For the past two years an oddity has been occurring at Allowsville Middle School, an oddity in the fact that for the first time in the school's history nearly the entire school's history, nearly every student had signed up for a music theory, or choir related class for their next school year. In fact even word had reached the 5th grade students who were only just filtering into the school for their 6th grade year, that a music course, was in fact the most desired class to take at least once at Allowsville. At first the oddity was questioned, after all it only took one semester for the change to take place, although it didn't take long for the board to realize what had taken place within the school.

Vesta Bronwyn was an anomaly in the modern world. She wore long colorful cloaks that made it seem like she was from another century entirely. She had a mass of dark curly hair that despite always staying neatly out of her face, hung wildly behind her back. No one in Allowsville was sure where she was from although most knew it was somewhere in Europe due to her accent. Vesta Bronwyn was only 27 and yet a good portion of her hair had already turned white. Although most peculiar of all the things about Vesta Bronwyn was the owl that remained perched on her shoulder as she taught.

The older students, even some of the high schoolers, claimed she was a witch. The parents, despite scolding their children for making assumptions about the young woman, believe they're right. However Vesta Bronwyn quickly became a favorite amongst her students soon after being hired, so not many parents saw it fit to complain about her odd appearance. The town of Allowsville itself was rather small in size. Yet there still weren't many people who knew much about Vesta Bronwyn in fact, not a single person had ever seen her outside of school. That is, aside from Ryen McLowen.

Ryen McLowen was a sophomore at Allowsville High School, it was her 4th highschool in two years, her third foster family in the same period of time. She had been placed with this family at the beginning of her sophomore year, and for some reason this one had been more eager to have her stick around than the others. It was now ⅔ of the way through the school year. Ryen McLowen first encountered Vesta Bronwyn on Halloween when she took her foster siblings to their class Halloween carnival when her foster parents were "too busy." She only saw her for a moment before she was swallowed again by the crowd, the long dark curly hair, the thin lips, the bright blue heavily lidded eyes, they were features she would recognize anywhere, they were features that were nearly identical to her own.

After the halloween carnival Ryen McLowen volunteered to pick her foster siblings up from school almost daily hoping to catch a glimpse of the allusive music teacher, she even went as far as asking her foster siblings and their friends about her classes if she knew they had them. Although even with the information she got from them she couldn't find any proof linking her to the mysterious teacher.

Finally one day Ryen was informed during class that her foster siblings had been sent home sick with the flu and she wouldn't need to pick them up. A window of opportunity she had to take, she still made her way to middle school after her classes were over. She made it to the school just in time to see Vesta Bronwyn leaving the building, although most peculiarly, it was if no one else noticed her, no one waved or said goodbye for the day, no one even seemed to notice she was there, not even the students who typically gawked and stared at her like she was quite the spectacle even noticed she was there.

Ryen knew she shouldn't, she knew it was a violation of this woman's right to privacy if she did, but she also knew she may never get this chance again if she didn't, she followed her. Down the street, she didn't walk fast, it was almost as if she was enjoying everything around her as she walked. Despite the bustling of the world around them, she seemed peaceful, almost as if she didn't notice, and the world didn't seem to notice her either.

Ryen almost didn't notice when Vesta Bronwyn turned down to the street to the right, the road was winding and led down into the forest surrounding the town. Ryen followed behind her, careful not to be seen. Going down the winding road into the woods far enough that the winding road became a simple path, then Vesta Bronwyn vanished, a thick smoke left behind where she once stood. Ryen spun around, looking for the woman who once stood before her.

"Who sent you?"

Ryen spun around again looking for the source of the voice.

"How did they find me?"

Ryen ran deeper into the forest, the voice seemed to stay right behind her as she did.

"Why are you following me?"

"Do you work for the ministry? Or are you one of his?"

Ryen ran as fast as she could, the path was now seemingly nonexistent.

"Why are you here?"

Faster, all Ryen could think was, go faster. And then, She couldn't stop it, her feet were no longer beneath her. She fell, she knew it was too late, she knew she'd never be found.

"How do you know who I am?"

She didn't dare look up, she could feel the woman leaning over her, she could see her long hair draping down around her. Tears started pouring down her face.

"I don't- No one sent me. I don't know who you are, no one sent me. I promise I'll leave you alone- My name is Ryen. I'm a student at the high school. I swear I just moved here. I had some questions. I promise I don't know anything. Just let me go!"

And then, as quickly as it started, everything was quiet again, the world felt as if everything had gone still. She looked up slowly, and just like nothing had ever happened, Vesta Bronwyn sat across from her with her legs crossed.

"I didn't mean to frighten you."

"Yes you did."

"That's true."

Ryen sat up looking around, before looking at the woman sitting across from her, once again she looked almost peaceful.

"What are you?"

"That's none of your concern."

"Why do you look like me?"

"I guarantee I am older than you so wouldn't it be you that looks like me?"

"Useless."

Ryen stood up, turning around to leave, however when she turned to leave Vesta Bronwyn was standing before her again.

"Excuse me."

"You're useless. I thought you would be able to help me but you're not even answering my simple questions so there's not any point in asking you useful questions."

"I did answer your questions. I truly can't tell you what I am or I'll be arrested by your government. And how am I supposed to tell you how we look similar if I've always looked like this, in fact I've always been told I look like my mother, so I don't know, ask her I suppose. Although she does happen to be dead so you may have a time trying."

Before Ryen could stop the words coming out of her mouth she asked what she had been dying to ask her since she had seen her at halloween.

"Have you ever had a family member go to prison… specifically around 16-17 years ago?"

At that moment Vesta Bronwyn's face softened.

"How did you know that?"

"I was born in a prison and put into foster care-"

"Have you ever been able to do things you couldn't explain? Ever levitated a toy as a kid, heard someone's thoughts? Seen things no one else could see?"

"Not that I can recall…"

"It doesn't always show young. Listen, do you like your life?"

"What?"

"Do you like your life?"

"I mean I guess."

"Then do yourself a favor, go home and pretend I don't exist, pretend you didn't see what you saw today."

Ryen took a step back. She was confused, and if she was being honest a little hurt.

"I can't do that- If there's any chance that we could be related-? I've been searching my whole life for my-"

"You don't want my family."

"Please."

The woman sighed.

"How much time do you have?"

"My foster parents think I'm at a friend's. So plenty."

Vesta Bronwyn then moved her hand to flick over her shoulder as if she were throwing something behind her back. Then, almost as if a thin veil of fabric were falling from the sky a small cabin was revealed seemingly out of nowhere.

"How did you-"

"What I'm going to tell you, you have to promise to never tell anyone. If anyone knows you know, there will be problems that I cannot fix."

"Right."

"Come with me."

Stepping into Vesta Bronwyn's cabin was almost like stepping into a different world. There were candles floating around the room, a wood burning stove that seemingly had already decided what was being made for dinner. The ceiling seemed to reflect the current course of the galaxy and there was a bed pushed up against the wall hidden by draped curtains. There was a heavy cloud of incense burning in the air. The rest of the room was adorned like an ancient apothecary.

"Sit." Vesta Bronwyn had pulled two chairs up to a table. "I'm going to tell you a story."