i'm pure at heart, it repels the dirt

It was a big day. Also slightly terrifying, even though Isabelle was sure this was really just a formality. Her mother just wanted to have seen something with her own eyes instead of just going by other people's word. She was the person who'd have to vouch for Flick, after all.

They'd come to the Institute some time ago, and to the training room. Almost immediately, there'd been sparring. Just as promised, it had been Jace against Flick. No weapons, and Jace had been instructed to not go at his full strength, as the goal wasn't to kill Flick but rather to see where he was at the moment with his skills. And Isabelle had watched with her mother, stomping hard on the urge to yell out encouragement and advice. Not that Flick had really needed the latter, at least. He'd been predictably resilient, always getting back up, always going on with things until Maryse called for it to be over because she'd seen enough.

Jace threw Flick a towel to dab the sweat off (no blood, thankfully, although there would be some nice bruises), then ruffled Isabelle's hair as he slipped past. It was largely to annoy her, but there was a slight territorial quality to it as well. Directed at Flick. Lightwoods, they stuck together, even when one of them was technically a Herondale.

Isabelle rolled her eyes at him.

And then it was just the three of them again. Isabelle, Flick, and her mother. And Maryse was eyeing Flick critically, in silence. In fact, she hadn't said anything since the sparring ended. Please don't pee your pants, Flick.

[ooc: NFB, for the guy being judged, who was also modded with kind permission!]

"Berlin. No survivors. Bangkok. No survivors. Moscow. No survivors. Los Angeles —"

( There were survivors in Los Angeles. )

Some hours later, there was a shimmering Portal just outside the Institute. Most of the Shadownhunters were already gone, but the Lightwoods, as guardians of the Institute, would be the last ones through.

And Isabelle, in her cloak of heavy, velvety black material that buckled across the chest, was standing apart from the others, looking towards the street. She'd asked Flick to come. Just for a moment. Just for a goodbye.

[ooc: NFB, to be continued in the comments. And off to the final book we go! Taken with editing from Cassandra Clare's City of Heavenly Fire.]

Since Alec had taken Simon to the Gard yesterday, things had been quiet and calm. (Or as quiet and calm as things could be in a city bustling with Shadowhunters.) So when there'd been a knock on the door, Isabelle had been quick to get to it. Maybe it would be news of some kind.

( Lol no. )

[ooc: NFB, NFI, OOC-okay. Continuing with City of Glass.]

All Isabelle had wanted to do was sleep off all of the previous night's woes. So, of course she'd been dragged out of bed in the middle of the night by Clary and Jace who'd absolutely had to tell everyone about the former's realization about where the Mortal Cup was, and how they had to plan to go and get them despite the fact that the search was supposed to be in the hands of the Clave now. Not that Isabelle actually objected. She needed to do something heroic and potentially dangerous to live down the humiliation of last night. Besides, Clary and Jace were right. If the Cup really was with Clary's witch neighbor, the keeper of the Sanctuary, they had a much better chance of getting it from her than the Clave.

( Wheee the Mortal Cup. )

[ooc: NFB, tbc in the comments. Summarized from City of Bones.]

The Silent Brothers were not at the beck and call of ordinary mortals, nor was the their domain a place you could just waltz into at will. This meant they'd had to wait until early this morning until Jace had been able to take Clary down to the Silent City so that they could find out things that were perhaps hiding inside her brain, locked away. Simon had showed up at the Institute while Jace and Clary were gone, so once Jace called the Lightwoods to meet them for breakfast at Taki's, he tagged along. Even waited for Isabelle to get ready when Alec already headed out. Kind of like a puppy. Guess that was the type she attracted.

When they arrived at the diner, Jace and Alec and Clary were already in a booth, where the latter was perusing the perfectly ordinary menu selections with a look of stupefaction. It was all too much. "They have smoothies here?"

( There's this apricot-plum smoothie with wildflower honey that's simply divine. )

[ooc: NFB, NFI, OOC-okay. Taken with minor tweakage from City of Bones. More to follow later.]

This was how it was supposed to be. Isabelle was in New York, at Club Pandemonium, in a nice white dress that covered up her Marks. The ruby rested against her chest, her whip was wrapped around her arm like a bracelet, and although the club was all darkness and artificial smoke, she knew Alec and Jace were no far at all. They were all hunting. And they'd already spotted their prey.

And their prey was taking the bait. It looked like a boy with blue hair, and it –– he had just snapped to attention, spotting Isabelle across the crowd. Isabelle smirked to herself, then turned that smirk wider and flirtier as she gave it to the guy, moving through the crowd. He followed her, not seeming to notice the two dark figures at his heels, stalking behind him. Isabelle made her way to the wall, and opened a door marked no admittance. She beckoned the blue-haired boy after her. He complied, and they slipped through the door.

( Oh man here we go. )

[ooc: NFB, NFI, OOC-okay! Warning for some violence. Alec modded here and in future catch-ups with kind permission. Taken with tweakage from Cassandra Clare's City of Bones. Here we go; brace yourselves for terrible supernatural YA on your flists.]