My Perfect Bird

Chapter 11-She's Gone

The next day was completely normal until there came a knock on the door. Alma opened it only to be greeted by another ymbryne. "Oh my, Balenciaga, what a lovely surprise. What on earth are you doing here?"

"I'm afraid I've come on business, Alma. Is Y/n here?"

"Oh, yes." Alma turned around, stopping Horace who was walking through the hall. "Horace, could you fetch Miss Grandala for me? Tell her to meet me in the garden." He nodded and walked off to you find you. "Well then, come along." She gestured for Miss Wren to follow her as she walked through the yard to the garden where she sat on a bench.

"Alma, you asked for me?" You said as you approached the two a few minutes later. "Oh, Balenciaga, when did you arrive?"

"Only a few minutes ago. Please. Sit." She stood to allow you to take her seat. You tried to say she could keep her seat but she insisted. "I won't be here long. But I fear the council has come to a decision that will alter your lives." You and Alma gave each other concerned looks before focusing back on Miss Wren. "You must remember Mallory? How we all had to touch her hand so the council could help keep an eye on us? Well, she's reported that you two, have fallen in love. And regrettably, Y/n needs to leave."

"What? No! We're not in love!" You yelled, standing up. "Please, I can't leave!"

"I'm sorry, Miss Wren." Alma said stiffly, using the woman's professional name. "But Y/n will not be leaving my loop."

"Alma. The council has made a decision!" Miss Wren said sternly.

"I recognize the council has made a decision. But given that it's a stupid-ass decision, I've elected to ignore it." Your eyes winded at the curse but Alma didn't seem to care at that moment. "Now please see your way out of my loop. And do not return unless you're not trying to defend the council's poor choices."

"You do realize what you're doing right now, right? Miss Avocet won't react so kindly to this, Alma. You know how she is."

"Oh, I know exactly how she is. I was her prized student for ages. She always kept me by her side. She'd admire my confidence. But she'd find my position on the matter foolish. She'll likely send someone to forcibly remove Y/n. But she must know I'd never allow that. She until she finds a smart way to go about doing this, you can get out."

"Alright Alma. I understand how you feel. But she's never lost a fight like this before. I would know, would I not? I'm just trying to keep you both safe. Because the last time something like this happened, only one of the two lovebirds survived." She gave you both a pained smile before starting her walk back to the look exit.

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"HEY!" Dan yelled, running into the rented out room in the pub him and his fellow wights were staying. He took off his sunglasses and grinned proudly at the three. "I've found the loop entrance. A woman, who I suspected to be an ymbryne, just based on how she carried herself and what not, walked into a cave. When I looked in she was gone. But I waited decently far away for around half an hour and she emerged again." He took a breath and looked around at the shocked faces around him.

"Of all of us, I didn't think Dan would find the loop." Jackie said, blowing off how he'd basically solved their problems. "And did you catch this ymbryne?"

"Couldn't, she disappeared quickly after leaving the cave. But we should get ready and go raid it. Take the ymbryne and leave no one else alive!"

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Alma had decided to take a walk after the unpleasant interaction with Miss Wren. So you were left to answer the door when you heard a knock. You expected to find Miss W had returned or another ymbryne had arrived. But you were greeted with four wights, one of which had his arm wrapped around Miss Peregrines neck and a gun pointed at her head. "Hello there, nice to finally officially meet you, Miss Grandala." One of the med said. "You might recognize me and Dan here." He gestured to himself and then the man holding Alma at gunpoint. "We're the ones who raided your loop and murdered your children! Surprise!"

You didn't know what to say. Or what to do. You wanted to punch him. But they might hurt Alma. "Don't you dare hurt her." You said, deciding against using some choice words.

"Well, we only really need you. After all, you're the ymbryne with strange abilities, are you not?"

"Yes yes, sure I am. I'll go with you, just let her go."

"I have a counter proposal prepared." He reached forward and grabbed you by the shirt collar, lifting you into the air. His peculiarity was likely something to do with strength. "We have to keep you alive. But that doesn't mean you have to arrive completely undamaged. So we'll take you, and kill everyone else." He gave you a sadistic grin. "Dan." Was all he said, all he needed to say, for his friend to pull the trigger.

You screamed, you weren't sure for how long, but suddenly you were on the ground. The man who'd picked you up now had an arrow through his neck and had collapsed. You looked to the side, finding Enoch there, reloading a crossbow. He aimed at the man, Dan, who'd shot Miss P, and shot him in the chest.

Now the other two bolted into action, rushing over to the boy. The man pulled out a knife whereas the girl formed icicles in her hands to use as makeshift spears. Olive cut off the woman, pushing the palm of her hand to her face, making her scream. And Emma threw one of her shoes at the man, effectively hitting him in the head. As he regained himself you rushed over to Alma's side.

You felt for a pulse on both her wrist and neck, but felt nothing. She was cold and unresponsive. Alma was dead.

You ignored the fight going on behind you, the children could easily beat two wights anyway. Right now all you could focus on was Alma's corpse in your arms. You hugged her, rocking slowly back and forth as tears streamed down your face. You whispered something, incoherent to anyone else, though you understood completely. "You're not gone, you can't be. I love you." You whispered as you cried.

You soon felt a hand on your shoulder. "Miss G.." It was Emma, she'd since put her other shoe back on. "I-is she..?" She couldn't finish her sentence and not back her own tears as she looked at the two of you. You just shook your head, unable to properly respond.

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