to think! In truth, she's actually just "Señorita Perfecta Isabela." She continues grumbling and you can only laugh at the nickname she gave her.

"I think you're being a little too harsh on her, Mirabel." You look at her, slowly lifting your arm to put your chin in between your thumb and your index finger. "Don't tell me you're a part of the Isabela fan club!" Mirabel exclaims in shock. "There's a fan club?" You ask in surprise. Mirabel nods as another groan comes out of her.

"Well, come on, think of it like this!" You start, "You remember.. the fireworks I made for Camilo, right?" you ask, before shaking your head as Mirabel lets out a loud laugh. "Whatever! They weren't all that pretty when you first looked at them right?" You ask her,

"Well, I mean they were practically covered and smelled like horrible-" You shush her from saying any further, "Okay- okay, yes, but," You raise a finger, "When I lit it up, it flew into the sky, and boom! Beautiful- no, their true colors appeared!" You say, exaggerating your statement as you wave your hand in the air. You look back at Mirabel who has her arms crossed against her chest, with one eyebrow raised.

"I'm just saying, if you somehow find out how to light a spark with your sister, you'll know who she truly is." You say with a smile on your face as you nudged her arm with yours.

"Or, she'll just appear as total shit!"

"Mirabel!"

-

Isabela waves goodbye to the lady that came up to her, turning around to find you and Mirabel.. fighting? She's confused as she walks closer to the two of you, she can hear words like "Don't be so mean to her-" "She's mean to me, it's a mutually mean relationship!" Both of your hands were flailing around and eventually you and Mirabel giggled at the absurdity of the situation.

Isabela can see how you practically glow with her sister, that she can't help a small smile sneak onto her face at the sight.

"Oh, Isabela, the weather is beautiful but not as beautiful as you." A voice, similar to yours appears right beside Isabela, whispering right against her ear. She turns around to see your copycat. She rolls her eyes before lightly slapping Camilo in the face with her flowers, some of them ending up in his mouth.

He transforms back as he coughs the petals out. "You like them." He points at Isabela accusingly. Isabela rises a brow, slapping his hand out of her face, "Sure." She says sarcastically before making her way towards you and Mirabel, with Camilo trailing behind.

"I have never seen you talk or even look at someone like that." He teases his cousin, poking the back of her shoulder repeatedly. Isabela can only shoo him away, used to his antics that's made for annoying her.

"Isabela!" you call out to her, noticing her presence. She gives you a small wave as she nods at you, choosing to ignore Camilo's shit-eating grin as he runs past her.

"Hurry up, slowpoke! We can't wait for you all day while you do your perfect flowery- flower thing!"

Isabela scoffs and rolls her eyes as Mirabel drags you away, Camilo looking back at her with his eyebrows wiggling up and down.

"MIRABEL, MY ARM!"

-

The four of you shortly arrived in the Madrigal Home, where Mirabel quickly pushed you inside the kitchen where her mother is, Camilo and Isabela entering shortly after.

Julieta spins around upon hearing the footsteps stopping in the room, to find your very badly bandaged arms as she lets out a small laugh. "Go lean on the counter, I'm working on the last batch of arepas." She says kindly, turning back around as the four of you shuffle around the room. Camilo immediately going to the baskets on the tables that seem to have more arepas in them.

"Cause of injury, firework explosion. I thought they already went to you, mom. Turns out they haven't." Mirabel exclaims, lightly scolding as you get comfortable on the kitchen counter behind you.

"I keep telling you to be more careful. You remind me of my husband, except it seems that you get yourself in more dangerous situations than him." Julieta teases you with a laugh, making you squirm as Camilo and Isabela tries to not laugh at your predicament.

"Good thing dad isn't here. It'd be double the trouble." Mirabel says to her mother, making both of them laugh louder.

Suddenly, Camilo runs out of the room at lightning speed, grabbing all your attention with him. Isabela only looks at Mirabel and sighs, "He stole the arepas." She says, used to his troublemaking schemes.

"CAMILO!" Mirabel shouts as she dashes out of the room to chase him, you can hear shouting and running outside the kitchen before a large crash blows throughout the whole house.

Julieta shakes her head with a smile before grabbing 2 arepas from the baskets, walking outside before stopping to look at Isabela. "Isa, please finish that batch for me, and help them out with their arm. Gracias." She says one last time, leaving you and Isabela in the kitchen.

Isabela turns to look at you and gives a you an awkward smile, approaching the kitchen counter where her mother was filling the dough with cheese, continuing her duty as you quietly watched her.

"You should unwrap those bandages, I can see Mama cringe at how horrible you did it." Isabela says, nodding her head towards your arms. You look at them and back up at her, "I thought I did a good job." You say with an awkward chuckle as you slowly began unwrapping them just as she said.

"No wonder you and Mirabel get along. You both cause so much trouble." She says, and you can't tell if she's scolding you or teasing you.

"Well, I don't think Mirabel does on purpose. She's way too sweet and hard on herself. Even if she does end up causing a ruckus, it's probably because she's clumsy in that charming Mirabel way of hers." You start, "One time, she stepped on my toe, and we weren't even dancing together. We ended up making all the other dancers fall." You recall as you rub your neck embarrassingly at the memory. Isabela lets out a small laugh as she continues moving on with filling another arepa with cheese.

"That's something you two would definitely do. I'm not even surprised." She says, giving you a teasing smile.

"I wish she'd learn a thing or two from her beautiful, older sister, if not for me then at least for her future dance partners' sake." You say, returning her smile with a chuckle. (You didn't notice how her face flushed from the praise.)

"If only." She nods, agreeing with you. "But we don't talk to each other. Not that we want to anyway." Isabela says, focusing her attention back on the arepas.

"I guess you're aware how much Mirabel badmouths and shades you, for good reason or not, but I can guarantee that she's always admired you in a weird way." You say softly, gauging her reaction to see if this is something that she's comfortable talking about.

Isabela looks up at you, with a questionable look on her face. "Hm, how do you know that?" She asks, curious to know more about what her sister has said to you about her.

"It's usually only on very, very rare occasions. But, when she does talk about you in a positive light, she goes on tangents about how can you be so graceful and perfect, you know, how silky smooth your hair is!" You lightly tease her, taking a piece of your hair and twirling it around your finger. Isabela scoffs at the action as another smile sneaks on her face.

"I extremely doubt that."

"I'm not kidding, plus I have a younger sister, I think I'm more than an expert on this subject." You say, but Isabela only raises her eyebrows more at you.

"Did you also forget that I've been her babysitter ever since her 5th birthday?" You continue, not wanting to recall the reason behind how 8-year-old you found Mirabel, far from the fireworks that still blasted to the sky, despite what happened that night. You shake your head at the thought as Isabela hums while nodding.

"Well, point is, she talks about you a lot, negatively or positively. Sometimes all I hear is "Isabela this," "Isabela that," all day. Either way, it all comes from her sisterly love." You say, slightly teasing her. Isabela gives you a soft smile, a little happy that her little sister thinks of her in a good light somewhat.

"You should, I don't know, probably go easier on her, or something. It'd just suck if two of my favorite Madrigals are forever arch-enemies." You say with an awkward chuckle, but you got your message across.

Isabela listens to your words carefully, she's relieved that her baby sister thinks of her like that, yet guilt pools inside of her. The only times they haven't been actively hostile to each other is when you're around. Sparkly you, always trying to relieve the tension between them by bringing up an embarrassing story about Mirabel that Isabela wouldn't know in any other way, then Mirabel would counter that with another story about how you completely humiliate yourself once again. Now that she's thinking about it, Isabela has always admired how you're so carefree, in that charming way of yours. She's even a little envious every time her sister talks about you, maybe it's because she wants to be like you, or be with you. (Wait, what does that mean?)

Speaking of her sister...

Isabela shakes her head to ignore your last words, "That's funny, because all I hear from her is how great you are." she says, "Me? Great?" You ask, and Isabela nods to confirm, you shake your head in disbelief. "Didn't you just say that you don't talk to each other?"

"Well, it's more so her talking about you to mamá, as you just experienced." She explains, you nod. "Usually about how you dislocated your hand or how you single-handedly entertained all the kids." She continues, ignoring how you smiled at her with a sheepish grin from what she said, "Sometimes she says stories from your past, sometimes along the lines of how you let her light the fireworks at 5 years old, which was a very dangerous thing to do, by the way." She laughs as your eyes widen, "Snitch." You mutter quietly, she laughs louder at that.

"Don't worry, mamá loves you. Me too, even. You've always been nice to my family." Isabela says, and you fidget with the ends of your bandages at her words. "And I'm glad you can put my little sister on a leash when she goes too far." she adds, and you burst out laughing at the remark.

Your laughter was short-lived when your arm bumped hard against the island countertop, making you grimace in pain. Isabela quickly stopped what she was doing as she shoves an arepa from one of the baskets in your mouth. You gave her a nod as thanks while you covered your mouth with a hand to prevent any crumbs from coming out.

You continue chewing as Isabela looks at with you with concern, you give her a thumbs up as your arms began to slowly itself and she gives you a relieved smile before finishing the last batch of the arepas.

Mirabel comes back with her hand pinching Camilo's ear as she drags him back in the kitchen, forcing him to drop the arepas he stole back in the baskets.

"Where's mamá?" Isabela turns to her sister as she lightly scolds Camilo. "She's helping Tia Pepa calm down." Mirabel says deadpan, turning to look at her and turning back to see Camilo grin sheepishly.

You laugh at the Madrigals in front of you in amusement, stretching your arms as they seem to be fully healed. "Well, I'm going to go, now." You announce, their attention going to you.

"So soon?" Isabela says, and Mirabel looks at her with a suspicious expression.

"Unfortunately, I'd love to be in your company for a little while longer but I have a lot of things to prepare for, chores to do." You say, giving her a smile as you make your way towards the exit in the kitchen, "It was a delight to be with you guys and Camilo, don't cause trouble." You tease him, and he only shrugs with a smile.

"I'll see you guys later tonight. Thank you for the arepa, Isabela!" You bid goodbye with a wave as you race out of the house.

"What did you guys talk about?" Camilo turns to Isabela as soon as you're out of sight.

Isabela throws an arepa at his face.

❀

Number two,

You stood in a corner of the room, just looking around with wonder as your mother and sister engage in conversation with the other guests in Antonio's new room, just shortly after when he received his new gift.

The music was bouncing through the air, making the room so lively that the people around you started dragging their partners to dance along with. Soon enough, you made your way through the crowd to get outside— right before bumping into someone, nearly making both of you stumble to the ground.

"Hey! Watch where you're going-" They said, their voice tinted with annoyance, and you looked up to see Isabela's eyes meet yours.

"Ah! Isabela, sorry! I didn't mean to bump in to you." You apologized to her as you brushed off the non-existent dust on your legs.

"Oh, no, it's okay. It's no big deal." She said, shaking her hand to dismiss you. You gave her a small smile as you patiently waited for her to move away from the door that led to the rest of the Madrigal Residence.

"Sorry- were you trying to, uh, get outside?" She asked awkwardly, pointing the door behind her with both of her thumbs.

"Yes, outside." you said as you let out a quiet chuckle, she shuffled out of the way adorably, letting you go out first, following behind you shortly after.

You looked at her with slight confusion as she tries to avoid eye contact with you, looking at the other direction as both of you leaned onto the blue railing her home had on the second floor.

"So," she starts, "What are you doing out here? I mean, the party's inside there, you know." she asks, tilting her head towards Antonio's open door.

"I wanted to get fresh air," You pause, "which is kind of ironic because Antonio's room is quite literally an entire jungle and you know, there's a lot of plants and trees in there and photosynthesis and they release a lot of oxygen, so there's already a ton of fresh air in there-" you paused to catch your breath, "I mean, it's already sort of insane how a huge jungle can fit in there. Also, Antonio can talk to animals! That's insane." You exclaimed.

"You're acting as if our entire family doesn't have magical gifts." Isabela says with a small tease to her voice.

"Oh! Don't get me wrong, having a gift of any kind would just be enchanting." You raised your arms in mock defense, "Imagine I can make fireworks from my hands!" You say to her as you put your head on your hand.

"That would be disastrous." She says, you looked over at her with a raised eyebrow. "You would blow up the entire Encanto." Isabela explains, full-on teasing you now.

You gasp in offense jokingly, "You think of me like that? I would never!" You whisper-shouted, "Look, I've been working with fireworks since forever, I've most definitely never, ever, ever gotten a single burn in my entire life." You say, sarcasm leaking from your voice as Isabela lets out a laugh.

"Didn't you get dragged by my sister to eat our Mamá's famous healing arepas because of said burns?" She teases you with a smile on her face.

"Sarcasm, Isabela Madrigal! Also, not everyone is perfect. I think it's impressive enough that I've survived this long making explosives." You say, returning her smile with one of your own.

Isabela raises her eyebrows at your statement, "Wait, did you make the fireworks earlier?" she asks. "What? Of course! All by myself, sort of." You said as if it was common knowledge. Isabela only raises her eyebrows even more in surprise.

"You didn't know?"

"Well, I thought that your family was known for making fireworks, and that you were just sort of the trouble maker." She explains, but a smirk on her face appears as she teases you once more.

You shake your head in disagreement, "Well, you are very wrong, princessa." you say, the name slight sliding out smoothly as you let out a laugh in disbelief.

"It is I who makes the beautiful fireworks around our beautiful Encanto," You say, arms opening wide open as Isabela looks at you amused. "Do apologize to Dolores on my behalf for tonight, I always feel bad for her when I light them up." You whisper to her, rubbing the back of your neck.

Isabela lets a small laugh under her breath, "Sure." she says. "And, I was looking for Mirabel after that... fiasco back there, but she's nowhere. If you find her, check up on her for me, if you could."

"Oh, she's probably off somewhere causing some trouble. I'm surprised you're not with her." Isabela says, teasing you.

"Have some faith in your sister! I know I'm supposed to be her babysitter but sometimes it's the other way around." You say, pointing a finger at her, and she slaps your hand away with a smile.

"I can't have faith in either of you, based on the humiliating stories you two constantly tell me." She says, shaking her head in amusement.

You scoff, "Well, I can't say for much for Mirabel, I think you should get to know her yourself. But I'll be more than glad to give you reasons as to why you should most definitely trust me when your life is in my hands."

"I don't like how you phrased that." She says with slight concern, you only laugh at her. "But, okay, go on."

"I'm sure you know that I'm all about, fire and explosions- chemicals and all that." You say, "My mother is in no way in condition of making very hazardous explosives so she focuses on other things we sell. My sister is in charge of the materials, as well as the plant and flower alternatives for our fireworks." You explain, "So that only leaves me, I am absolutely not letting my mami do the work and there's no way I'm working with flowers, they annoy me." You finish rambling, letting out a small groan at even the thought of working with flowers.

Isabela raises her eyebrows at this.

You only just realized what you said as you quickly turned to her in panic, "Not in a bad way! It's just that, I hate flowers! Wait- no, I just get really sneezy around them, not allergic or anything! It's just that if they smell bad and my body acts up I get really sick around them. I'm not saying flowers smell bad, they're absolutely beautiful and they smell good! Most of the time- well actually, maybe sometimes. But even then they don't annoy me as much when you're around, they usually smell really good and really pretty too! Like you, you smell good- wait, that's kind of weird. You're pretty like a flower- yeah!"

While you continued to ramble, Isabela only continued to get more and more flustered as you unconsciously got closer to her. Flowers were sprouting on her hair and another one sprouted right in front of her, and right below your foot- causing you to fall forward on her and land in an extremely questionable position-

You only processed what just happened when you felt your hands land on the floor below you. You tilted your head to see Isabela's face so close to you-

"Dios mio, I am so, so, sorry-" You kept muttering apologies as you scrambled to get the both of you up, tearing your eyes away from her to save the tiniest bit of your sanity left.

"It's okay! I don't mind!" Isabela blurted out, you both realizing what she just said, causing one of your knees to give in as both of you fall on the floor. Again. Embarrassingly.

"Oi, hermano! Mami's looking for yo-" A familiar voice reaches you, your sister, only younger by a couple of years. She stands in Antonio's doorway before landing her eyes on you and Isabela, completely frozen in her tracks.

"It's not what it looks like!" Both you and Isabela whisper-shouted at her. Your sister could only stare horrified as the two of you stood up awkwardly from your previous positions.

"Hermanita, I can explain-" You started, but your younger sister only raised her hand for you to zip your mouth.

"I don't want to hear it. I'll just pretend I never saw what I just saw. That was a horrifying and traumatizing-" She said with a serious tone, but you could tell it was also to tease you as she had her head turned, using her other hand to cover her eyes from the sight she just saw.

"Okay, you know what, just go!" You ushered her back in the room in embarrassment. Looking back at Isabela and mouthing an "I am so sorry." to her. She smiles awkwardly at you and all you want at that point is for Casita to bury you under the ground.

You walk back into Antonio's room as your little sister leads you to your mother. She looks back at you and whispers, "Are you dating Isabela Madrigal?" She asks you with wide eyes.

"No! I'm not!" You whisper-shouted at her as you cover your face with your hands.

"What the hell was that back there then?" She asks, desperate for what's about to unfold.

"It's too embarrassing! I'm not telling you."

"You have to tell me!"

-

Isabela stabilized herself on the railing behind her, a hand on her flushed face as she waited for the embarrassment to fade away. The tiles in front of her clacked up and down, seemingly teasing her as Isabela let out a small huff. "Casita, no." She said before pushing herself to go back in Antonio's room.

She stood beside her Abuela as she watched the rest of the crowd have fun. Soon later, two of her beloved cousins came in her sight. Dolores and Camilo approached her with a smug grin on both of their faces, Isabela can only hope it isn't because of the very same thing that caused her to be so flushed.  

"Hola, princessa." Camilo purrs at her teasingly as they both stand on either side of her. Dolores lets out a giggle when Isabela punches him on the shoulder harshly. "Ow!" He lets out a pained groan.

"Dolores, what did you tell him?" Isabela snaps her head towards her other cousin, Dolores raises her eyebrows innocently. "It's more like what he told me." Dolores teases as she looks at you from across the room, seeing you being bothered by your younger sister as she tries to get something out of you.

"I'm telling you, Dolores. You should've seen her!" Camilo says, recalling the day he bumped into you in town. "Oh trust me, I heard all of that a mile away." Dolores says knowingly as Isabela lets out a groan between the two of them.

"I have never seen Isabela interact with anybody like that." Camilo says, a hand on his chest to feign shock. "I mean, she doesn't really talk to anybody, does she?" He mocks her, "Excuse me, I'd like to tell you that I have many friends in Encanto." Isabela defends herself.

Camilo only shrugs with a teasing grin on his face as Isabela scoffs at him.

"I mean, Isa, all the times I've heard you in town is either your flowers swooshing in the air or Abuela forcing you to talk to someone, take, I don't know," Dolores' eyes looks around the room searching, when she lands on a certain handsome man. "Take Mariano for example." She says softly, almost sounding as if she's swooning, Isabela notices this with a small smile on her face.

"Pfft, she's saying you need friends, mi prima." Camilo says with a laugh, not before getting another nudge to the stomach, "Oof!"

"Well, I don't need friends, or anyone for that matter." Isabela says smugly, "I think I'm perfectly perfect, alone."

Camilo shakes his head in disapproval when he hears her say that and Dolores lets out a small chuckle at her. "Really? I thought you'd be more than glad to be a certain someone's friend." Dolores comments as her gaze goes back to you telling your sister about something, another grin appearing on her face as she overhears what you say.

"You're pretty, they say. It'd be nice to get closer to you, they say." Dolores whispers, Camilo lets out a buoyant laugh when Isabela sprouts flowers on her hair.

"Sis, weren't you just about to tell me something? What is it?!" Camilo asks excitedly and Isabela looks at Dolores only to find a smirk directed at her.

Dolores couldn't even open her mouth before Isabela shoves a flower inside to silence her.

-

Your sister only teases you when you finish telling her the embarrassing thing that just occurred a few moments ago, you cringed as your eyes dart around the room for them to land on Dolores and Camilo laughing, at Isabela's glowing face.

"That is embarrassing. You've embarrassed yourself in front of a Madrigal, that's twice the embarrassment!" Your sister says and you purposely ignore her to continue admiring Isabela.

"You don't even have shame staring at her, right after what just happened!" Your sister laughs, poking fun at you. You were about to shout at her in humiliation before your mother approaches you two.

"What are you two up to again?" She asks looking between you two, an amused expression on her face.

"Mami, they've completely dragged our family name to the ground, burned it, crushed it, completely and utterly destroyed it-" Your little sister teases loudly as she goes to your mother.

"Oh?" Your mother says as she looks at you with raised eyebrows.

"It's nothing! She's just exaggerating, ma." You say, pushing your sister aside.

"They embarrassed themselves in front of the Isabela Madrigal, mamá. We're talking about Isabela Madrigal here. The golden flower of Encanto- the eldest child of the Madrigals!"

"Mija, I think you're the only one who seems to care about this, your sibling would already be used to humiliating themselves."

"Ma!"

❀

Number three,

It's been a couple of days since the Casita broke down, as well as the rest of the Madrigal family losing their gifts, and finding Mirabel- A lot of things has happened and during this period, the rest of Encanto had to learn not to rely on the family. Without Tia Pepa's and Isabela's gifts, crops weren't as substantial and amongst other things like the donkeys running around town, much to Luisa's displeasure.

Isabela gets out of her room, done with cleaning herself up as the last touches of Casita were finished. She looks downstairs to see some of her family going about like her Tia Pepa adjusting Antonio's clothes, and she smiles when she sees Mirabel and Camilo doing whatever they're doing.

She hears a door opening beside her, and she turns to see Dolores coming out of her own room. "Dolores." She greets as Dolores leans against the railing beside her.

"You got your gift back?" Isabela asks, checking up on her as something clearly happened when they all finished rebuilding the casita earlier that day.

Dolores nods at her question, "It's... quieter, this time.  Like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders." she explains.

"Quite literally." Isabela says, tilting her head towards Abuela walking towards Camilo and Mirabel as they engage in pleasant conversation. Dolores raises her eyebrows at her and lets out a small laugh.

"How are you and Mariano?" Isabela asks with a slight grin on her face, happy to finally be in this position instead as both of them slowly start walking downstairs.

"We only just talked a few hours ago, Isa. Come on, we barely know each other." Dolores says blatantly with a small smile on her face.

"I don't know, it looked like you two were getting to know each other really well." She teases.

Dolores rolls her eyes, "Well, don't be jealous. I'm sure you'll have someone in the future." she teases right back at her as Isabela lets out a small laugh, "We're taking it slow, if you really want to know."

"I'm glad to hear that." Isabela says with a smile, happy for her cousin as they reach the bottom floor. Mirabel comes up to her, "Hey Isa! I'm going outside, mom's calling for you! Great dress, by the way. Looks really good on you!" she says as fast as she went outside. Isabela shakes her head at her younger sister's antics.

"She's definitely up to something." Dolores whispers as she goes somewhere else in the house, probably to check the rest of her family. Isabela gives her a smile before going to the kitchen.

"Mamá? Mirabel said you were looking for me." she says as she enters the room, where her parents are, her mother making empanadas as soon as she found out her gift was working, along with her father, in charge of rolling the dough.

Julieta looks back to see her daughter all dressed up, "Isabela, you look wonderful! Wait- give me a second." She says before turning back to grab the knives far away from her husband, "Keep rolling that dough, amor." She says to him, wiping her hands on a nearby towel.

Isabela laughs quietly as her dad shakes his head in disapproval towards her mother.

"Mirabel says she's prepared a little something for the family. I was going to tell you to get ready but it looks like you cleaned yourself up quite beautiful, dear." Julieta says, putting a hand on her daughters cheek as she admires her blue dress.

"The dress is gorgeous, it's very..."

"Imperfect?"

"No, it's very you." Julieta answers with a soft smile.

Dolores' head pops in through the doorway, "Tia, Tio. I hear that we should be going now." she says.

Julieta gives her a nod, "We'll catch up," she says, turning back to her daughter, "You should go with your cousins. I have to make sure your papi doesn't somehow ruin the entire batch of food we made."  

"Julieta, I heard that!"

The two girls looked back to see him pouting, laughing at him before Isabela waves goodbye to her parents, going beside Dolores as they start up another conversation.

"What do you think Mirabel's preparing?" Isabela starts, Dolores only gives her a smile and a shrug.

"I have a good idea, but I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise." She whispers and Isabela gives her a weird look. "All I can say, is that the surprise is right outside this door." She says, her hand pointing to the big, blue door in front of them.

-

The events that occurred to the Madrigals left many people in a scuffle, including you.

Many of the townsfolk approached your family for certain plants and herbs that the farmers typically didn't have, and on the normal occasion they'd rely on Isabela but since everything that happened, you were quite busy, even more so than when you're preparing fireworks for an upcoming celebration.

Speaking of celebrations, today was just after the day that the Casita has been rebuilt as well as the Madrigals getting their gifts back, assisted by the people of Encanto as a way to repay the family the night prior.

It's around noon now, the sun is slowly setting in the sky and you're just about to go to the plaza to prepare the fireworks for an afterparty, one that's to appreciate the Madrigal family for what they are and what they've done, an idea by Mirabel and the village was more than happy to help and celebrate.

You carefully carried the fireworks down town before Mirabel sees you, shouting your name with an ecstatic wave. You tried your best to wave back as you struggled to do so with the items in your arms. You can see her laugh as she stands by your side, offering her arms to help carry half of what you have. You thank her with a nod, handing her some of your fireworks.

"I'm glad to see Mirabel the Miracle thriving as always." You tease her, she only shakes her head as she balances the fireworks in her arms.

"Seriously? I was having such a good day too." She says in annoyance and you laugh, walking along with her.

"Well, you have no idea how glad I am to see you and your family doing well. This party too, great idea, by the way. I'm sure the entire family will be happy." You give her a wide smile and she returns it with one of her own.

"Thank you but I would say that it's a collaborative effort, really. I wouldn't be able to do this without the rest of you." She says with a smile, and you can tell that she's not taking it to heart.  

You shake your head, "Ay, Mirabel, take some of the credit. You were the one who helped your familia adjust, you were the one who decided to have this fabulous party and you were the one that helped with rebuilding the Casita." As you continued to compliment her, both of you stopped in front of Casita.

"Not really, everybody helped-" She says before you shush her with a finger on your mouth.

"Hola Casita." You greeted with a small wave, the house opening and closing its' windows as a way to greet you back and as the door opens, you see Dolores whispering to.. Isabela.

You've completely forgotten about Isabela since Antonio's ceremony, utterly embarrassed at what previously happened as you rejected any thoughts that brings the memory back. It was easy, especially with so many things happening in a short span of time.

But now that's everything calmed down, you are now forced to meet the consequences of your actions.

"Isa!" Mirabel shouts as she waves a hand at her sister, nearly making one of the fireworks fall. "Mira- be careful!" You say as you tuck one that was on the edge of her arm back into her hold.

"Hola," Dolores greets you with your name as she drags Isabela beside her. "Fireworks?" She asks with uncertainty.

You slightly lift the fireworks in your arms, giving her a nod with an apologetic smile. "Sorry. You might want to get somewhere far away or, you know, cover your ears later." You advise her.

Dolores groans, "You need to work on like, silent fireworks, or something. I love the splashy colors but you know how the noise is for me." she says sadl and you nod.

"Fortunately for you, I am actually experimenting on something similar." You tell her with a smile and she raises her eyebrows in surprise, you nod in confirmation. "It's a little impossible to fully block out the noise, explosives and all that." You continue, "But we can definitely reduce the noise with some other alternatives. My sister is working on some plant-based ones for salts to keep the sparks colorful." You inform her as Dolores nods to your rambling, before hearing Isabela mutter a 'cute,' looking back at her with a grin as she gets caught.

"Plant-based fireworks, huh? That sounds cool, Isabela can help with that!" she looks back at you, going behind her cousin and putting her hands on her shoulders.

"What?" Isabela says in confusion.

"In fact, Isa will help you with the fireworks! Mirabel- come with me." Dolores says as she grabs Mirabel's hand,

"Wait, what about the fireworks?" Mirabel asks skeptically.

"Give 'em to your sister! She'll be helping after all," She says as Mirabel hands her sister the fireworks you were about to prepare.

"I- Wait- What?" Isabela stutters out as she watches her cousin drag her sister away from the two of you.

You cough onto your shoulders to grab her attention, and she turns to look at you.

"Great to see you again, Isabela." You greet her awkwardly.

"I'm glad to see you alive and well." She says with a smile, you shake your head at her teasing, "I'll take that as a compliment. Shall we?" You offer, Isabela nodding along as you walk with her towards the center of the town.

"So, plant-based fireworks? I thought you hate working with flowers." She teases, and you nod with a laugh.

"Not all plants are flowers, although I think you already know that with your gift."

"It's actually only just recently that I managed to create a plant that's not a flower."

"Really? Just recently?" You ask her in surprise, she nods. "I always thought you could do all sorts of plants. How did that come to be?"

"I don't know, magic, obviously." She says, and you give her a sarcastic ‘haha.’ "It's got something to do with my emotions probably. You know, I feel majestic and pretty all the time." You glance at her with a slightly weird look.

"What? Am I not allowed to feel pretty?" She says with a teasing grin, "Never said that. Plus, of course you're pretty." You say smoothly, looking back at the path in front of you as she chuckles.

"Tell me more. It’d be nice to get closer to you." You say, suggesting for her to continue. "Well, just as I said, pretty and majestic equals to flowers, sort of." She continues, and you nod as you listen to her words. "It's only when I tried expanding my horizons, seeing what else can I do, that I managed to create something else." She explains.

"I've always thought of you as an adventurous person, It's a bit interesting it took you this long." You comment on her, no malice intended.

"Ah well, not everybody is willing to risk their lives like you." She says, and you give her a side glare. "And I had lots of responsibilities, doing many things and a lot of stuff was put on me, you know, like.."

"Pressure?" You guess for her, "Something like that." She shrugs, "Either way, I managed to let it go and I've never felt better." She tells you with a smile, and you give her another one back.

"I guess that explains the dress too?" You ask, grinning at her, pointing your chin towards the splash of color on her skirt. She looks down and looks back at you with a smile, "Part of it. Do you not like it?" she asks with a raised eyebrow.

"No, it looks great on you! Very different from your usual pink dresses. It sort of reminds me of a..." You blank out for a little bit, thinking of a specific word.

"What?" She asks, curious to hear your answer.

"It reminds me of a firework." You answer with a smile, and her eyes widen at your claim. "You know, its colorful and all that, it really does fit you." You explain further, a little embarrassed as she giggles at your awkwardness.

"What other plants can you make?" You ask, she hums as she thinks.

 "Succulents right now, cacti and all that." She answers.

"Do you think you can make one right now?" You ask, Isabela thinks for a little more before shaking her head. "What? Why not?" You pout at her, disappointed.

"If I make one right now, you'll probably fall flat face-first on the spikes." She teases, and you sigh.

"Maybe another time, then. Have you met my sister?" You ask her, and she shakes her head. "You two would get along. She's been experimenting with a lot of different plants lately, especially when people started coming to us for things other than fire hazards."

"You should introduce me to her then, it'd be nice to be with someone that doesn't hate working with flowers."

You look at her with another pout, just right as you see your sister approaches you from behind. She was about to say something, before recognizing that Isabela was with you. You don't even sense her before Isabela waves to someone behind you.

"Oh, hermana! I didn't see you there. Perfect timing!" You say as you turn around to see her looking between you and Isabela awkwardly. "This is, uh, Isabela." You say as you point to her awkwardly, "We're... friends?" you say, unsure, looking back at Isabela for confirmation,

"We're friends." She nods.

"Right, and Isabela, this is my little sister." You carefully put an arm around your sister, pulling her close. "Hola." She greets awkwardly as Isabela gives her a smile.

"You're uh, about to prepare the fireworks now, right?" Your sister asks you stiffly, "Si, we're just about to." You nod.

"Okay, give some of them to me, I'll help you." She says, raising her arms as you give her a weird look. "Uh, okay?" You give some of them to her as she goes to the firework setup you have in the middle of the town.

"I think she hates me." Isabela says after a moment, making you laugh. "No, no. Don't worry, that's just her. I promise she likes you." You say as you lead her to the other firework setups.

"She reminds me of you. Awkward, and stiff." She says as both of you lean down to one of the wooden planks for stabilizing the fireworks. You shoot her a glare jokingly.

"I hope she's not as fire-prone as you, because I'd be very concerned for her if so." She says as she glances at your sister just a couple meters away. You laugh at her concern for your sister.

"Don't worry, she's way better than me. But here, it's best if I teach you about these things.." You say, grabbing her attention as you put the stick of the rocket inside the tube. "That's all you have to do, these are the slightly bigger fireworks we have, but they should be safe with a crowd around." you tell her.

"Oh, are we going to light these up?" Isabela asks, "Mirabel wants your entire family to, but only these I think. The other pyrotechnics in town will light some of their own." You confirm.

"Isn't this a little dangerous?" Isabela asks with concern as you move on to the next firework setup, you look at her with a grin. "Of course it is, but as long as nothing goes wrong, we'll be fine. That's what make this perfect." You say, guiding her hands to put another rocket in the tube.

"I would say it's far from perfect when you end up with 3rd degree burns." Isabela says as you move on to the next setup. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you won't get burned if you're so worried about it."

"You'll push me out of the way?"

"I was actually thinking of using my body as a shield."

"It's like you're asking to get injured."

You and Isabela continue to tease each other back and forth, and soon enough all of the fireworks have been set up and a crowd has formed around the plaza. You can see Mirabel's figure in front of the crowd as her eyes search for someone, and eventually she finds you and Isabela.

She jogs over to your side, and you can see the rest of your family behind her. "Time for celebration?" You ask her and she nods enthusiastically. Camilo and Antonio appear beside her,

"Are we lighting the fireworks?" Antonio asks with wide eyes. "With parental supervision." You nod your head with a smile, "Lame." Camilo mutters and you can see his mother slap the back of his head.

Your sister comes up to you, handing you some sparklers as you distribute them to the Madrigal Family as you explain what to do once they're about to light the fireworks. You gave another to Mirabel before turning to Isabela to give her one of the last ones. A leftover sparkler remains in your hands.

"Where's Dolores?" You ask her, looking around the crowd to find no sight of her. "Pfft, probably somewhere with her boyfriend Mariano." She says with a grin as she goes behind one of the rockets, aligning with the rest of her family as they go towards theirs.

"Mariano? Wait, I feel like I've heard of him. Wasn't he your boyfriend or am I wrong?" You ask confused as Isabela gives you a smile, "It's a little complicated, but I guess this means you'll be lighting her rocket then?" She asks, pointing to the empty spot beside her.

"I hope she doesn't mind, I should really catch up on my gossip." You joke as you stand beside her, checking both of the directions on either of your side to check on the rest of the family, the crowd around you waiting for the opening.

You look at Mirabel beside you and nod at her, signaling for her to begin. She looks around the plaza and begins to shout loudly, "Everyone! On the count of three!" she begins, slowly inching her sparkler to the fuse of the firework.

"One!" The crowd shouts, you look around and are surprised to see Bruno himself slightly inching his own sparkler with rats on his hand, Pepa and Felix are guiding Antonio's as their own sparkler comes closer, Luisa seems to be slightly nervous but she pushes through.

"Two!" You can hear Camilo and Mirabel's voice loudly, they seem to be having fun, you thought. You turn to look at Isabela for her to give you an excited smile that you return.

"Three!" The rockets make a hissing sound as the sparklers make contact one by one, shooting them into the sky with colorful smoke trailing below them. You light the firework in front of you, and Isabela does too and you both scurry away from them.

They explode in the air, you can see Pepa's side turn into warm reds, oranges and yellows and the other side with more cooler colors.

"I can see why you do this sort of thing, dangerous as it is." Isabela turns to whisper to you, looking at the bright smiles that's on the faces of her family.

"I honestly just think it looks cool." You say with a shrug, covering one of your ears when you see the other pyrotechnics bringing in their own firework cakes and fountains.

The fireworks calm down soon enough and more people set their own shows in the middle of the plaza. The music is bustling and Isabela grabs your hand dragging you through the crowd.

"Mamá, Papá, I'm sure you've met Mirabel's friend before." She skids to a stop as you face her parents. Julieta's eyes lighten at the sight of you, bringing you in her arms for a hug. "Thank you for helping Mirabel set this up. It's a wonderful party," She says kindly and you heat up at her words.

Abuela Alma, Pepa, Felix and Antonio passes by you, as you give them a small wave, "Wonderful show! It was very colorful, the people of Encanto loved it." Abuela Alma compliments you, patting Antonio's hair as he sits on his jaguar.

"Si, I had a lot of fun." Pepa comments, "It was amazing, chica! I thought fireworks were already exploding from Pepa's head, turns out she was just very excited." Felix says, teasing his wife as she punches him lightly in the shoulder, the moon above her head shining a little brighter. Abuela Alma chuckles at their interaction.

"No hay problema, I only just set up the fireworks. I'm glad you had fun." You say as Julieta grabs your hands in hers.

"And I'm glad to see you not injured this time." She teases, and you heat up more in embarrassment.

"I've already eaten 3 arepas so far, chico." Her husband, Agustin says behind her and you laugh at his remark. "Abuelo Agustin! I'm glad to see you alive!" You say with a wide smile as Agustin gasps at you.

"Abuelo?! I am not that old! Isabela, control your cariño!" Agustin shouts at her with a smile, and you can only laugh at his reaction.

"Dad!" Isabela yells at him in embarrassment as Julieta laughs at her daughter and her husband.

"Es broma, señor!" You laugh loudly as he grabs you and lightly grinds his fist against your head.

A man calls your name from the crowd, "Oi! We're lighting up the fountains, it'd be nice to have a hand or two, mija!" he shouts loudly at you.

"Ay, I'll be there!" You answer him as Agustin releases you from his arms. "Do you want to come along, señor?" You offer. He turns to look at Julieta for permission and she nods at him, "Be careful." she warns him.

He nods at her, "Alright, let's go!" He says excitedly as he leads you to the crowd. You turn back to wave at Isabela. 'I'll see you later.' you mouth at her, and she gives you a smile as you disappear into the crowd.

Julieta turns to look at her daughter, "I didn't know you were dating them." she says with a proud smile on her face as Isabela's eyes nearly bulge out of their eye sockets.

"Ay, mamá, we're not dating." She counters, "Not yet!" Camilo suddenly appears, making her jolt.

"Dios mio, Camilo!" Isabela scolds him, "Tia Julieta, I hope you have arepas prepared because I can feel my doom coming." He says as he dodges one of Isabela's projectile-plant at him.

"Mija." Her mother says sternly but teasingly at the same time, Isabela laughs awkwardly when she sees her mother smirk at her, directing her eyes somewhere else only to see Dolores whispering something to Mirabel, making eye contact with her sister as they walk over to her with a grin.

"Dolores just told me everything." Mirabel teases her with a grin, Isabela groans as she and Camilo laughs at her.

"Don't act as if I don't see you admiring their sister." Isabela laughs as both of their eyes widen at what she said, "Wait, who?!" The two of them shout as they nearly trample her. Dolores watching them in amusement as if they're tiny kittens wrestling each other.

“Ay, even if you say you’re not dating them, I have full trust that they’ll take care of you.” Julieta teases her more, Camilo and Mirabel wooing at Isabela at the statement 

“Mami, I’m telling you- we’re just friends.” She says, hearing a sarcastic “Yeah, sure.” from one of the younger Madrigals.

Isabela would've continued teasing them if it weren't for the loud familiar shouts that came from the middle of the plaza. She makes eye contact with her mother as they both rush to the crowd.

"We shouldn't have trusted them."

[genshin-impact-updates]

Time to start the celebration, and let the fireworks bloom in the sky!

Fireworks are the highlight of the festival, and Yoimiya is Inazuma's best pyrotechnician. Every display she planned turns out fabulously. Ah, right, do not worry about the fire hazards. The Yashiro Commission and shrine maidens will take care of the necessary precautions so that she can fully express her creativity. —Kamisato Ayaka

Yoimiya

Frolicking Flames

Owner of Naganohara Fireworks

Pyro

Carassius Auratus

A talented pyrotechnician. The current owner of Naganohara Fireworks known as the "Queen of the Summer Festival." She is a household name in Inazuma.

Various celebrations held in Inazuma City every year all have elaborate firework displays created by Yoimiya. She possesses an exuberant creativity and passion for firework displays that always leave people pleasantly surprised.

Yoimiya has a childlike innocence, and is often found playing simple yet timeless games with children or accompanying them to find shiny trinkets and toys. The purity of children brings her unparalleled joy.

She also enjoys social interaction and seizes every opportunity to talk to others. She appears to have endless anecdotes and ideas to be shared.

Principle and craftsmanship are Yoimiya's dearest qualities. Even though fireworks are fleeting, their blaze and warmth lives in people's hearts forever.

It is because of everyone's involvement that the firework shows can carry on in such a beautiful manner.

[queenjanai]

Flowers

so a while back this lovely anon saw how much i was thirsty for new janaya fics, and so kindly started to write one for me, and this is their wonderful fic! i’m putting it under a read more, and it’s definitely worth reading, so give it a moment of your time. i really like how the environment feels so warm, and how amaya and janai interact, and just - the whole thing. also, if you want, like, reblog, or leave a reply to let this writer know how great their work is. thanks again, anon!

The summer solstice was an important day in Lux Aurea. There was a ball, which was held in the royal palace, and was open to all Sunfire elves- and, for this year, one human. Offically, it started at the first light of dawn and ended when the stars became visible in the night sky; however, many elves could be found starting early or continuing late. Or both. Amaya had woken up before dawn to stand by Janai’s side to begin the celebration, as the Sunfire Queen was responsible for announcing the official start and end of the solstice. But, while the Sunfire elves could replenish some energy through the power of the sun due to it being the sun’s peak of power, humans had no such ability. By the time evening broke, Amaya was exhausted. Stealing dances with Janai and having friendly sparring matches with Sunfire soldiers was fun and all, but she needed to sit down for a bit. The only seats she could find currently unoccupied were the benches in the garden, which were largely empty due to the fact that no one wanted to risk accidentally damaging some of the flowers and gain the Queen’s ire. Queen Khessa had, apparently, been quite fond of the delicate and beautiful plants she ordered to be grown there, and Queen Janai couldn’t bear to see something her sister had enjoyed so much be harmed in any way. So, most of the partygoers had very deliberately avoided the garden, and as a result, it became a calm area for people who wanted to take a break from the celebrations. People like Amaya.

While any bench would have worked, she didn’t want to be bothered by anyone, so she wandered deeper into the garden, to where Janai had shown her the… Sun Blossoms? No, those were the bright yellow flower bushes at the front of the garden. Dawn Delights? No, the Dawn Delights were wall-clinging vine flowers, and they were found climbing the tall fences that surrounded the garden. Whatever these flowers were called, they stored sunlight during the day, and released it as a glow during the night. Today had been a wonderfully sunny day, so the flowers gave off enough light that Amaya could see clearly nearly ten feet away. The bench was right in front of the patch of glowing flowers, close enough that someone sitting on it could reach out and touch the petals of the nearest flowers. But then the glowing pollen would stick to her gloves, and since Amaya had actually borrowed them from Janai, she decided not to try touching any of them. Taking a seat after so long felt wonderful. Taking her sandles off- also borrowed- felt even better, even though her feet stung where some of the straps had been digging into her skin slightly. The dress she was wearing was the only thing she wore that was hers, having been specially made for the party; it was made entirely of a strange elven fabric that was silky but warm, the most draping pieces of her dress flowing from her body like finely woven water but catching and drifting through the air like wisps of flame as she moved. Such as she did now- she let herself fall backward onto the cool, smooth stone of the bench, watching dispassionately as her stole and the looser parts of her dress floated down after her. Who thought sleeves should be ‘nearly floor-length?’ Once they were out of her range of sight, her gaze turned up towards the slowly darkening sky, until the constant glow of the flowers began to annoy her, and she closed her eyes. - Janai had been running around all day. Getting ready for the celebrations, announcing the start, keeping an eye on all the partygoers, and other responsibilities of the queen. It had left her hardly any time to spend with Amaya, despite having asked her to come from Katolis, all the way to Lux Aurea. Not exactly a short journey. But now, with the evening taking over the sky more and more, she was finally able to relax. Now she could properly enjoy some time with Amaya, like she’d been wanting to do since she’d kissed Amaya awake that morning- the way those dark, human eyes looked around and focused on her, freshly-woken bleariness turning into warm and soft awareness as she smiled at Janai, was the greatest temptation Janai had ever felt to simply go back to bed. But now Janai’s duties were finished, and Amaya was missing. She knew her love had mentioned needing a break, but that was nearly fifteen minutes ago. Surely Amaya would have noticed the sky getting darker, the crowds thinning out slowly but getting more excited? Where could her heart be? She asked one of the guards stationed at the door outside the garden, who was clearly quite eager to be finished with the day’s duties, just like Janai. They informed her that they had, indeed, seen Amaya exiting through the door to enter the gardens, but had yet to see her return. Had she lost track of the time, or gotten held up in conversation? Entering the garden herself, Janai assessed the crowd gathered there; unfortunately, it was all elves. Perhaps, since Janai had given her a tour of it earlier, Amaya had felt bold enough to enter it alone. Did she want to be alone so deeply? Or perhaps… She was waiting for Janai to come find her? It wasn’t a possibility she could (or wanted to) rule out. Sneaking into Khessa’s gardens had been a favorite pasttime of Janai’s, up until a few years ago. Looking at all the flowers blooming, seeing the latest attempts of the ever-ongoing efforts to breed yet more beautiful flowers, investigating if Khessa had decided to rip out a patch of flowers to replace them with flowers she liked better- it had all been so relaxing, a simple and delightful break from the rest of the world. Now, Janai cannot bring herself to journey into the garden too often- it was too rich in memories of her sister. But today, she could not stop herself from entering it if she wanted to- her feet seemed to long for the paths they had wandered down so often, her body ached for the familiar petals and leaves surrounding her. It was no surprise to her when she found Amaya laying near the Evening Brights- she’d seemed fascinated by how brightly they glowed when Janai showed her them the first time. “My light, there you are.” Of course, Amaya didn’t stir from where she… laid. Why was she laying across the bench, actually? Had she been staring at the sky? As Janai approached, the answer became clear- Amaya was asleep. She looked like a painting, one hand half-curled by her head, while another laid across her stomach, with her deep red dress splayed out around her. With the glowing flowers behind her, it was quite a sight to behold. A sight Janai wished she could hold onto forever. A queen though she may now be, and the Golden Knight before that, she found she was entirely powerless against such a peaceful, picturesque scene, against the throb of her heart within her chest as she saw her love so relaxed and so calm. She was similarly powerless against the desire to bend down and kiss her cheek, much as she had that morning. As she pulled away, Amaya’s hand grabbed her cheek to pull her back in for a deeper kiss. 'Sleep well?’ Janai signed, her eyes shining with amusement. 'You didn’t come back, so I came to find you.’ 'Yes, until someone woke me up.’ Amaya answered, looking just as playful. 'Is the party over?’ 'Waking the Queen’s wife? A crime. What is their punishment?’ Janai shot back, fighting to keep the grin off her face. Amaya pretended to think carefully for a second. 'A kiss.’ And then she leaned up to give her lover the 'punishment.’ 'Did you wake me up so we could go back to your room?’ Janai’s cheeks flushed slightly at the question. 'Not yet. I didn’t want you to be surprised by the fireworks.’ 'Surprised by what?’ Amaya copied the sign Janai had made; putting her closed hands together in front of her, then pulling them apart while spreading her fingers, and repeating slightly to the side. But before she could get an answer, the sky lit up- red light filled the air, the aftermath of an explosion. Three streaks of smoke shot into the sky immediately afterward, which also exploded- blue, yellow, and green. They had to be loud- even though they exploded so high in the sky, Amaya could feel them rattle her chest. How could Lux Aurea be under attack now? Now that so many of the elves were defenseless, now that she had no armor or weapon? But Janai showed no signs of worry; she slid her legs under Amaya’s raised head, so she could sit with her head in her lap. 'Fireworks.’ She signed again, then fingerspelled it out as more of them shattered the heavens. 'They’re for special occasions. They honor the Sun. And they’re beautiful.’ She turned her eyes up to the sky, enjoying the display. The pyrotechnicians had worked hard this year, and the results were wonderful; purple filled the sky in a huge burst, no doubt drawing gasps from the crowds gathered in the front of the garden, outside the castle, and in the streets. One of Janai’s hands stroked Amaya’s hair, while the other held her hand. Here in the garden, with the love of her life, watching the fireworks fill the sky… Janai knew there was nowhere else she would ever want to be. But she took a moment to look down at Amaya’s face, seeing the wonder and the amazement in there, and she realized she was looking at the most beautiful thing in the world.

[skyheld]

MALIPHANT + THE THEATRE

Theatre in Orlais can be divided into two main types.   There is the type of theatre which follows a script,  is played on a stage indoors or outdoors and has the actors follow more or less strict directions,  making each performance more or less similar.   And there’s a kind of theatre,  which is part scripted and part improvised,  where the audience is expected to interact with the stage,  and which is usually performed by travelling troupes outdoors in market places and twn squares.   This is the comédie de l’art  (  I think that works as a literal translation for commedia dell’arte,  but I’m not making it to be the exact same thing anyway  ),  which is the kind Maliphant grew up doing.

He was a part of the troupe L’Abracadabrantesque,  directed by the dwarf Remy and originating from Arlesans in northern Orlais.   His parents,  Ezilda Maliphant and Jaquinot  (  the latter having no surname  ),  met through the troupe and eventually married.   They had two children before Léan and one after.   All are named after characters from various plays.

L’abracadabranesque would travel across all of Orlais and occasinally into Nevarran border towns,  stopping to perform wherever people gathered and moving on when the crowds thinned out.   Along with the stage plays most of the actors knew other forms of entertainment,  so they’d have jugglers,  rope-walkers,  animal trainers and contortionists building excitement for the main performance.   Léan’s talent was juggling with daggers,  and he was working on his knife throwing skills when he left the troupe.

Like all Orlesian theatre the comédie de l’art features masks and allows any actor to play any role,  regardless of gender and race.   Instead of putting on a new play with new characters every time,  there is a limited set of stock characters which the audience is familiar with,  but they can be put in different scenarios.   Since Maliphant was young when he left he’d mainly played side roles and extras,  but he was hoping to one day play the tricky elven servant Sharlatan or the cunning madame Jeshavis.

Being perpetual strangers,  but also bringing news and a much-needed break from everyday life,  the troupes were both loved and scorned.   People would cheer when their gaudily painted wagons entered town,  but turn on them instantly at the slightest sign of trouble.   Having elves and dwarves among them didn’t help L’Abracadabranesque.   More than once they’d been run out of a place by town guards,  mobs or even templars  (  the latter angry because they couldn’t find any proof the troupe’s pyrotechnician was a mage,  even though he’d clearly conjured thunder on stage  ).

It was the rumour of them harbouring an apostate,  combined with Remy’s declining mental health and a disastrous performance in Montsimmard,  which eventually led to L’Abracadabraneqsue’s financial troubles.  The trouple dissolved while Maliphant was with the army.

[eurosong]

ESC 2018 grand final - my ranking

Hey there, folks. So, I’m in LISBOOOON! I have a few posts upcoming today that I’ve queued, but here is the last big post I’ll actually write before the results tonight - my rundown of the grand final and ranking. I’ve tried to give a positive and negative for each of the songs.

Ukraine (14) + A lively, memorable and gently motivating start to the contest -  How extra can you get with staging? Also, whilst I’ve grown to enjoy the song, it still makes me feel nothing because of its lyrical pot pourri.

Spain (2) + Adorable chemistry, true love and a song with a hint of old school magic. -  Lost some of its gentleness and authenticity with the revamp – and I’m amazed that they added an instrumental crescendo but will do nothing to match it on stage. Slovenia (9) + A song of empowerment and being true to yourself by a strong badass woman that has become an undeniable earworm for me. Hvala da! - Will the staged hitch work as well a second time with a more knowing audience? Lithuania (5) + One of the most genuinely tender and sweet moments of the entire evening, and I love the vulnerability and emotion of Ieva’s voice. - Easily lost between Austria (7) + Extraördinarily rich and warm voice and a quality song that has a great progression between very different verse/bridges and choruses, which compliment each other rather than clash. - I don’t know what is more distracting, the bizarre outfit he’s wearing or the perturbed expressions he’s pulling. Also, that graphic where he appears to transcend is a LOL moment that undermines the seriousness of the song.

Estonia (15) +  Elina has definitely got a voice. -   This song has got little else. The great operatic arie make you feel things; this just makes me feel that the composers wanted to exhibit her voice but the lyrics and emotional journey were afterthoughts.

Norway (26) +  It’s a song encouraging children to believe in themselves and write songs. If they compare what they write with the quality of this song, it’ll give them a lot of self-belief… -  I don’t know how someone so smug became so beloved, and I’ll never understand how juries could potentially reward a song which basically consists of one awful jingle riff repeated over and over and over.

Portugal (8) +  Portugal once again follow their own impulses, bring us something original and imbued with so much meaning and saudade. -  I still find Cláudia’s voice very reedy. United Kingdom (22) +  Surie is a real dame, a great representative of her nation and works like hell to get something out of this song. -  The song itself is a cliché damp squib with painful lyrics and ridiculous sound effects in the background to try to make it less bland. Serbia (13) +  Serbia returns to the final singing in their native language. Hopefully this encourages them to keep on that path and revive their reputation for having great success with Serbian language songs. Also, Balkanika are great people and they’ve served something very different to the typical here. And I love the more traditional vibes from the first minute. -  The shift in instrumentation thereafter is less so. I also can’t help but find a lot of things about the song and performance offputting. Serbia’s answer to Deen and the ladies gravitating around him give me real “shindig at the cult compound” vibes.

Germany (12) +  Germany’s song is a real emotional gut punch, sang well and with sincerity. -  I really don’t like how they got around the no LED screen by bringing one just so that he could perform in front of a glorified lyrics video. It seems like lazy ass staging to me. Also, I could réálly do without the whole oh-eh-oh-eh-ohing.

Albania (1) +  An absolute masterpiece in both music and especially lyrics, makes me emotional no matter how many times I’ve heard it. -  Sadly, I doubt juries will recognise that. France (6) +  This is one of this year’s best examples of the balancing act that is songwriting. They craft a beautiful and impactful song, but one that is simple enough to be widely understood. It will be a high point of human interaction in the evening and a powerful moment. -  It’s a little on the repetitive side. And as a guitar player, I’m always a little distracted by seeing people bobbing about pretending to play.

Czechia (20) +  It is a catchy song and Mikolas seems like a fun person on stage. -  It’s still a song with ghastly misogynistic lyrics, and I’m sort of surprised it got through after an awkward performance in the semis. Is it just me, or did the Czechs pick backing singers who contrast in the most awkward possible way with Mikolas’ voice?

Denmark (19) + The lyrical message is nice. -  It’s seriously one of the most repetitive songs of the whole year, and I hate the whole "doing the chorus three times in a row” schtick. Australia (23) +  The intentions behind the song are nice. -  Sadly, it’s just a wild assortment of clichés, and I’m flabbergasted it got through with a performance that more befitted a drunken aunt at a karaoke.

Finland (18) +  Singing about overcoming demons and finding strength in yourself is something positive in my eyes. (I’m going to that well a number of times, I know.) -  The performance is a hot mess for me, just throwing as many gimmicks and props at the wall as possible and hoping they stick. Also, Monsters really doesn’t show Saara’s voice in the best light, she gets quite screechy. And those demon children who sound like chipmunks take away any feeling of solemnity.

Bulgaria (16) +  It’s a song with a stylishly mysterious and dark score. The lads in the group sing well. -  I find Zhana a huge distraction – positioned as a centrepiece of our attention but barely singing. Also, I find it completely the wrong atmosphere for a song about true love. And the fly-by-night nature of the “common framework” means that the song is lacking sincerity and authenticity for me. Moldova (21) +  They’ve ascended a little from the very depths of my ranking thanks to how likeable they come across on stage and the brilliantly communicative facial expressions they pull, which really bring the slapstick story to life. -  At the end of the day, this isn’t a drama contest and the song itself with its thrusting dirty trumpet blasts and bizarre sound effects is appalling.

Sweden (24) +  They’ve allowed a humble light tube store owner to survive another winter… -   Sweden going back to the same old well of staging quality well above song quality. And can they please send a woman or band again? I’m getting tired of these presumptuous americlones - last year an ersatz Timberlake, this year a Bieber.

Hungary (11) +  Absolutely one of the highlights of Thursday night. I got both chills and visceral thrills from such a candid and passionate performance. -  Still not entirely my cup of tea and a tad repetitive.

Israel (17) +  If this year really is a battle between Cyprus and Israel, then I’m with the latter all the way. Not my style of song but it’s thoughtful and on a pertinent topic. -  Overly memetic, bizarre staging, and I still find it overbearing to listen to. Netherlands (4) +  This is the song that is going to rock my socks off and make me want to dance. Love the message, love the music. -  The cuts to the dancers seem less awkward but the whole idea is incongruous enough to confuse and put off potential voters.

Ireland (10) +  I’ll admit, I felt genuine chills when watching this song and the rapturous applause the two lads got. Eurovision moments like this show us how the world should be. It’s a pleasant song and finally, Ireland is back in the finals. -  I still believe a lot of the hype was generated by the video/stage show rather than the song, and Ryan seems a little opportunistic to me… Cyprus (25) +  Portugal’s pyrotechnicians will have enough money for a very fancy holiday after this performance. -  I can’t believe that this could be the winner. The music is extremely tacky, the lyrics are an afterthought, the use of one random Spanish word is galling (I made my students laugh by singing a song in Spanish and randomly dropping the word “biscuit” in the chorus) and I can’t help but think it’d be a huge step back for the contest. Italy (3) + One of the most moving performances and lyrics of the year – sung with an urgency and an anger that perfectly suits. And Metamoro are absolutely two of the loveliest people to ever participate in the contest and I can’t get enough of them. -  The on-screen lyrics, meant to bring the song’s meaning to life, could actually prove a distraction.

[fakebreadkuzuryuu]

Danganronpa Talentswap Server Advertisement! You must be 18+! Completely rebooted as of 3/12! Updated 4/18.

Taking place at Hope’s Peak, feel free to live your life to the fullest extent that you can! These wistful days of teenage youth are fast fleeting and meant to be lived to the extremes! Attend class, make friends, laugh, cry, do whatever you can before it’s too late! This is Hope’s Peak Academy, only the most gifted of students may attend. Be sure that you are aware, you’re the best of the best. Take pride in your title, exude the confidence only a SHSL Student may possess, and take control of your future while you still have a chance. Please do your best to stay on campus, as we believe we have provided all that you need to live comfortably.

1. This is non-despair, but despair-bound characters may still despair. 2. You may have up to 2 muses. 3. Canontalents only. 4. Stick to a more Japanese manner of reference. 5. Feel free to RP in rooms with other interactions. 6. Meet partner’s expectations in replies. 7. Don’t harass people for LGBT headcanons. 8. No ship hate or adult/minor shipping. 9. NSFW is up in the air at this time so take it to DMs if it gets to that point. 10. Do not apply for the sole reason of smut-fishing! More rules upon approval but these are the basics.

Below are the taken characters. Any canon character is allowed to join! Yes- this includes characters from DR0, DR3, people like Sato and Natsumi, and things like that. (Another Episode you are only allowed to apply as Komaru and Yuta!) If applying for a V3 character, please put 78-B as the class.

Taken characters: Student Council President Akamatsu Pyrotechnician Kiibo Butler Ouma Coach Naegi Robot Hinata Boxer Momota Good Luck Tanaka Literary Girl Kirigiri Headmaster Jin [ No talent! ] Photographer Celes Fashionista Fujisaki Yakuza Tsumiki Inventor Matsuda Makeup Artist Harukawa Gamer Mioda Prince Amami Reserve Course Kuzuryuu Fortune Teller Komaeda Mechanic Asahina Requests from the group: Someone with the Soldier talent Chabashira Natsumi Ishimaru

Application form and submission page are here for your easier convenience. Thanks!

[danganousama-blog]

Family Matters | Amaterasu | Re: Motive #1 | Closed for Takeshi

Life is an ephemeral thing. Nobody has the same amount of life as another might, and no two people can quite channel life the same way. If the definition of life that makes us human is a person's memories, then it's quite clear that no one will be able to remember the same thing twice. What you think, what you feel, what's important to you and what you do with it...That's the impermanence of life, crafted and shaped by the people who brought you into life, transient and ever-changing except for those memories you've held onto for so long because they meant something.

Life ends. But for Amaterasu Mochizuki, family is forever.

"...You can't do this." Thump. "Y-You can't...you can't fucking do this! That's my father, you sick son of a bitch! M-My..."

Gone is the snarky, cold and devil-may-care ice princess that you probably heard about or interacted directly with over the last few days. Those who had an impression of her now find that same impression challenged as tears begin to start dripping. Having already collapsed onto her knees, she now beats her fists against the floor. Ouji is already gone, and Amaterasu is pretty sure that retaliating against him will be pointless in the long run. Her thoughts turned to the one way the young man had mentioned would definitely save her father but...no, she couldn't, she...

She had to go. She had to leave before the temptation to kill one of them got too strong. Getting up, she turned away from the crowd, before making like a hockey stick and getting the puck outta here.

But she can't run away from her father she can't abandon him why is she such a coward-

When Takeshi eventually finds her, sitting at the edge of the koi pond, he can probably tell that she's been crying a lot. Her red eyes look even more bloodshot than they have previously, and she's still shaking. She doesn't even notice the Pyrotechnician walking up on her...odds are she doesn't care anymore either.

[volleyowlets]

For This or That: All the 5's (5, 10, 15, etc.) and for 50: Science Museum or Art Museum! Let's get to know you!!

5. polaroids or film

polaroids bc they look cute as hell (although film is just so good too)

10. the smell of old books or the smell of petrichor

OLD BOOKS!!! idk guys but i feel like we need to discuss my 3 jobs bc as a girl who works in a bookshop and as a pyrotechnician i feel my answers are predictable ahahahahaa (pls ask me about my jobs i love them)

15. creamy hot cocoa with marshmallows or dippable hot chocolate with churros 

already answered but both!! i just cant choose i love churros so much but also hot chocolates are life

20. purikuras or photo booths

ahhhh purikuras but photobooths are amazing for formal events and honestly ive had lots of fun in both 

25. puffy clouds and blue skies or thunder and lighting on rainy days

already answered but lightning n thunder bc reading is so much nicer on those days

30. converse high tops or beaded summer sandals

connies!!!! they’re so damn comfy 

35. in bed or out in the rain

in bed. 

40. smooth jazz or lo-fi

neither??? if i had to pick, smooth jazz, but im not really into either

45. fireworks or sparklers

answered already but again, as a pyro i feel i should answer with fireworks bc theyre hella rad 

50. science museum or art museum

science museum!! i am fascinated by science and regularly go to the melb museum bc it has such fun sections. seriously the pcr machine demo exhibit? i could spend hours watching it. the perception interactive exhibit? i HAVE spent hours there learning about depth perception. also it has a rad stick insect exhibit that i always loved please love science with me

[novapbs]

In this flashy interactive, put on the pyrotechnician's hat and see a typical firework from the inside out.

[dusudaunord]

Your 2017 Montréal summer festival guide

While there’s an argument to be made that Montréal’s festival season is more of a 365-days-a-year situation, there does come a point when a wave of major festivals – like Osheaga, the Montreal Jazz Festival, Just For Laughs, MUTEK and Nuits D’Afrique – suddenly appears on the horizon. That point is now. To help you ride it out in style, we offer you our annual Montréal summer festival guide.

Cutting edge culture

Festival TransAmériques (FTA) (May 25 to June 8) The Festival TransAmériques (FTA) celebrates new works in contemporary dance and theatre. Showcasing both established and emerging artists, choreographers, writers and directors, this 11th edition of the FTA also aims to foster dialogue through a stimulating range of workshops, debates and roundtable discussions. This year, an expanded fest will see 27 performances – including nine world premieres and 11 North American premieres – presented over 15 days at 20 different cultural venues.

Accessible entertainment excess

Fringe Festival (May 29 to June 18) The Montréal Fringe Festival (known as “the party Fringe” on the Fringe circuit) turns 27 this year with some 800 performances featuring over 500 artists (theatre, dance, music, comedy, magic and more) at more than 20 venues around the Plateau Mont-Royal and Mile End. The nightly “13th Hour” variety show/dance party ensures that the Fringe lives up to its reputation, as does the highly anticipated Drag Races competition, hosted by famously fabulous drag queen Mado Lamotte.

Innovation nation

MUTEK (August 22-27) Over 150 multi-sensory events and adventures are scheduled at this year’s world-renowned MUTEK festival, which this year reaches age of majority with its 18th trailblazing edition. For an expanded six days at a new time of year, MUTEK will again be promoting artists and innovators at the forefront of electronic music, digital creativity, technology and live performance at venues throughout the Quartier des Spectacles (including a free outdoor stage).

Digital delights

Elektra (June 28-July 9) Elektra is a yearly digital arts festival showcasing new creations in electronic music, video, cinema, performance, design, gaming and interactive installation in combination with the innovative use of new technology, especially digital technologies. Want to see how amazingly crazy it’s going to be this year? Watch this.

A folking good time

Montreal Folk Festival on the Canal (June 14-18) When the Montreal Folk Festival on the Canal was born in 2008, it was a one-day event that drew 500 folk faithful. The event, which celebrates 10 years this year, was such a hit – it’s picturesque park placement along Montréal’s historic Lachine Canal didn’t hurt any – that it now draws close to 10,000 for five days of folk, roots and bluegrass featuring both emerging artists and folk royalty.

Painting the town red… and blue, green, yellow…

Mural Festival (June 8-18) Eye-catching doesn’t even begin to describe the work this celebration of urban art and graffiti produces each year. For its fifth year, the Mural Festival will invite artists to create large-scale art on the sides of many Plateau Mont-Royal buildings. Block parties, film screenings, installations and other performance and festive events are also part of the fun. And new this year is the Mural app, which you can download here.

A formula for fun

Grand Prix du Canada (June 9-11) Montréal revs up for the fastest fun in the country when hundreds of thousands show up for this top-tier racing event. And this year has extra traction since we’ll be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the inaugural Canadian Grand Prix. The good times will be rolling off-track as well: numerous neighbourhood streets are closed for special family-friendly F1 events, restaurants shift kitchens into high gear and nights are alive with celeb-studded parties.

Music in the language of love

Les Francofolies de Montréal (June 9-18) Les Francos celebrate the diversity and quality of musical offerings from the international Francophonie. At an average of 70 indoor shows and 180 free outdoor shows, the wide world of French pop, rock, blues, jazz, world music and more can be yours. To celebrate the city’s 375th, there will be a special nine-hour free concert featuring several big artists on the fest’s closing day, June 18, starting at 3 pm.

Have a blast

L’International des Feux Loto-Québec (July 1 to August 5) World-class pyrotechnicians representing their respective countries are invited to participate in this competition. The best spot to watch the fireworks is from the grandstands at La Ronde where you’ll see them take off from Lac des Dauphins. This year, a special programme is being prepared for the July 1 opening in honour of the city’s 375th as well as the 50th anniversary of La Ronde.

A lot of clowning around

MONTRÉAL COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE (July 6-16) Montréal will be showing off at major, multidisciplinary circus arts festival COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE. The 11-day indoor/outdoor fest unites Montréal’s key circus companies as they highlight world-class local talent alongside ground breaking international guests.

Jazz greats = great jazz

The Montréal International Jazz Festival (June 28 to July 8) With over 1,000 concerts and activities, it’s no wonder the Guinness Book of World Records declared it the largest jazz festival in the world. The Montréal International Jazz Festival will once again overwhelm the downtown Quartier des Spectacles this year with hundreds of concerts representing numerous genres including some 350 free outdoor shows.

Bright lights for African nights

Festival International Nuits D’Afrique (July 11-23) Montréal’s much-loved Nuits D’Afrique world music festival brings the best of African and African-influenced music from some of the biggest names in the game at numerous indoor and free outdoor shows. Past performers have included Youssou N’Dour, Angelique Kidjo, Omar Sosa and Papa Wemba.

Putting the fun in funny

Just For Laughs Comedy Festival (July 12-31) Just For Laughs (the world’s largest comedy fest) and its associated industry conference brings both A-List comedians and next-generation up-and-comers to its galas and club shows. Its sprawling outdoor site in the Quartier des Spectacles is also a daily hive of family-friendly entertainment opportunities. Among the big stars shining this year are Kevin Hart, Trevor Noah and Seinfeld.

Scarily good

Fantasia International Film Festival (July 13 to August 2) Premiere magazine called it “one of the most exciting genre film festivals in the world,” and the approximately 125,000 festivalgoers who attend Fantasia’s 150-plus films every year would be among the first to agree. Underground, international and retro films in the realms of horror, fantasy, sci-fi and much more are on offer at this 21st edition, as well as numerous associated conferences and industry/social functions.

Three daze of amazing music

Osheaga Music and Arts Festival (August 4-6) Osheaga is a truly exceptional, world-class outdoor music and arts experience that takes place in picturesque Parc Jean-Drapeau on Ile Ste-Hélène across from Montréal’s Old Port. This year’s 12th edition will again deliver the best in rock, pop, hip-hop, indie music and more. This year’s headliners include Lorde, Muse and The Weeknd.

Metal mayhem

Heavy Montréal (N/A) Heavy Montréal is unconditional in its love of heavy music: death metal, hair metal, black metal, hard rock and hardcore all enjoy equal attention. This year, the fest will take a break, returning on July 28-29, 2018.

Big time bass dropping

ÎleSoniq (August 10-12) And a completely different kind of Parc life will spring into action for the third edition of wildly popular electronic dance and urban music festival ÎleSoniq, which brings out 40,000 beat-happy partiers. Spectacular, state-of-the-art special effects will overload your circuits to the sounds of headliners Tiësto, Porter Robinson, Afrojack plus many, many more.

Get into mode

Fashion and Design Festival (August 21-26) This major outdoor event at Quartier des Spectacles, in the heart of downtown Montréal, features approximately 50 shows with as many as 300 participants and 550,000 visitors expected. This one-of-a-kind occasion provides an inside look at the world of fashion and design through activities like fashion shows, live creative sessions, film screenings, tons of conferences, design showcases and musical performances.

Up next:Start your engines at the F1 Grand Prix

The post Your 2017 Montréal summer festival guide appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

http://ift.tt/2rRmLvK

[fakebreadkuzuryuu]

Danganronpa Talentswap Server Advertisement! You must be 18+! Completely rebooted as of 3/12! Updated 4/18.

Taking place at Hope’s Peak, feel free to live your life to the fullest extent that you can! These wistful days of teenage youth are fast fleeting and meant to be lived to the extremes! Attend class, make friends, laugh, cry, do whatever you can before it’s too late! This is Hope’s Peak Academy, only the most gifted of students may attend. Be sure that you are aware, you’re the best of the best. Take pride in your title, exude the confidence only a SHSL Student may possess, and take control of your future while you still have a chance. Please do your best to stay on campus, as we believe we have provided all that you need to live comfortably.

1. This is non-despair, but despair-bound characters may still despair. 2. You may have up to 2 muses. 3. Canontalents only. 4. Stick to a more Japanese manner of reference. 5. Feel free to RP in rooms with other interactions. 6. Meet partner’s expectations in replies. 7. Don’t harass people for LGBT headcanons. 8. No ship hate or adult/minor shipping. 9. NSFW is up in the air at this time so take it to DMs if it gets to that point. 10. Do not apply for the sole reason of smut-fishing! More rules upon approval but these are the basics.

Below are the taken characters. Any canon character is allowed to join! Yes- this includes characters from DR0, DR3, people like Sato and Natsumi, and things like that. (Another Episode you are only allowed to apply as Komaru and Yuta!) If applying for a V3 character, please put 78-B as the class.

Taken characters: Student Council President Akamatsu Pyrotechnician Kiibo Butler Ouma Coach Naegi Robot Hinata Boxer Momota Good Luck Tanaka Literary Girl Kirigiri Headmaster Jin [ No talent! ] Photographer Celes Fashionista Fujisaki Yakuza Tsumiki Inventor Matsuda Makeup Artist Harukawa Gamer Mioda Prince Amami Reserve Course Kuzuryuu Fortune Teller Komaeda Mechanic Asahina Requests from the group: Someone with the Soldier talent Chabashira Natsumi Ishimaru

Application form and submission page are here for your easier convenience. Thanks!