Miss Avocet's Academy For Ymbrynes

chapter 2

"We have much to discuss" The older woman reached a hand down for the silver haired girl to use to pull herself up. Isabelle took advantage, trembling as she softly stood back up, dabbing at her tears.

"N-no we don't. I returned the watch" Alma shuddered, taking a tiny  step back. The older woman didnt look mean, but she also didn't look like the friendliest face either. Her black curls bounced with each step she took, outlining her narrow face and dark green eyes. Her dark bronze skin glimmered in the patchy sunlight that was quickly being overtaken  by the dark storm clouds. Her dark green dress swayed with a natural swing, gently  swaying over her  scuffed and muddy boots as she was suddenly in front of Alma before she couldn't even react.

"It's not an issue of your returning the watch. I could easily get her a new watch. Or she could do it with her hands or something." She paused as if mulling the thought over in her head. "Anywho,  it's what you did with it!" She broke out into a gentle, much more welcoming grin. " And I don't want to go get her another watch, so I already like you!" She exlcaimed

"Im-im not a witch!" Alma  put her hands up, suddenly felt her heart tick up a notch. If they told anyone....she could be hung at the gallows like they did to old Miss Smitreven two years ago after she killed two infants while trying to cure them of Tuberculosis for an outrageous price  Alma never forgot that day she hid behind jack as they read out the woman's sentencing, asking her if she had any final words. Alma listened the to the begging of the woman who claimed she could cure the entire town for free even, but she only saw the woman's feet after a few short moments, swaying in an erie dance of silence.

Her parents did forbid them from going to the execution, but her and Jack snuck out. Now she wished she had actually listened.

"Oh love, of course not." The woman chirped. Maybe she was more friendly than the Raven haired girl had pegged her to be after all? She bent down to be Alma's height, but kept a gentle distance from her. "Your most definetly peculiar. Maybe even an Ymbryne!" She gently took Alma's hands, giving them a little shake.

"I should run..." Alma thought as she  glanced back down at the woman's calloused hands cradling her own. "but this woman...she's so pleasant and warm....much warmer than mama!" She thought. "No I need too-"

"What is your name my love? Mine is Miss Diane  Bunting." She gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Nancy?" Alma lied. She was unsure if this was the right move or not, but she knew to go by the old Saying, "ask for forgiveness later."

"You don't look like a Nancy." Millie tilted her head slightly to the side. Isabelle rolled her eyes "hush up."

"You hush up-"

Ladies!" Miss Bunting turned, her eyes narrowing to daggers on the girls. Both of them quickly mumbled a curt apology.

"Alright Nancy, why don't I take you back to my school, and I can-"

"Alma!" A sudden out of breath voice called. Jack darted into the clearing, his eyes widening at the scene before him. He had never seen any of the three women before him, and just what were they all doing with Alma?

"What are you doing!?" He snapped at miss Bunting more than Alma, quickly yanking her back behind him. Miss Bunting gasped slightly, then released a huffed sigh.

"This girl, she's special!" Miss Bunting exclaimed. "she needs to come with me if she ever wants to think of having a life where she doesn't have to hide from the normal people!"
She stood back up, dusting off her skirt that Alma noticed had little embroidered flowers on the bottom, all of varying shapes and sizes as if each one was completed by a different person.

"Yeah, sure." Jack snapped "let's go Alma before this nutcase looses it." He grabbed her arm as miss Bunting suddenly dissapeared behind  them. Jack caught the green  dress falling to the floor in his hindsight, suddenly whirling back around with Alma held close to him, his arm guarding her.

"Alma? Yeah she does look like an Alma-" Millie started as Jack quickly searched for the dissapearing woman. He had to be imagining this all, or still in bed.  But how could he really force himself to follow that theory when he himself had turned into a bird?

"Wait where did she go?" Jack whipped back around, a small green bird barely the size of the tiny little buns Alma and her mother made to sell at the market during the holidays in front of Jack's face. 

Isabelle couldn't help but chuckle a bit as miss Bunting flapped at eye level with a shocked  Jack before suddenly zooming to her clothing. Within moments she was a human, lying on the dusty earth floor with her arm through the head hole of her dress. All four kids  watched her struggle for a moment until her head finally came out "See. I would be what you call a witch too. You don't need to worry!" She huffed in a fresh breath of air in.

Jack and Alma both stared for a moment, a gaps lost in there throats. Someone else could do it too?

"H-how?" Alma stammered as if she hadn't seen herself do it before. "Your a birdie too!"

"That is called an Ymbryne love. I am an ymbryne." She said softly. "And, if you can do that along with your time tricks, you just might be too. Ymbrynes can manipulate time, play around with people's memories, and transform into a bird." She said softly as a few raindrops creased her curls much to her annoyance. "Should pulled her hair back up into a bun" she grumbled as a loud crack of thunder looked in the sky.

"We both can turn into birds!" Alma stepped forward, letting Jack's hands fall off her shoulder.

"Both of you?" Millie called from her place next to Isabelle "but He's a boy!"

"So?" Jack growled, much more annoyed than he thought he would be. Why did this whole situation irk him more than he thought possible? Was it because he tried playing with the watch after Alma went to sleep last night and had no luck? Or was it the fact that this seemed to be the most absurd excuse for a situation he had ever seen?

"Males can't be Ymbrynes." Miss Bunting corrected, adjusting her collar. "but, you most definetly would be considered a peculair." She glanced up at the storm clouds that swirled above

"What's a peculair?" Alma asked, standing closer to jack. He easily blocked the heavy wind and drops of rain from hitting her as he was nearly two feet taller than her.

"A peculair is someone who has a special ability. If your brother can transform into a bird, then he is a animal shifter." She clapped her hands a lovely peculiarity if I do say so myself!"

"But why can't I be an ymbryne?" Jack asked, his hands moving to hold each other in a clasp.

"Males have never, and can never be Ymbrynes.  If you ask my partner, she might  have a much more detailed answer. But I must be going as it is starting to pour." Miss Bunting moved under tree. Isabelle and Millie both ready to start the walk of shame home. There was no way they were getting out of punishment now.

"Do you want to come with me to my home? It's quite a bit away, but, my partner could answer all your questions!" Miss Bunting sniffed. Alma glanced up at jack, a begging look pacing her emerald eyes.

"Fine.... But we must be home by supper or ma would have a fit!" He reluctantly took a step forward, Alma at his side as she he took her hand.

Miss Bunting nodded "lead the way." She grinned, holding her hands forward as Jack rolled his eyes, but started to walk. He toyed with his pocket knife, uncertain he would really be willing to use it in the case this ended up being a dangerous mistake.