Ring Around a Rosie, Pocket Full of Posies
When Magnus entered the new room he was greeted by the sight of Alec, no longer a child, but not quite an adult either.
If Magnus had to place him at an age, he would think this Alec was 15 maybe 16.
He was sitting alone in a meeting room, the glass walls separating him from the rest of them. He was listening to music and reading a book, a backpack thrown on the table in front of him.
Alec was a vibrant sight of color, a beautiful dark green shirt, black pants with various zippers and adornments each a different color than the last, and his hair had green stripes scattered throughout.
A translucent Maryse entered the glass meeting room. The door remained closed though the group witnessed a transparent version of the door swing close.
“I’ll be joining you at today’s meeting..”
Alec pulled one earbud out and raised a single eyebrow at his mother.
“Why?”
“Annemette’s mother is joining the meeting today and if a member, an important member of the clave feels the need to sit in on your meeting than I believe I should be there as well.”
Maryse gave Alec a glance over. “Can’t you wear something other than black?”
Alec shrugged, playing with one of the zippers on him pants, a small knowing smile gracing his lips as he ducked him head.
“Nettie got them for me.”
“You know Alec, Annemette would make a good wife...”
Alec shrugged again.
Maryse sighed and swiftly left the room, disappearing completely as soon as she crossed the doorway. Alec gathered his things and followed.
Suddenly, a portal appeared beneath everyone’s feet. The group feel in, it was so unexpected they didn’t even have time to scream or react beyond a collective gasp being ripped from their lungs and lips.
They all landed on their feet, gracefully, except for Maryse and Robert who stumbled, the mirrors’ power taking its toll on them.
There was another room, not unlike the one they had just left but there were posters on the walls and a chalkboard off to the side. It was filled with ghost like people, sitting around an oval table with a young girl sitting at the head, this younger Alec to her right.
The group entered the room, unable to understand anything being said, but being overwhelmed at the volume of the muttering.
The girl had wavy strawberry blonde hair with streaks of blue and purple running through the long strands. She had bright green eyes and wore no make up save for a pretty red lipstick. She wore a fitted white suit jacket and pants with a black shirt and gold bowtie. She had a noticeable birthmark, which almost looked like a shadow against her pale skin, under her right eye which someone had outlined in glitter.
No one blinked an eye at her apparel, but then, neither did anyone at Alec’s.
If one looked closely, they could detect the swirls of magic lingering on the two of them. Powerful but subtle. The young lady winked at Alec and he responded with the brief appearance of a smirk before presenting himself as emotionless.
She did the same, calling the meeting to order. Maryse and another woman stood in the corner watching the young adults talk.
The woman next to the memory of Maryse held a clipboard and took notes.
When the meeting ended, the group had no clear notions to what they had just witnessed, and everyone left except for the girl, Alec, and a young man who had been sitting to her left. He appeared to be a few years older than Alec and the girl. Memory Maryse nodded at her son before leaving too, the other woman ignoring them all completely.
Alec’s entire body dropped, as he leaned into the girl, “Hi Nettie,” he sighed into her shoulder.
The corner of her lip twitched up, “Hello Alec,” she responded.
The other young man, handsome with tan skin and a bright smile, black hair with a single pink stripe and baby blues, kissed the girl’s forehead and ran his hand over Alec’s hair.
The girl smiled briefly at him before frowning. “Am I the only one getting bad vibes about this mission?” she asked.
Both boys shook their heads.
The girl bit her lip.
“Mom won’t listen to me. Any luck on your end, Mabuz?”
“Nope!”
Magnus was surprised that the two were siblings. Beyond both being lovely, they looked nothing alike. Well, they did both have... Interesting names so there was that.
“Do you think your mother will talk to ours if you ask, Alec?”
“No, but I can try.”
The two of them faded out while Alec vanished. After a moment Alec reappeared in the corner of the room while the others slowly filled in around him.
“What did your mother say?”
Alec tipped his head back and sighed, “She brushed me off.”
The girl, Nettie, made a sound of frustration. Her brother chuckled at her.
“Well, we all know I’m always right even though no one ever listens to me, and I know something's off so I’m gonna go call my girlfriend so she can calm me down. I’ll see you guys at sunset.”
Nettie stormed off while the others watched in fond amusement.
Mabuz chewed on his lower lip before ducking down, slow, as to give Alec time to back away. Alec’s eyes grew wide as Mabuz kissed him softly.
Alec closed his eyes and kissed back and it wasn’t until Mabuz pulled back before he started sputtering.
“Wha-what- what was that?!”
Mabuz laughed, gently, kindly, as to not startled Alec further.
“Nettie’s right, something about this mission feels weird, and I didn’t want to die without having kissed you.”
Alec’s eyes widened again, and his traced his lips with his finger tips before looking up at the other boy.
“Don’t say that- you’re not going to die… why?”
“You never know, and because I like you silly.”
A goofy grin wormed itself onto Alec’s face, “Yeah?”
Mabuz nodded, “In fact, if we make it out of this mission alive, I’d like to take you out on a date.”
Alec beamed, “When we make it out alive, you can.”
Without warning, everything went black.
Screams filled the room, the group huddled together, holding onto each other for support.
Grunts and cries echoed and while the sound of crashing swords were heavily carried through the air.
The lights flicked back on, one by one.
All the ghostly shadowhunters who had been present at the meeting were frozen in mid-battle, their opponents demons triple their size, surrounding them on all ends in some warehouse, somewhere.
Nettie’s arm was thrown back with a throwing dagger in hand and Mabuz was stabbing a demon in the side with his seraph sword.
Alec sat on a crate, staring at the visitors in his mind, with a bittersweet, crazed look in his eyes and a painful smile gracing his lips.
“Are you enjoying the performance?”