Hello, all! This is the second story that I've started. I'm having trouble finding inspiration for other one (City of Embers), so I needed some fresh material to sink my teeth into. I promise I'll keep both of them going. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing MI related…just havin' fun with her characters.
Clary found herself in a room full of strangers. Not one familiar face. With no friends or family around she was forced to turn to her cell phone for comfort. She clicked a button, opening her Inbox. She smiled, clicking on her last message received, from Simon: Buck up! It's no big deal. Can't wait to hear all about it! But leaving the comfort of her life in order to end up here – and not by choice - was a big deal. She scanned to the one before it, from Simon: Don't worry…I won't say anything to anyone! I can't believe my best friend is a ninja! That made her giggle to herself. She tried to remember how many times she had told Simon that she wasn't a ninja, she was a Shadowhunter. But he refused to call her anything but a ninja. Her smile was short lived as she glanced around the room again.
Clary had only been here for fifteen minutes and things were already strange. It started with one of the other students chanting something at the door right before it opened on its own. And then there was the cat – Church, the one that lead them to the library. Even though it couldn't speak, the other students knew they were supposed to follow it. Did they get some type of manual that I didn't? Now she and about eight other semi-trained Shadowhunters were scattered randomly throughout the room. Including the three girls huddled in the corner, whispering amongst each other. They reminded Clary of the mean girls back from her old high school. She only said that because the main one – a beautiful Asian girl with a fiercely slanted haircut – gave Clary an intimidating look when they first arrived. Clary knew from experience that it was best to ignore them.
Clary shut her phone when an elderly man appeared in the wide doorway of the room. She stifled a gasp when she noticed the horrible scar pulling down the side of his cheek. A battle wound, she guessed. He was dressed in a dark-grey, tweed suit, covered by a black cloak that was open at the front. He smiled kindly as he entered the room, taking his place behind a long wooden desk. Scattered across it were piles of books with titles Clary could barely make out from her spot in the room. The Night Hunter: A Nephillim's guide to Dark Demons was one of them. Behind him rows upon rows of literature littered the shelves, a sliding ladder attached to the wall for the hard to reach ones. Clary had already made a mental list of at least five books that she would like to check out from their collection.
"Welcome, everyone. My name is Hodge Starkweather. And this here," he gestured toward his shoulder, "is Hugo." To her surprise a dark bird appeared on Hodge's shoulder. She could have sworn it wasn't there a minute ago. With a loud caw the bird flapped its wings and took off through the open window. "Don't mind him, he's moody." A few people chuckled at that. "You all know the reason you are here. Your grandparents went through training, your parents went through training, and now it is your turn. I've even trained some of your parents. But that's all in the past. I am a Professor of History now, and that is exactly what I will be to you: your History Professor. My time with you will be spent furthering your studies on the different elements of hunting. We will be studying complex demons, fairy lore, the history of vampires and licans, and of course, rune magic." Hodge inclined his head toward a young man that was leaning against the wall across the room. "It's a pleasure to have you back," Hodge said. The dark haired boy closed his eyes and bowed his head ever so slightly – a gesture of respect.
When the handful of students were first led to the library, Clary immediately sought out the comfort of a puffy, Victorian style chair, and the sense of security the dark, shadowed corner seemed to offer her. She'd never been so nervous before in her life, and she wanted to stay as hidden as possible, for as long as possible. She looked around at the other kids; some leaning up against the walls, others standing with their arms crossed, eager and fearless expressions plastered on their faces. Expressions that stated loud and clear: I've grown up in this world and I know exactly what to expect here. Not like Clary.
Clary watched as Hodge's eyes drifted from person to person, looking, searching for something, and then landed directly on her. He squinted in her direction for a mere moment before offering a genuine and knowing smile. He looked like he'd just received a long awaited gift. She felt her cheeks flush at the sudden and unwanted attention. "You must be Clarissa, Jocelyn Fairchild's daughter." It wasn't a question. Clary saw the dark haired boy look in her direction. "You look just like her." Everyone in the room suddenly turned to look at her with wide eyes. This is exactly what she'd been trying to avoid; the hushed whispers, the judgmental gazes. Her reputation had preceded her. Clary fidgeted with her hands and nodded. "She is a great warrior, your mother. As I'm sure you know, one of the best of our time. I'm told you will be as well." He seemed very pleased by this. "I've been awaiting your arrival for quite some time." She swallowed hard, fighting the lump in her throat.
"Thank you," she said quietly.
Noticing her unease and kindly taking pity on her, he addressed the class as a whole. Clary couldn't ignore the lingering stares that seemed to be coming from every angle, but she pretended to. "Let's continue. I will also oversee your time here at the Institute. To make sure that you have everything you need in order to excel in your training courses. You will have multiple instructors thorough out this process, as well as mentors. Alec here," again, gesturing to the dark haired boy, "is one of your instructors." Alec nodded toward the class. "He is only a year or two older than most of you, but he has been an active Shadowhunter since the age of twelve. As are his sister, Isabelle, and brother, Jace. They will also be offering their skills and knowledge from time to time. But know this," he paused, meeting the eyes of a few students. "Although your ages don't differ much from theirs, do not think that their words hold any less weight than my own. They are your instructors. You will listen to them. They know what is best for you and how to keep you safe during your time-"
Hodge was cut short when the library door flew open with a loud bang. A girl walked in. A drop dead gorgeous-girl, Clary thought. All the boys noticed and straightened up in their respective spots, hoping to gain the attention of the dark-haired beauty.
"Oh!" The girl exclaimed, looking around the room. "Sorry, Hodge, my bad. I didn't know that they were arriving so early. We just need to grab a book." She gestured with her head to a boy standing in the doorway. Clary couldn't quite see his face, but from where she was sitting she could make out blonde hair.
"No, that's quite alright, Isabelle. Please come in. I'd like to introduce you to our guests. And you as well, Jace." Jace strode into the room and immediately caught the attention of the other girls. The Asian girl perked up off of the wall, erasing her attitude and faking a sexy smile. Clary rolled her eyes at the scene. She could see Jace, but not that well. All she saw was dark Shadowhunter gear and blonde hair.
"Students, this is Isabelle and Jace Lightwood. Brother and sister to Alec. Jace and Alec are also Parabatai."
"Hello." Isabelle waved. "I'm Isabelle. Call me Isabelle, not Ms. Lightwood." Clary was sure she could hear the collective thump that came along with the boys' jaws dropping around the room. None of them said anything; they just blatantly stared at her. It probably didn't help that she was dressed head-to-toe in tight, black fighting-gear. Jace was leaning up against Hodge's desk. He seemed bored.
"I think you've got these gentlemen spellbound, Iz." Jace said, sounding semi-amused at the obvious displays of manhood around the room. Clary giggled as the boys cleared their throats, repositioning themselves out of embarrassment. Isabelle seemed momentarily entertained by this, but not surprised. She must have boys drooling over her on a daily basis, Clary thought.
"Isabelle, Jace, and Alec will be spending the most time with you. We will also have lessons with out of town guests, as well as with Mayrse and Robert Lightwood. They are on errand in Idris at the moment and will be returning next week."
The mention of Idris made Clary think of her mom, who she missed more than anything. She left this morning after dropping Clary off and didn't know when she would be back. She was instructed to return to Idris in order to discuss her whereabouts for the past sixteen years. Apparently in a haste to get away from Valentine - Clary's father, her mother fled Idris when Clary was just a baby, seeking refuge in crowded New York City. Up until two months ago Clary thought she was a normal high school teenager with a normal New York upbringing. She didn't consider herself unlucky that she didn't – up until two months ago – have a father. She loved that this reason brought her and her mom closer, because mom was also dad. And mom also had Luke. Luke was like a dad but more lenient. But now everything had changed and she was stuck here with these deadly strangers, while her mom was being persecuted in Idris – the Shadowhunter's home country.
"Isabelle, will you please see the young ladies to their rooms? And gentlemen, if you wouldn't mind waiting for Alec, he'll be with you shortly." Clary was getting ready to move when she heard Hodge call, "And Clarissa, can I speak with you for a moment? I'll show you to your room." Clary's stomach clenched with nerves, not knowing what to expect. She saw Jace shove himself away from the desk, searching the faces of the girls in the corner. Not finding what he was looking for he scanned the room and stopped at the corner where she sat. That was the first time Clary caught a glimpse of his eyes. They were liquid gold, and completely mesmerizing. Against his black armor they glowed like cat eyes. She continued to watch as they narrowed, trying to focus in on her. Just then the Asian girl stepped in front of him blocking Clary's view. Clary saw him try to look around the girl before he gave up and shook her hand.
"Clarissa?" Hodge was next to her, offering her his hand. He had a gentle, calming voice that made Clary feel a whole lot better. "I know this is all very new to you," he said quietly, "but trust me when I say that you are going to excel above and far beyond any of your peers. I won't blame you for taking comfort in that fact. It will be our little secret." He winked, earning a genuine smile from her. She took a deep breath and rose from her chair.
"Deal." She whispered, taking his hand and emerging from her retreat. The last of the students had walked out and shut the door behind them, leaving Hodge, Clary, Alec, and Jace – who was looking right at her, studying her. He didn't' take his eyes off of her as she crossed the room. Her skin instantly turned against her, flushing pink in embarrassment. The corner of Jace's mouth lifted into a grin.
"Jace, Alec, this is Clarissa Fairchild. Clarissa, this is Jace and Alec Lightwood. Sons of Mayrse and Robert Lightwood."
She felt much more comfortable without the other students around. "It's Clary. Clary Fray, actually." She could still feel Jace's eyes on her, but she didn't dare look at him. He must me judging me like everyone else, she thought. "My mom is apparently going by Jocelyn Fairchild…" Clary waved her hand signaling the end of that topic.
"My apologies." Hodge chuckled. "Clary Fray it is. So how are you feeling so far? This must be very overwhelming for you?"
She looked around the room, once again appreciating the books. "It's…" she struggled for an intellectual word to describe her feelings, "crazy."
"That it is." Hodge agreed. "I can see that you're a book lover. Feel free to take as many as you'd like. Is there anything I can get you besides books that will make you feel more comfortable?"
"My old life?" Clary laughed without humor.
"You mean you'd go back, if it were possible?" Jace asked as if it was the most ridiculous thing in the world. "You would prefer to be a mundane?" And there was that word again, mundane. Clary hated how they made it sound like being human was a disease.
Clary shot him an annoyed look. For a moment she wondered if it was okay to yell at an instructor, but she really didn't care either way. How did he know what she'd been through recently? He didn't. Two months of pent-up frustration was waiting to be unleashed. "Yes, I would actually. Forgive me if I'd like to go back to a time when I wasn't the daughter of an insane killer. Or a time when horrible creatures weren't trying to kill my mother and me." Clary had the scar on her shoulder to prove it. It was the night she found out about all of this. She had walked into her and her mom's apartment one night to find a filthy, slithering creature waiting for her. Its tail hooked her in the shoulder right before Luke busted through the door and killed it. It was also the same night she found out Luke was a werewolf. Through her haze-filled delirium, Clary watched him transform in mid-air right before she passed out from the pain. "And before you even ask, no, I don't know where he is, or what he's planning on doing. I'm not a killer." She crossed her arms and turned her face toward the window, fighting against the traitor tears that wanted to escape. "I shouldn't even be here."
"Where who is?" Jace asked.
She turned to look at them. They seemed confused. "Valentine."
"You aren't suggesting that we think you're conspiring with-"
"Don't you?" Clary cut Jace off. "Everyone else does. Isn't that why they're all staring at me?"
"No," Hodge said, turning Clary's chin to look at him. "Don't let yourself think that. They only find you fascinating. That's all. You are the daughter of two very infamous Shadowhunter's. Regardless of Valentines ways, he is still the most talented Nephillim of our time. If you catch them staring it's only because they're curious to see the abilities you have hidden inside of you." Clary nodded, feeling the weight of the situation settle in one her shoulders. Something she hadn't felt before now. They all had expectations of her. "Now why don't we discuss this more in private? Come find me once you're settled in. There's something I would like to give you."
"Have you heard from my mom yet?"
"No, I'm afraid not. I'll send a fire message requesting she phone. I'll come find you when she does. Alec? Can I speak with you in the kitchen for a moment?" Clary had forgotten Alec was there. He'd been so quiet throughout the whole exchange. "Jace, please show Clary to her room." Clary released a sigh and watched as Alec turned and followed Hodge out of the library, leaving her alone with Jace. Clary couldn't remember the last time she was alone with a boy - Simon didn't count-, but the fact that she was suddenly so exhausted helped ease her jitters.
"You okay?" Jace asked. She noticed his voice had become a little gentler. She turned to look at him. He went back to leaning up against the desk, looking terribly at home in his black gear. He wore it like a second skin. His eyes searched her face and something curled in Clary's belly. Fear? Or something else…
She didn't answer.
He lifted the corner of his mouth into a grin. " Let's start over. I'll try not to piss you off too bad this time. Hi. I'm Jace."
Clary couldn't help but smile. He was disarming. Even after being an asshat. "Yeah," her voice came out sounding small. "I know. Hi…Clary Fray."
His smile grew bigger revealing a small, endearing chip in his tooth. "Yeah, I know." She looked down at the belt around his waist. Clary had only recently learned about seraph blades, but she still had no idea how to use one.
"That's Raziel," he pointed to a metal tube hanging from his belt. "And this one's Sammhael." He pointed to another.
"Seraph Blades, right? Can I hold one?" Clary thought back to the one and only time her mother had called hers to life. She'd named it Gavreel. Only for dire emergencies, until you're safe at the Institute, her mother had said. It had fascinated Clary, and she was eager to see it done again. Jace unlatched the weapon and handed it to her without a second thought.
"Go ahead," Jace said. "I know you want to."
It was heavier than she thought it would be. Unyielding. She put her hands around the metal grip and whispered, "Raziel." An electric-blue light shot out from both ends of the tube before each of them curved into a wicked point. The blue light wasn't made up of purely light. With a closer look Clary could make out tiny, glowing particles orbiting each other within the beams of light, creating a slowly churning, whirlwind effect. They were barely noticeable to the human eye. She stared at it in amazement. "How can something like this be real?" She whispered to herself. Jace had been so quiet she'd almost forgotten he was there. She looked at him. "What would happen if I touched it?"
"You don't want to find out. Let's leave it at that." He glanced at the clock on the wall. "I should probably get you to your room. Hodge still wants to speak with you tonight."
Clary took one last look and then handed the blade to Jace. "Follow me, please." She didn't know why he'd become so formal all of the sudden. And so…cold
…..b.r.e.a.k….
If there were any one thing they could have given Clary that would have made her almost happy, it would be this: her very own bedroom. Complete with a tall oversized bed. After her shower she wrapped herself in a white terrycloth robe and cuddled up underneath the comforter. It was one of those plush ones with the feathers you can just sink into. She put her headphones in and closed her eyes. This was as close to home as she was going to be for a while.
Clary felt like she'd slept for only minutes when she was suddenly – and not so gently – being shaken awake. She rubbed her heavily lidded eyes while her body tried to ignore the insistent pestering. She heard muffled noises that cleared up when someone pulled out her headphones. "Jeez!" Clary sat up at glared at the culprit. Isabelle. She just smiled at Clary like a little kid who downed one too many energy drinks.
"Hey there, sleepyhead. I'm Isabelle. It's nice to finally meet you."
Clary groaned. "How can you be so happy right now?"
"Because I didn't just wake up from a coma. Plus I just worked out, which brings me to the reason I'm waking you up. I'm going to do a private lesson with you tonight." She glanced at the clock. "In twenty minutes actually."
Clary didn't know why but she felt a little excited at the thought of having a private fighting lesson. She'd read her fair share of comic books. She could relate to female superheroes now. Having at least one thing to relate to made her even more excited. She threw back the covers, climbing out of the tall bed. Isabelle seemed to find something funny.
"You're a little thing, aren't you? Almost like a Pixie."
"I told you," Clary heard a familiar voice call from the doorway. Jace. She turned to find him leaning against the doorframe. "She's a little one."
If there was one thing Clary hated more than being called a ginger it was being called little. She stomped her foot like a child. "I'm not little! I'm-I'm…petite!" She was suddenly aware that she was yelling at her instructors in an oversized white robe, damp hair and everything. The last thing she could be right now is intimidating. Jace and Isabelle exchanged an amused look, but otherwise seemed to ignore her outburst.
"Here," Isabelle said, holding out a folded stack of clothes. "This is what you'll train in." Clary grabbed the clothes and went to the bathroom to change.
The clothes Isabelle gave Clary weren't that bad. Along with a black sports bra, her outfit consisted of a black, razor-back tank top, and grey, stretchy leggings that stopped mid-shin. The only thing Clary didn't know how to put on was this chest protector armor type thing.
She opened the door and held it by her fingers tips as if it were covered in poison. "How do I wear this?" Clary didn't even look at Jace; she already knew he'd be laughing at her. It was like watching a kitten try to be a tiger. Isabelle giggled.
"Like this." Isabelle helped her into the chest protector. It felt comfortably snug around her torso. Clary threw her hair up into a messy ponytail.
"That's a wicked scar." Isabelle examined Clary's shoulder closely. She didn't like to talk about what happened that night. It still gave her nightmares. Jace had come in the door, too, eyes trained on Clary's shoulder. Clary flinched at the memory, instinctively closing her fingers over her shoulder to cover it. Isabelle straightened, seeming interested to hear more about it. "Ravener Demon? I'm guessing you were pretty sick after that? I'm surprised you survived." Clary thought back to the day she woke up in Luke's apartment at the back of the bookstore. She felt like she'd had food poisoning, ten migraines, and a handful of broken bones all at once. "Usually a person your size will last only minutes after a sting bad enough to leave that kind of mark. Who healed you?" Clary hesitated.
"Enough, Iz." Jace muttered. "At least let the girl eat before you start drilling her." Clary offered a small smile as a thank you. "I, for one, am starving." He assumed a macho air. "I am a man, and as a man I must consume massive amounts of calories."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. I'm nosey. You ready, Clary?"
Clary looked in the mirror one last time and shrugged. And then she had an exhilarating thought. "Can I have a weapon?"
Isabelle laughed outright. "Not even close. Let's start with some basic training, shall we? Food first. We'll take you to the kitchen. I cooked lasagna." For some reason Isabelle smacked Jace in the arm when he made a gagging sound.
"When is the rest of the group eating?" Clary asked as they made their way down the third hallway. Large hallways, more like corridors, everywhere. This place was huge. "Shouldn't I be eating with them?"
Jace quirked an eyebrow. "Do you want to eat with them?" Honestly she didn't want to. She'd rather be alone than be in a crowd feeling left out. "Didn't think so. You don't fit in with that group."
When Isabelle caught Clary's hurt expression she quickly added, "And that's a good thing. Look, don't worry about the others. You won't be training much with them anyway. We've got special things planned for you," she said wickedly.
They'd arrived to the kitchen. Clary jumped up onto a barstool and crossed her arms. "Explain."
"Relax." Jace said. "We're just going to cultivate you differently than we are them." He pulled out a box of cold pizza from the fridge.
Cultivate me? Clary was starting to feel like an experiment.
"Hodge seems to think you're going to be pretty badass. And if he's right we can skip a lot of steps. We'll see where you stand when we work together tonight."
"Why does he think that?" Clary asked. "How can he tell?"
The kitchen door swung open and Hodge walked in. "Because I can sense it in you. You're someone special, that much I'm sure of. You'll simply have to trust me on this one." He turned his attention to Jace. "Aline is requesting a private lesson with you already." Isabelle rolled her eyes.
"Here we go again…" Isabelle turned toward Clary but spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. "Every year there's always one," she said flatly. Clary wasn't sure what to make of that but Hodge didn't seem especially pleased by it.
"I found her waiting outside of your door." He eyed Jace from over his spectacles. "Be careful, Jace. She's your student."
Jace shrugged and tossed his crust into the trash. "What can I say? She wants to learn from the best." If that was an innuendo, Clary didn't even want to hear it. "The Pennhallow's are old friends of Maryse and Robert. It would be rude of me to ignore such a request." He grabbed his weapons belt from the counter and headed out of the kitchen. He glanced sideways at Clary. "See ya later."
"Speaking of private lessons," Isabelle rubbed her hands together greedily. "You ready, Ms. Clary?"
Clary eyed the lasagna and decided that she wouldn't mention that she still hadn't eaten. For some reason it just looked…wrong.
AN: And that was chapter one! Let me know what you think! I'm crossing my fingers…
Also, I have a picture on my profile of Clary's training outfit. Check it out if you'd like! My profile's pretty boring but I'm working on it.
Until next time…