I hadn't been in the loop five minutes and I was already thrilled to begin my new life as a ymbryne. It wouldn't be for a while that I was sent to Miss Avocet's, but I was eager to see what the next year of my life would bring.

The children all chitter-chattered happily as we walked up the path to the house together. They had instantly lifted into high spirits when I arrived, and it was as if they all had uber sugar rushes. It was adorable in my mind, but Miss Peregrine probably wouldn't think too much of their bounciness.

I couldn't contain myself, either. The sight of the children had made me forget about all the hardships I had pushed through to get here during the school year. None of it mattered anymore, all that mattered was here-and-now, the pleasant sight of the peculiar children, the big house, the aroma of flowers, the fact that I was on my way to visit my mother-like mentor.

As Claire and Olive took me up on the porch, the big oak door flew open, and Emma launched herself at me, catching me well off guard, embracing me tightly.

"Oh, Minnette!" she cried. "We are all so joyed you came back to us!"

I held onto Emma tightly for a mere moment then released her so I could look her in the face. Her big blue eyes appeared bluer than ever. "I do believe I promised a certain bird that I would return," I replied. I wasn't in my world anymore, I had to wake up the proper side of myself. "I'll have you know, Miss Bloom, that I never break promises."

She grinned hugely, happy to see me- and my etiquette of the times- had returned to stay. Well, in Peculiardom, not in Miss Peregrine's loop. She hugged me again.

"Well, well, well, look who it is," I heard the voice of Jacob. He stepped onto the porch beside Emma and took her hand. "Welcome back, Minnette."

"Thank you, Jacob," I said gracefully.

"Miss Peregrine will be delighted to see you," he stated, matter-of-factly, as if I already didn't know.

"And I, her."

He grinned. "She's in the dinning room setting things up for lunch, I suggest you go and see her."

And with not another word, Emma and Jacob bound off the porch and took off for the garden. The other children dispersed as well, going all separate ways, except Horace, who lugged my luggage inside the house for me. I asked him to leave it by the stairs, I would take care of it later, and he thanked me, then went back outside.

Before I had went home to America to finish school, there had been wights about Cairnholm. Not just any wights, either, they had been under rule of Caul Bentham, Miss Peregrine's own brother. He was a ghastly man. He had landed on Cairnholm one day, only to be sensed by Miss Peregrine, who had attempted to lead him to the other side of the island, so he would not find the house nor the children. She had succeeded to a point, but had managed to get herself abducted in the process. That had been the day that my ymbrynehood was out in the loop, and I had flown to save her, leaving the children to guard the house. As far as I knew, according to Miss Peregrine's weekly letters, no wights had been spotted on the island since. Not one hollow, either, according to a letter I received from both Emma and Jacob.

I throughly enjoyed the letters I received from the loop; it gave me something to look forward to every week. Miss Peregrine had it all well-planned-out. She would send out her letters on a Wednesday afternoon, and they always reached my mailbox by the following Tuesday morning. I would wait for the mailman before school on Tuesdays and there wasn't a Tuesday that I walked into school that there wasn't at least one letter in my hand.

I slowly stepped through the drawing room, until I came to the double glass doors that led into the dinning room. It was odd, Miss Peregrine had had curtains hanging on the doors, probably because of something Millard did. That whimsical invisible boy was always finding ways to get into trouble. He was a sweet boy though and would do anything to make any one of us laugh on a bad day.

I went to the curtains and slowly pulled one open. I smiled as I saw the figure of Miss Peregrine, sitting at her usual spot at the head of the table, fountain pen in hand as she scrawled something on a piece of paper. From what I could see, she looked exactly the same: astonishingly beautiful. She bore that same stone-cold expression she wore whilst she was neither talking or showing any emotion. It gave strangers the impression that she was a mean woman, which she indeed was not, but it kept questioning normals at bay.

As I reached for the door handle, Miss Peregrine reached for a cup of tea. She raised it to her mouth.

My hand touched the cool brass handle, and suddenly, Miss Peregrine's head shot up. Her ymbryne senses must have been picking up on my presence. Ymbrynes could sense when other ymbrynes were around.

Miss Peregrine dropped the cup of tea, a huge look of surprise on her face. The tea cup hit the floor and shattered into a million pieces. She paid no mind to it as her face lit up into a big grin.

I quickly pushed through the doors.

"Miss Stonington!" she cried joyously.

I hadn't even just stepped into the room when I felt her arms around me in a tight, motherly embrace. As skinny as she was, her embrace felt as warm as a woodstove. My ymbryne empathy was informing me that the woman was absolutely gushing inside over my return. She'd be affectionate only for a short time, for she wouldn't want the children to see her being too soft.

"It's so good to see that you're safe, Miss Stonington," she cooed in ymbryne, "do forgive me, but, I was rather concerned about your welfare. What with the wights being about, and all."

"I can assure you, Headmistress, there is neither wight nor hollow back home."

She stepped back from me and looked me up-and-down. "You've been practicing. Your enunciation of words is impressive."

I nodded. "I set aside special times each evening to practice everything you taught me."

Miss Peregrine gave me a small, approving nod and went to her seat. "I was just writing Miss Avocet, stating that you would be arriving any day now. I will admit that I did not expect you to return so hastily, especially after your graduation ceremony," she explained.

An image of the peregrine falcon I had seen in the woods by the school came to mind. "That was you!" I exclaimed.

She smiled. "Why, yes, indeed it was."

I immediately remembered the day I had left, when Emma had came into my room and explained what an honor it was for me to be in Miss Peregrine's loop. Apparently the presence of a fledgling was not taken lightly to an elder ymbryne, as the presence of any other peculiar child, it indeed was a great honor. And to think that the ymbryne council had chosen to send me to Miss Peregrine. Perhaps, they, too, had noticed that she needed something significantly honorable in her life. Weather she actually saw things the way Emma predicted, I felt I'd never know.

She motioned me to sit beside her, and I did so.

She began to scrawl out a new letter to Miss Avocet, explaining that I had arrived and I was safe.

I watched intently as she wrote. "Miss Peregrine?" I asked.

"Hmmm?" she replied, not lifting her head.

I cleared my throat. "How long, do you suppose, will it be before Miss Avocet summons me?" I asked. I had just returned to the loop and I was already bringing up the subject on when I would be leaving again.

Miss Peregrine chuckled. "Miss Avocet does not summon anyone," she replied, as she began to quicken her writing. "She will arrive here and escort you back to London, personally. Although, when, I cannot tell."

Great, I thought. I could be here for two days, or two months.

I was not a fan of unpredictability, but the peculiar lifestyle had taught me that one must make peace with it, in order to survive. Wights or hollows could appear at any moment, normals could catch onto you at any moment, an ymbryne could be captured at any moment. Yes, it seemed that in the peculiar world a person had to remain on their toes quite often.

The fact that any day now, any given moment, Miss Avocet would arrive and sweep me away to London bothered me a bit; I wanted some time to spend with the children and Miss Peregrine.

"Tell me, child, have you flown recently?"

"I have," I replied.

Miss Peregrine then singed the bottom of the letter she had been composing, and she began to fold it. As she continued to place the letter in an envelope and seal it, I told her of the cool nights I would sneak from my window to the roof, and soar high above the New York countryside. I proudly reported to her that I had not yet one accident whilst flying. Stating she was proud of me, she pulled out her pocket watch and glanced at it.

"Oh, look at the time," she said. "It is time to prepare lunch."

"Would you care for some help?"

She shook her head. "No, I thank you, Miss Stonington, but I have already prepared the majority of the food. I suggest you take your things to your room."

I took that as a sign that she wanted to be left alone for a bit, so, respectfully, I left her alone. I hauled my things to my old quarters to discover that not a thing had changed. I felt a sensation of warmth come over me as I threw my suitcase upon the bed and opened it.

The only things I removed from the packing was my camera, a nightgown, two outfits and the journal Miss Peregrine had given me. The camera and journal were placed on my nightstand, along with my fountain pen, and my measly two outfits were placed in the wardrobe. I left my trunk and other things in the corner.

I then hopped on my bed and grabbed my journal. I dipped my fountain pen in its ink and opened a fresh page.

7/3/17 (Miss Peregrine's Loop: September 3, 1940)

I have finally arrived home to the world of Peculiardom. The journey was long and tiring, but I am overjoyed to be back in the loop with all my friends. Miss Peregrine has not changed at all, and neither have any of the children. The loop remains in fine condition.

Then BAM! It hit me. I forgot that I had a small gift for Miss Peregrine in my trunk. Closing my journal, I put it on the nightstand and went to the trunk. I took it off the dolly, and whipped open the top. In the trunk was a menagerie of heirlooms and memorabilia. Such included, photo albums, my favorite stuffed teddy bear from when I was a small child, letters from my grandmother before she had passed, my scrapbooks and loads of other things, all of which held a certain significance to me. I could have chosen to leave all these things back in America, but once I was in a loop of my own someday, I wouldn't be leaving, and I doubted that I would want to return to collect my things.

I reached inside my jewelery box which was packed at the bottom of the trunk, and pulled out the zippo flip-lighter I had ordered Miss Peregrine online. It happened to be advertised on a Facebook page for funding for the conservation of wild Peregrine falcons, and I just had to order one. I also had one ordered for me with a raven on it for myself.

I changed into a light black long-sleeved V-neck and a black skirt that touched the floor. I was busy brushing my hair out, preparing to pin it up, when there was a knock at my door.

"You may enter," I said.

I turned to see the figure of Hugh enter. He had a small smile on his face, and he had bees clung to his chest. They buzzed quietly.

"Hello, Hugh!" I greeted excitedly, my hands holding my hair above my head as I shoved pins in it.

He grinned. "Hello, Minnette. Miss Peregrine asked me to tell you that lunch will be served in five minutes."

"Thank you, Hugh," I said. "Please inform Headmistress that I will be along in a few."

He nodded then wandered off.

After wrestling with my hair for a while, I finally got it into a decent updo. I took one good look at myself in the mirror, decided that I was too tired to look any better, I gave myself a approving nod, then made my way down to the dinning room.