video; un: jace

[estrayer]

[ The video opens on a blond boy dressed in black. The collar of his t-shirt and shoulders of his leather jacket are visible. A dark mark somewhere between a bruise and a tattoo sweeps across the right side of his neck. His eyes are intense, but he's making an effort at a smile. A terse one. Jace Wayland has had better days.

Actually he's had better weeks. Let's not talk about that. Instead, there's something more pressing on his mind: ]

Do we have to keep the jobs we get here? I'm supposed to write greeting cards.

[ His deadpan tone should tell you everything you need to know about what he thinks of that. Greeting cards, as in poetry, right? Jace isn't exactly a greeting card kind of guy, but if he was, his eyes would roll right over the ones with fake cheese and rhyming couplets inside. This is so clearly not for him. ]

I'm taking other suggestions. Bonus points if they don't come with wearing that thing.

[ He turns his wrist to flash the camera over the suit lying on the bed beside him. It has purple stripes and matching boots, guys, come on.

Not to worry, though, the camera's back on Jace now. He's sure you all missed him. ]

That aside. I'm gonna be open about the fact that I'm not looking to be a permanent resident, so if anyone's looking into how we get out of this place, I'd like to hear from you. If you've been here a while, I want to hear about that, too.

By the way, I'm Jace. I'm new, but you probably guessed that. Thanks for your time.

Comments

[angele]

You left. With Valentine.

You do remember that, right?

[estrayer]

yeah i remember. i was just there

[ Literally there, in the portal.

This means she's the Clary he knows. They're even from the same time. Jace's teeth clench. ]

so if that's where you were why are you telling me none of it applies? it all applies, clary

[angele]

Because we're not at home. There's no Valentine to tear us apart here.

I don't like that we're here, but.

At least you're not with him.

[estrayer]

yeah, and when he finds out i'm not?

this isn't a good thing. we can't just forget what's happening there and make greeting cards with poetry inside them

how did you even get here? you better not have followed me into that damned portal.

[angele]

Mom's awake. They have her now. It's not great we're here, I didn't say that it was. But we're stuck and... I'll still take it over you being with him.

If you didn't want me following you, you shouldn't have left.

I don't know how I got here. I was with mom one second and here the next.

[estrayer]

wait she's awake?

[ So, not quite from the same time as him then. Close, but not quite. They'd still been planning that when Jace stepped through the portal. ]

good
but you can't follow me, clary
i mean it. i'm not your mission

being here just makes things complicated. we shouldn't be talking about this

[angele]

Why shouldn't we be talking about it? What else do we have to do here? When else am I going to get to talk to you about it?

[estrayer]

because i don't think i should know what you're doing
or what you're going to do.
not now.

it makes sense. when we get back i'll be with him. nothing's going to change that.

[angele]

Are you planning to STAY with him?

[estrayer]

what does that mean? i don't think he plans to keep me for an afternoon, clary

[angele]

But you're going to try to get away, right?

You know we'll find you and get you out, too.

[estrayer]

i know you'll try. i just don't think you realise how hard that's gonna be. look how long it took to find him when he had your mom, clary

and even then it was like he wanted to be found. the way he was waiting, looking like michael wayland

[ Thank God they're talking about this by text. This is not something Jace actually wants to deal with at all. So he moves quickly on, not lingering on either the disguise or on Valentine. ]

he was waiting for us. you can't underestimate him
just listen to alec, okay? he won't lead you wrong.

[angele]

I have thought about all of that.

Trust me. I've thought a lot about all of it.

That doesn't mean I'm just going to give up, though.

[estrayer]

i know. neither am i
that doesn’t mean there’s anything we can do about it now
we need to get home, that’s the first step