Trouble Brewing
Chapter 17 - Trouble Brewing
Charlie was worried at who was at the door, since she couldn't let it be known yet what she was doing. Well, this time it was Husk, entering as he voiced, “hey, Charlie, you got the partying mood? ‘Cause I-“
The accident-prone man stopped when he saw something he hadn’t seen in the last decade, right on that dresser. The house tried moving it behind the blue bow blonde and she tied looking casual while hiding it. However, the young girl saw that her father’s face was stuck in an aghast state and so opts for telling the truth, albeit with some hesitation before just saying everything in one breath.
“I… broke into Blitzo’s tower. I found his last vision. The family’s in trouble. The magic is dying. Vivienne is breaking. Ozzie’s Gift is fading and I think it’s all because of… me?”
Husk still didn’t say anything. He didn’t even drop the look on his face as he gently pushes aside his daughter to look at Blitzo’s last vision.
Charlie was getting worried now. “Papa?”
Finally, an announcement occurs to let everyone know that dinner is ready, prompting the accident-prone man to speak. “We say nothing.” Then as he was gathering up the pieces and stuffing them into his pockets, “Abuela Vaggie wants tonight to be perfect. Until the Knolastnames leave, you did not break into Blitzo’s tower. The magic is not dying. Vivienne is not breaking. And Ozzie’s Gift is not fading.”
Finally, Husk grips Charlie by the shoulders, the two being near the door as it creaks open. The worried father whispers, “no one will know. Just act normal. No one has to know.”
Of course, the accident-prone man and blue bow blonde felt their guts downright plummet when they heard a very familiar squeak.
Sure enough, on the other side of the second-floor halls, there was Arackniss. “Sorry but… I know.”
At seeing him scurry away to the dinner table, Charlie says, “well, fuck. He’s going to tell everyone.”
“For those who missed it the first time, it’s time to eat!” Vaggie called out.
“Language, Charlie. But yeah. Fuck.”
The whole family was at the table, Moxxie seated next to Verosika and Vaggie speaking to Alastor and Rosie. “The Madrigals and the Knolastnames together will be so good for the Encanto.”
The smiling man nodded. “Yes, so let’s hope tonight won’t end in a horrible disaster.”
The prim-and-proper lady threw in, "I believe you just jinxed it, dear. Honestly, you just love to see chaos unfold, do you?"
Of course, as the elder three were laughing, Charlie was seated right in front of Arackiss, the younger two being tense as all fuck.
“To a perfect night!” Vaggie declared, holding up her glass. “Salud!”
Everyone repeats, “Salud!”
Charlie was still eyeing Arackniss as she helped herself to food. The super listener was still very much tense, highly likely only being quiet because he was being watched.
Naturally, Moxxie had held up a bowl right in front of the Charlie's face. “Do you want some avocado?”
“N-no, thanks…” Charlie said as she pushed the bowl aside.
That opening was all Arackniss needed to whisper right into Angel’s ear. The shapeshifter turned into Charlie, then hobo-Blitzo, and finally himself but with his eyes positioned like that of a chameleon’s.
“Fuck!” Angel couldn’t help but hiss, upon noticing his eyes were weird.
Alastor and Rosie turned to look but Vaggie distracted them by offering some more wine. Molly was seated next to Angel and turned to him to see what the problem was.
“Angel! Fix your face!” The sharply dressed lady whispered.
Charlie would have kept eye contact with Angel but then Verosika held a jug in front of her face. “Water, little, tiny sis?”
“No!” The blue bow blonde quietly exclaimed when pushing that out of the way.
Angel has taken the opportunity to whisper into Molly’s ear, who did a spit take right on Moxxie. The unfortunate freckled blonde sat where he was, blankly staring like he just witnessed a puppy being kicked.
“S-so sorry…” The sharply dressed lady said, punching her chest.
Vaggie cleared her throat. “Charlie. The cream, please?”
Charlie nervously laughed, ignoring Verosika’s annoyed glare. Then turning to Husk, who was seated on her other side, “Papa? Pass the cream?”
The accident-prone man was very, very stiff as he robotically grabbed the bowl of cream. He apparently could just barely hold on because he was clearly at risk of dropping the bowl. So the blue bow blonde took it as swiftly as she could and passed it to her sister, who passed it on herself towards the Madrigal matriarch.
Then Charlie turned to Molly to see her whisper into Pentious’s ear, the man being slack-jawed and with a thundering cloud over his head. The blue bow blonde was left wondering just why is this branch of the family so damn chatty. It's only a matter of time before it reaches Vaggie's ears and Charlie's not looking forward to that.