[INTRO] Flowers, Flowers Everywhere

[matizrojo]

WHO: Isabela Madrigal and YOU
WHERE: her labyrinth or the city
WHEN: Feb. 12th
WHAT: Another Labyrinth has spit out another Madrigal. As they do.
WARNINGS: None

labyrinth

[Everything about this labyrinth felt so familiar to Isabela. So well put together, so pretty, so perfect, so-- STIFLING. But in trying to navigate it, she learned that she couldn't change it. The thriving power she'd only just awakened to was gone-- reverted back to the most basic, the most boring version of itself.

A nightmare. This was a nightmare. But she wasn't waking up. So the only thing left to do was to get the heck out of here as quickly as she possibly could.

...right after taking out her frustration on a series of colorful, perfectly arranged arrangements.]

Hrrrrghhh--!

[With an aggravated cry, there are suddenly a lot of pretty flower petals of different colors flying everywhere. It's hard to say how much destruction it will take to make her feel better-- fortunately in this perfect world there are no thorns. Watch out for the occasional flying branch though.]

city

[As soon as she makes it out, Isabella collapses on the nearest bench utterly exhausted, letting her eyes fall shut. That took a lot more out of her than she expected-- and not just physically. She may have broken open the ceiling but there's still a lot of unresolved feelings about it all. It's nice to just rest for a moment a let it all go.]

Finally.

[She's still covered in an explosion of colors; her dress a wild and creative mess of her own making. But she has a lot of rose and orchid petals stuck to her too from the labyrinth. Honestly she kind of looks like she got into a fight with a flower cart and lost.]

What is going on...?

[It never stops. Just when they thought things were going to be better... But opening her eyes and squinting at the city before her, it's more than just "what".]

Where... am I?

Comments

[nonmagical]

Isa!

[It is her! She pounces her for a hug. Or more like leans down and aggressively hugs her - no getting out of it with a song this time!]

When did you - where did you - are you okay?

[matizrojo]

[Before she can get up, Mirabel is there and-- no, she's happy to be able to hug her sister; reaching up to hug her tight. She's glad she's here and safe, no matter what strange thing is happening now.]

I fell and then... I don't know how long it took me to get here but-- I'm okay now. I'm here.

[nonmagical]

[It's comforting, and while she's not glad that her sister is here instead of safe and at home, she's glad to see her.]

Did you get stuck in some kind of maze too?

[matizrojo]

[Her expression falls, remembering it. Remembering... everything.]

...yeah. I had to find my way here... but I had some help along the way.

[Then it sinks in. If her own maze was like that, then what would Mirabel have seen? Just the thought threatens to anger her again.]

Hold on. Did you get dropped into one of those mazes too?

[nonmagical]

Yeah, I did. It looked like Casita and had fake doors that disappeared when you touched them.

[So basically her Gift Ceremony on repeat. She feels some kinda way about it but it's over and she's fine now.]

Tio Bruno got me out, so it's fine now. I'm sorry I wasn't there to get you out of yours.

[matizrojo]

[It's just as awful as she feared. If there was someone responsible for all this, they had better hope they never end up in the same room with her because she swears it right now-- they will not be the same afterwards. Isabela hugs her tighter, shaking her head.]

It's not fine. [Because Mirabel needs to hear it. She needs to know that.] ...but I'm here now. We're here. Together. And we're going to get through this... together.

[nonmagical]

[Mirabel just leans into the hug, emotions threatening to come to the surface. It wasn't fine. It hurt. But her family's here now, and they're going to be okay.]

Yeah... yeah, we are. [She smiles.] It's not just us, though. Tio Bruno, Dolores, and Luisa are all here too. Looks like all of us are going to end up here pretty soon.

[matizrojo]

Well we are the amazing Madrigals. So... if they want to bring us all here? Then I say-- go ahead. Just try us.

[She lets go... only to take Mirabel by the shoulders. So she can look her in the eyes.]

Because nothing is going to stop us when we all stand together.

[nonmagical]

[Gosh Isa when did you become so cool.]

You're 100% right. There's nothing we can't do together.

... I really missed you and Luisa.

[matizrojo]

[It's new and... it's nice-- hearing Mirabel say that she was missed.]

And I'm really glad to see you.

[Isabela pulls back a hand and with a bit of focused effort; produces a single perfect rose and gently places it in her sister's hair. And then... a grin slowly takes it's place on her face.]

So.... out of the buildings in this city... which one do you think is the tallest?

[nonmagical]

[It is a new feeling, being able to tell Isabela that she loved and missed her. She never thought she’d have that kind of relationship with her…

…Then again, Mirabel didn’t exactly make things easy herself.

Mirabel touches the rose in her hair and grins.]

Well, there is this one building… it’s so tall you have to strain your neck to look at it!

[matizrojo]

[Isabela's eyes light up just listening to her talk about it. That's exactly the kind of place she'd been looking for.]

That sounds perfect.

[She reaches out and takes Mirabel's hand, giving it a small squeeze.]

Show me?

[nonmagical]

Sure, it's this way - you'll know it when you see it.

[Mirabel grasps her hand in return, and leads her in the direction of the tallest skyscraper she knows about in this town.]

[matizrojo]

[She knows it as soon as she sees it. And when she does, she picks up the pace a little.]

We're going straight to the top.

[Except. You know. The "hard" way. With like. Stairs and elevators. Because as much as she'd like to, Isabela knows her Gift won't get them there as it is now.]