A Circuit of Time: Book Two of Spark (A MPHFPC Fanfiction)

Chapter Two

"Does that mean there are other ymbrynes alive, right now?" Emma asked.

"Not much left. Most of them were killed over the years. There is only one living ymbryne in America today." Sharon replied.

"Francesca." Emma said.

"Yes. We call her Miss Bittern since she's no longer a trainee."

"So, you use a coucil system that includes other different peculiars to make up with the lack of ymbrynes."

"I won't say 'make up with.'" Sharon said, clearly not happy with Emma's wording. "The ymbrynes who founded this organization wanted to prevent the problems of former ymbrynic system. They think the old regime tend to ignore the voices of other peculiars, which is what pushed many people to join Caul. We can't make that mistake again."

Emma sensed Sharon was more or less pleased with the change. Sharon had been advocating that the peculiar political system should include more than just ymbrynes back when they were in Devil's Acre. Of course he was happy about that change.

"Look at you now, a member of the council, instructor for new comers? We really come a long way, didn't we?" Emma said.

"I'm glad it did improve, just wish it didn't take the ymbrynes a lost war to realize this." Sharon sighed, "But we have to deal with what we got, right?"

"Do you miss the old days?" Emma asked, "When you were running river tours in Devil's Acre? Or when your were in charge of Bentham's Panloopticon? It all seemed like forever ago."

"Who wouldn't miss that?" Sharon replied, "We didn't need to worry about normals trying to kill us on sight, or super enhanced wights and armoured hollows and bird-knows-what-else running amuck. Nowadays, inside this loop is all nice and rosy, but outside? It's only death for us. Normals and wights both want us dead, hollows still hunting us. Sometimes I wonder if the ymbrynes were right not to allow us into the present. Every time peculiars do that blood will be shed."

"We all hope things had gone differently. But I'm also glad some things didn't change." Emma gave Sharon a smile, "Good to see you again."

*

The door opened right after the first knock.

"Right on time, Mr. Hill, Miss Wilson." Miss Bittern said.

"How do you know we are coming?" John looked confused.

"You must have noticed the ambrosia vial you carried in your bag is missing when we sent it back to you. Consider you don't know or trust anyone in this loop enough to discuss such matter, and the fact that Miss Wilson is likely to have heard of stories of ymbrynes growing up, you two are most likely to come to me." Miss Bittern reached out to shake their hands. "Francesca Bittern, delighted to meet you. Come in, now, don't just stand there."

John expected an ymbryne's office to be grander. He expected some elegant classical European-styled furniture, or oddities brought back from around the world, or at least more bird-related decoration. But Miss Bittern's office looked nothing like his imagination.

The room could only be charitably described as simple. A modern-looking desk had been placed in the middle, some files piled up on top of it beside an old computer. And behind it, under the open window, was a wind chair—the material of which looked suspiciously like plastic. At one side of the room was a half empty shelf, books and files laid on it casually. At the other was a modest wardrobe and an old metal fan that looked it would fall apart the moment it was turned on. No decorations, no oddities, just enough of everything necessary for someone to work in.

Francesca dragged two chairs across the room and gestured John and Blanche to sit down.

"I still don't understand. How do you know we will be here at this moment?" asked Blanche.