{ Edited - 13th Oct, 2020 }
{ Edited - 23th April, 2024 }
"As peculiars, we are bestowed with extraordinary talents that are not found in the general populace. These talents are as diverse and countless in their combinations as the differences in skin color or facial characteristics among others. Nevertheless, there are some abilities that are more widespread, like the power to read minds, while others are more uncommon, such as my own aptitude for manipulating time." said Miss Peregrine.
"Time? I thought you turned into a bird." said Jake.
"It is certain that the key to my skill lies in this fact. Time manipulation is a skill possessed exclusively by birds, hence all individuals with this ability must have the capability to transform into a bird."
"Birds . . . are time travellers?"
Miss Peregrine nodded soberly. "The majority, however, only occasionally slip back and forth unintentionally. Those of us who possess the ability to consciously manipulate time fields, not just for ourselves but also for others, are referred to as ymbrynes. We establish temporal loops that allow peculiar individuals to reside indefinitely."
"A loop," Jake repeated, "Is that what this place is?"
"Yes. Though you may better know it as the third of September, 1940."
Jake leaned toward her over the little desk he was sitting in. "What do you mean? It's only the one day? It repeats?"
"Our experience of it is continuous, allowing us to retain memories of the last seventy years we have spent residing here. This continuous repetition has enabled us to accumulate a wealth of experiences and knowledge. Without this continuity, our ability to recall past events would be greatly diminished," She looked at me, "Miss Wilde, you seem quietly unfazed,"
"Yeah, I'm aware of peculiardom," I said. "Not my cup of tea though," I partly lied.
Jake looks at me, "You really weren't kidding with all this stuff...." He said, looking amazed. I rolled my eyes in response. "So you can really m-manipulate the weather??"
"Jake, I'm in pain, bug off," I warned.
"Well... I can't tell if I'm dreaming or not," Jake muttered.
"Well, in that case, I assure you that you're not dreaming," She smiled, and then Miss Peregrine looked over to me. "You might be the first uncontacted peculiar to have ever approached me, but apart from that, you are most welcome to stay here with us permanently, for as long as you wish," she offered warmly.
"But I hardly know you . . . or the kids who stays here . . ." I replied.
"Undoubtedly, given the length of your intended stay, we will have sufficient time to familiarize ourselves with one another. As you gradually realize that residing here is not as unfavourable as it may seem, you might reconsider my offer. Nevertheless, I will always respect your thoughts and wishes. . . . Whatever makes you happy, dear," she smiled.
What's that saying on that show again? I'm a celebrity, get me out of here! Well . . . I'M KIRA PEREGRINE, GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!
Miss Peregrine turned to Jake. "In any case, it is important to acknowledge that we had been on Cairnholm for over ten years prior to the third of September, 1940. Thanks to the unique geography of the island, we were already physically isolated. However, it was not until that specific date that we also realized the requirement for temporal isolation."
"Why's that?" said Jake.
"Because otherwise we all would've been killed."
"Killed by what?"
"A bomb," Miss Peregrine replied.
"Are there other loops besides this one?"
"Many," she said, "And nearly all the ymbrynes who mother over them are friends of mine. Let me see...." She hesitated and carefully brought down a large photo album from a shelf, placing it on the desk between Jake and I. Leaning in close behind me, she flipped through the pages, searching for specific pictures while taking her time to admire others, her voice filled with wistful memories. As the images passed by, I spotted the familiar faces of my former Ymbrynes, Miss Raven and Miss Crow.
"There's Miss Gannett in Ireland, in June of 1770,"
"Miss Nightjar in Swansea on April 3, 1901,"
"Miss Avocet and Miss Bunting together in Derbyshire on Saint Swithin's Day of 1867,"
"Miss Treecreeper, I don't remember where exactly?"
"—oh, and dear Miss Finch!"
Listening to my mother go on about her dear friends, I quickly scanned the remaining pages of the photo album to keep track of the current count of Ymbrynes.
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{AN: This took absolutely forever!!}
I couldn't help but notice one particular photo that stood out to me - it was a younger version of my mother, embracing a boy tightly against her chest. "Do you have a brother?" I asked as I glanced at the picture and then turned my gaze towards Miss Peregrine, curiosity filling my voice.
Miss Peregrine's eyes followed mine as she looked down at the picture, a warm smile gracing her lips."Yes, but that's not my brother, that's my firstborn son, Bryce," she explained.
It was quite a shock to discover that I had a brother. I mean, who could blame me? They went ahead and wiped my memory clean! Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Jake stealing a quick glance at me, hoping to read my reaction, wondering if I would give in and disclose that I was her daughter. I kept a stoic expression.
"Kira and Bryce, a delightful pair, shared a strong bond as best friends, despite the two-year age gap between them. However, due to a recent regulation, I was compelled to make a heart-wrenching decision. As a mother, I had to undertake the most difficult task imaginable – erasing their memories of each other. Consequently, my son was entrusted to the care of Miss Kestrel, while Miss Crow personally collected my daughter, Kira, and brought her to her new residence. Undoubtedly, this was an incredibly challenging ordeal for all of us,"
As I gazed at Miss Peregrine, I could sense the immense sorrow concealed within her eyes. It was truly heartbreaking to witness the life she had to endure. Flipping through the pages, she eventually stumbled upon a photograph of a captivating woman, surrounded by an otherworldly aura, delicately holding a chubby little bird in her hand. With a hint of sadness, she softly uttered, "This is Miss Finch and her auntie, Miss Finch." The woman and the bird seemed to be communicating.
"How could you tell them apart?" Jake asked.
"Miss Finch, the older of the two, chose to remain a finch for the majority of her days. This suited her just fine, as she was never one for engaging in conversation." Miss Peregrine flipped through a few more pages, eventually coming across a group portrait of women and children solemnly gathered around a paper moon.
"Ah, yes! I'd nearly forgotten about this one." She carefully removed the photo from its album sleeve and gazed at it with admiration. "Miss Avocet, the lady standing in front, holds a position of great importance among us peculiars. She is considered as close to royalty as we can get. For half a century, there were numerous attempts to appoint her as the leader of the Council of Ymbrynes. However, she steadfastly refused to abandon her role as a teacher at the academy she co-founded with Miss Bunting. It is safe to say that every ymbryne of significance, including myself, has benefited from Miss Avocet's guidance at some point in time. In fact, if you observe closely, you may even recognize the young girl wearing glasses."
Jake and I narrowed our eyes. The face she indicated was shadowy and a bit fuzzy. "Is that you?" I asked.
"I was one of the youngest Miss Avocet ever took on," she said proudly.
"What about the boys in the picture?" I said. "They look even younger than you."
Miss Peregrine's face quickly turned grim. "My misguided brothers are the ones you are referring to. Instead of being separated, they accompanied me to the academy. They were treated with excessive care, like a pair of young princes. I must admit that this is what caused their moral decay."
"They weren't ymbrynes?" I asked.
"Oh, no," she huffed. "It is a fortunate circumstance that only women possess the innate ability to become ymbrynes. This is due to the fact that males lack the necessary level of seriousness and temperament that is essential for individuals entrusted with such weighty responsibilities. As ymbrynes, it is our duty to diligently search the countryside for young peculiars who are in need, while also avoiding those who may pose a threat to us. Additionally, we must provide for our wards by ensuring they are well-fed, clothed, protected, and educated in the traditions and knowledge of our people. Furthermore, we bear the additional burden of ensuring that our time loops reset flawlessly each day, without fail."
It was a sudden realization that made me feel both valuable and vulnerable. You see, only Ymbrynes was born female, which made me feel extra special compared to my brother. However, there's still some uncertainty surrounding my identity as a Ymbryne. People just assumed, but their confidence in their answers is not quite there yet.
"What happens if they don't?" Jake asked.