My ears are bleeding [OPEN]

[katharina]

"God, I hate New York.", Tessa muttered as she crossed the street. She was freezing had the collar of her coat up against the fierce wind that was blowing through the streets. And I thought New York had better weather than London. Especially in May... A loud groan escaped her throat as she saw lightning in the sky. Thunder was rolling in the sky and then, out of absolutely nowhere, it started to rain like there was no tomorrow. "Good heavens", she said and ducked into an entrance of what looked like a cozy café.

The warmth of the place enveloped her and she shuddered, as if to shake of the cold from outside. Tessa went to the counter and ordered herself a giant cup of Café Latte. While waiting for her order she looked around the place. It looked nice and she noticed, that the place seemed to fill as if there was something special coming up. "Excuse me," she turned to the girl handing her her coffee "is there some event here today?"

The place was suddenly loud with people clapping their hands and turning towards a stage, that Tessa hadn't noticed before. All she had understood from the girl's answer, in the roar of the applause, was poetry, so she decided to find herself a seat. Poetry was after all one of her favourite things in the whole world.

A young man stood on stage speaking into the microphone: "Hi everybody. I'm Eric, and I'm here to read you some of my poetry."
Tessa giggled, a very atypical thing for her to do. She had just remembered how Will had always tried to write poems for her or little songs. Hearing his attempts got her used to a lot of awful things. She was prepared for anything to happen.

"My first poem is called 'Untitled'. Here we go.

Come my faux juggernaut, my nefarious loins!
Slather every protuberance with arid zeal!"

The boy looked like he was in pain, his face screwed up. But so did Tessa. She felt like her ears were going to start bleeding very soon. This was worse than she could have ever imagined. At least Will's poems had been funny of sorts. But this was just... a disgrace.
Kill me now, she thought I thought this day couldn't get much worse.
She must have spoken the words because several people around her turned towards her and looked at her. Some with a sympathetic, slightly tortured look on their faces, others scornful, because she had interrupted the poem.

[Johanna Lyse]

Jo was seated in the cafe, where the poetry was being read, she was no stranger to it, and she found it interesting. So here she was, enjoying a day of from university and her busy adult life she finally getting started down the track. Some poetry readers read already, they where good, but for this boy that came on now. He wasn't very good, but no body is perfect, correct? Seated at one of the tables she had a hot drink in front of her and some cookies she had ordered. It was Jo's second hot chocolate. At least she was warm and cosy with food and drink, while the weather outside just ravaged on like a rampage.

Suddenly the room goes quiet when a woman's voice pops up speaking about killing and day can't get worse. She looked to her side, and saw she was seated near her. Jo found it entirly amusing but she kept her face straight. Looking around the room, she noticed them staring at the strange brunette and rolled her eyes. "Alright, enough staring, lets continue hearing the poetry," she exclaimed in a matter of fact tone to stop with their looks.

Turning in her seat to her side, one arm resting on the back of the chair she looked at the girl. "I agree, his poetry wasn't good, the ones before where better and hopefully after him will be better" she said with a smile and a cheerful tone. "I am not a expert at poetry, but I see poetry as a different type of song, so it makes I guess."

[katharina]

Everybody seemed to acutally listen to the girl that had just told everyone to go back to listening to the poetry. Tessa only hoped, that the boy on stage didn't hear what she had said, not that it would be making any difference. She was sure his friends must have had a good laugh about his poetry before, telling him it was not his forte. There was no going back now anyway and in 150years Tessa had learned to make the best of any situation no matter what was occuring.
She was however pondering how to answer the girl. It would be rude to just ignore the girl. Besides she sounded extremely nice and Tessa could really need some friends in New York, since she was sure to not be leaving for a while. She would be back in London in time to meet Jem, but until then bussiness had got her stuck here.
Tessa turned slightly so that she was no facing the girl. "I'm so sorry. That was a bit rude, interrupting the poor boy like I just did", she then replied with a slight laugh in her tone, making a mockery of the situation. Tessa really didn't care too much. "I'm afraid I have only heard his performance so far and now I do fear the next ones now. I have loved poetry my entire life and read a good deal of brilliant books. My day hasn't been the best of days so far and this just topped it off."
Tessa didn't hide her aversion to the poetry that the boy read. It was truly horrible and he seemed to have a lot more poems that he wanted to read. "You need to be honest here. His poetry is pretty low level. My husband used to be better at it and he was awful." Her eyes widened in shock and she bit her lip. She had forbidden herself to ever talk about Will to strangers. She looked like 25 and not actually 150. At least she hadn't talked about her children. That might have come to an even worse result. She quickly took her cup of coffee and took a sip, trying to downplay what she had just said. The girl probably didn't even care anyway.
I need to change the subject. Just something... "Oh! How rude of me. I'm Theresa Herondale. It's nice to meet someone who also seems to have an interest in poetry." Since the girl sat within reaching distance she stretched out to shake hands with the girl. Hopefully she bought that, Tessa thought and at the same time realised that she had sounded entirely british when she had said that.

[Johanna Lyse]

Blonde hair fell over one shoulder as she looked at the girl sitting near her. "It's alright, you are entitled for your opinion, maybe it wasn't said in the most stuble way," she said with a small laugh trying lighten up the mood and ad some humour. She noticed this woman was to....well there was word for it, but Jo couldn't put her finger on it. "I see, you know you could try just letting go and taking it easy. Do the sign of the cross and go about your day. You may not feel half as you are now." Shrugging, Jo smiled friendly and laughed quietly at what Tessa had said next.

Jo turned in her seat to look at the boy and nodded. "I won't deny it, he's not very good. But you never know, if Poetry is his interest and just starting out, he could get better." She looked back at Tessa upon hearing the world marriage. Marriage was marriage, not something to pry on all the time. "Nice to meet you, Johanna Lyse, call me Jo. Everyone does. I know, it sounds like a guy's name, but you can't choose your nicknames can you." She shrugged with amusment amd took her hand to shake. Noticing she was British. "Woah, did you? Are you British then?" She was very interested now, its not everyday you get to meet someone from over seas.

[katharina]

Johanna was just the kind of person Tessa had needed to meet that day. Tessa's mood seemed to lighten up, as the girl was laughing. Tessa pulled up one eyebrow when the girl mentioned religion. "The sign... of the cross?...", she said extremely amused by the idea. "No, I don't think that will do any good in my case. I am apparently damned for the rest of my life after all." At that she gave a crocked smile to indicate that she was only kidding, which she was actually not, but Jo really didn't need to know about her immortality. Very smooth, telling the truth and not at the same time..., she thought.

"Oh well, he's going to stop at some point and then he can commence perfecting his skill. You are right you know, he might just be starting out." Tessa honestly doubted her own words, the young man on stage seemed to be very convinced by what he recited.
Tessa had come to learn to expand her ability, so when touching people she could usually get a small picture of their personality, along with their race, if they were anything other than mundanes. The pulsing fire that came from Johanna easily marked her as a shadowhunter. With it came a flash of a very calm and positive personality that hid an inner fire. A shadowhunter, she thought How very odd, that she should not be carrying any marks.

"No, no you can't chose your nicknames...", Tessa mused with a smile. She was pondering what to answer to the question of her being british. Technically she was american, but she had lived in Britain for over 130 years. The truth would be suitable here, since the girl was a shadowhunter no harm would be done. And she might just be on the way to get her first friend in New York that she didn't already have 100years ago. "Actually I was born in New York, but I have lived in England since I was 16. That was a very, very long time ago. 1878 to be precise..." Tessa had checked their surroundings first, the cafe had emptied a little as people went outside after the rain had stopped and the sun came out. There was no one close enough to have actually heard her. "Finally. Sunlight. I haven't seen any in days with all this misty weather."

[Johanna Lyse]

Johanna raised her eyebrows before laughing again. "Aww, shouldn't put your self down, it's not healthy," she joked with a smile as she looked to the stage. Thinking about what Tessa was saying, about stopping to perfecting his skills. "That is true, not only that, there is someone after him." To be honest, Johanna didn't mind the guy on stage, he wasn't that bad, and although she wasn't an expert at poetry she found all those who came on to be good.

She didn't know what Tessa's ability was, nor would she pry to finding out more. It wasn't Johanna's business to begin with. "I don't mind being called Jo, gives me a tough girl look as I've been told," she joked once again with a smile. Her eyes widen as Tessa told Johanna how old she was and from where she came from. Did she really just say that...so she wasn't human. "You...just told me...woah, well it's defiantly nice to meet you Tessa. I've got friends who are warlocks." So Johanna was slightly taken a back, here she thought she was talking to an ordinary human as always, and she didn't suspect anything out of the ordinary at all with her.

Johanna looked towards the window outside, then back to the stage, then back to Tessa. "How about we ditch this indoors and go make the most of the sun while it lasts. We can walk and talk." Johanna stood up and grabbed her jacket from the back of her seat to slip it on. Looking around the room, since it was almost empty now anyway. "I suppose it won't do any harm to let you know, I am not a mudane. Despite I pretty much get away with it and no one will ever suspect I am not." Johanna confessed, it was better then to hide it, now that Tessa told her how old she was.

[katharina]

A loud, happy laugh escaped Tessa, as she heard Jo's reaction after she had told her that she was born in the 19th century. Funny how different people's reactions to that information were. Of course everyone she told knew about immortality exsisting and yet some people seemed to be surprised by it. As Tessa enjoyed walks she was all for Johanna's idea, drained her cup of coffee and got up. While she put her coat back on Johanna informed Tessa, that she was not a mundane, which made her grin. "Oh I know that you're ot a mundane. I knew it as soon as I touched your hand. But how do you know that I am a warlock? I have mentioned no such thing and people told me before that it is hard to recognize me as such as I have... a very different kind of magic. I should have not mentioned my age at all, if I hadn't known that you knew about immortality. However I find it very curious that you should not be carrying any marks as one of the nephilim." She smiled at Johanna after she had hung her bag on her shoulder. "Ready", she said and moved towards the door. Not that I have a warlocks mark, but still curious in her case, she thought.

Outside she randomly turned to the left and kept on talking, assuming that Johanna must be right behind her. "So Johanna, do you live in the institute or do you have your own place somewhere in this vast city?" Tessa gestured wide with her arm to go with what she had said. There was no one around to hear, as peole in New York always hurried to get where they needed to go. Even if someone was in hearing range they wouldn't overhear what Jo and Tessa would talk about, of that Tessa was certain. These people were just always way too busy.

[Johanna Lyse]

Johanna smiled as Tessa laughed, she wasn't the type of person to be shy of being laughed at over what she did or say. It meant for Johanna that she was a fun person to be around with and talk to. " I guessed you where a warlock. You could be a vampire, but they cannot walk in daylight, so that all that's left...unless you count the fey, but I've never befriended one of them before. Where as I have friends whom are vampires and warlocks and werewolves." Johanna looked for a few seconds as she watched her walk of to the door, then followed, catching what she asked next about where she lived. "I live with my mother, foster brother who's my age and adopted brother who is still a child."

Hands in her pocket, she walked beside Tessa and avioded bumping into anyone. They surely are not paying attention to what she was saying. "Its a long story as one would say, but it really isn't. I was born and raised in this world, never once stepped foot into a insitute, or even been to Idris, or met anyone from there. I am trained as a shadowhunter, just without runes." Johanna looked at Tessa. "I am curious, how did you know I wasn't a mundane when you touched my hand?" She wanted to know, because Johanna never told her either who she was.

[katharina]

Hearing Johanna talk about her downworlder friends eased the tiny concern that Tessa had had about her. Honestly there were shadowhunters that barely tolerated warlocks at all. That Jo had several downworld friends was a very good sign and deemed her trustworthy in Tessa's eyes. "You have never had even one rune on your skin? That must be a very hard shadowhunter life. I don't mean to be rude, but have you ever considered joining the clave?"she said in astonishment. All she had learned a hundred years ago came rushing back to her. The protection ritual that children got to ward off demons in a way, meaning their thoughts and dreams could not be changed. The first runes, angel blades that only people with runes could carry.

"My story is however a longer story to yours if I explained it properly." Tessa considered how much she should tell Johanna at this point as truth would be that she had been trortured into learning her talent. Her being able to recognize people's identiy just developed with time as her ability got stronger. "How does not matter, but I can change into anyone and also aquire their personality. It's unique on earth. When I touch people I see a flash of their personality and additionally who they really are." Tessa looked at Johanna, her eyes had a serious look on them. She did not say that Jo had better not tell anyone else about her talent, but she hoped that the girl was smart enough to realise that in the wrong hands, this information could mean Tessa's and a lot of other people's death, as it almost had once before.

[Johanna Lyse]

Johanna just smiled at her question about not having a rune on her skin. “Nope not a single rune, it’s pure of anything...except for these two to tattoos I got,” she said and rolled up the sleeves on both her arms exposing both tattoos – two small bird on the inside of her left wrist, and on her upper arm hear where her elbow connects she has a tattoo of a star. “I know it means I am prone to demons, but honestly I don’t feel affected by it.” She pulled out a chain from under her shirt to reveal it had a cross hanging from it. “I am a woman of Faith, so I got nothing to worry about. I believe it protects me in its own way.”

Rolling the sleeves back down, she shrugged at the next question. “Its not hard really, I was raised to live this human life, right down to the bone. But my mother did teach me how to fight like a shadow hunter. As for joining the clave, I don’t know, I am not really one of them in a sense that I’ve been living a shadowhunters life since I was a child. But who knows, with my mother going back to her old life, we’ll see.” She wasn’t going to lie about all this; it wasn’t something to hide anyway. Plus Tessa was a nice girl and pleasant to be around with.To be honest, Johanna was sure she’d get along with downworlders better than her own kind.

“I would say I got all the time in the world to hear your story, but I don’t” she commented in a playful manner and with a laugh at the end, if it was a bad joke then so be it, but she was known to be witty. “That’s a pretty neat talent, the most original I’ve seen amongst the other warlock pals I’ve got. “ Johanna looked back at her, she noted the serious look. “Don’t worry, or have to ask, no one shall ever know what you can do.” She was loyal to the bone, Tessa's secret was safe with her and will never dare reveal it to anyone in general and without her permission.

[katharina]

Tessa was impressed by Johanna. No runes all live and still some sort of shadowhunter. Just like she was sort of a shadowhunter, but she rather liked to embrace the warlock part of herself. At times she would love to be able to do magic, like Magnus could, but she had her own special talent that was not be found anywhere else on earth. Tessa did not feel so good about herself, when Johanna told her that she was a woman of faith, as Tessa had only made fun of the idea of making the sign of the cross minutes before. "Oh well, that's that. What's done is done. She hoped that Jo had not minded. "The wish for the tattoos must be some sort of instinct which comes with being a shadowhunter." Tessa found that very curious.

"You know, I have lived the life of a shadowhunter for about 50 years. I did not have runes, as they do not work on me, but I do have the hightened senses that come with shadowhunter blood." Tessa quickly glanced at Johanna at that, wanting to see her reaction. She wondered how much she actually knew about shadowhunters/demons/warlocks and all that stuff. Maybe they had a codex at home, but she highly doubted that. And even if they did, there was no guarantee that Jo would have read it.

Sometimes Tessa enjoyed the rush that came with walking through New York. Everyone was rushing and stressed. You could literally feel the energy coming off the people running past. And yes, they were really close to running with the speed they had. Tessa was just casually strolling, but today she felt uncomfortable with all these people around. It made her feel a bit nauseated. She had the need to get out of these streets as fast as she could. "Can we head to central park please? I need some space." The colour rushed out of Tessa's face and she could not see anymore. All she saw was black and white spots, fogging up her sight. The world seemed to be tilting and she tried to steady herself. Reaching out an arm, before the world went completely black and she fell to the ground.

[Johanna Lyse]

Johanna watched Tessa, there was one thing that she was good at and that was noticing things otherwise would miss. But she always found you can always know when a subject shouldn’t be discussed. “Listen, if this subject is making you uncomfortable, I won’t mention it again,” she piped in to explain and then smiled at what Tessa had said next. “I suppose it is, I mean I had no intentions to have runes with my upbringing, and these tattoos hold a reason for getting them.”

Walking down the street beside her, she kept her gaze in front of her, shooting Tessa quick glance. “Doesn’t every shadowhunter? Along with having heightened agility, stamina, coordination and strength even.” If that didn’t prove that Johanna knew a lot about shadowhunters, then she was also bound to know about demons and warlocks, whether she read about it or through the various downwolder friends she has.

What happened next came unexpected and quickly, Johanna had glanced to Tessa as she spoke about wanting to go to central park. Only to begin fainting before her, she quickly reached to grab her before she fell to the ground. Her automatic reaction was to phone Cameron, her best friend/like a brother boy her mother took in when she was a teenager. He was the same age as her and a werewolf.

Minutes, pasted, even possible hours and Johanna was back at home sitting on the coffee table watching Tessa lying on the couch. Her mother wasn’t surprised and was home when Johanna returned with Tessa, with Cameron’s help. Johanna didn’t know where else to take her, and her mother since taking time off from the shadowhunters has taken up a more “healing” towards other shadowhunters and downworlders. So she let her mother have a look at her, now while waiting she had removed and returned the small hot towel on Tessa’s forehead twice, waiting for her to wake up.

[katharina]

Tessa could not remember the last time she had fainted. It must have been 100 years or more ago. She wasn't prone to things like that and she honestly doubted that any immortal creature was. Nothing about fainting screamed 'immortal'. It was something so... mundane, really.
She felt that someone lifted her up and that she was brought somewhere, but Tessa had no idea where. Panik set in. What had happened, where was she going? She tried to fight against the blackness and move her hand or any part of her body, but it would not obey her command. Tessa sank back into the darkness.

Light shone through her closed eyelids as she came back to conciousness. She could feel that she was lying on something soft and comfortable. Before she opened her eyes, Tessa tried to analyze her situation. She had blacked out in the middle of a street with... she had no idea with whom, talking to someone. Tessa could neither remember the persons name, nor the looks. Was he or she a friend? Judging by the towel that lay on her head she assumend that wherever she was, she was with someone who cared. There was no steps to be heard, but just the faint sound of breathing of someone standing or sitting close by.

Opening her eyes she said:"Where am I, and who brought me here?" Tessa felt exposed and vulnerable, not knowing what had happened to her. She turned her head and saw a blonde girl sitting near her. A deep frown formed on her face and she tensed her body, ready to fight off any danger. "Who are you? I have never seen you in my entire life!" This whole situation seemed wrong to her. How had she even gotten here? Why the hell had she fainted for no reason whatsoever? The only one who probably had answers was that woman sitting on the coffee table next to her. So she was going to ask her a lot of question until she had enough answers.

[Johanna Lyse]

Johanna smiled as she saw Tessa stir and open her eyes. “You’re at my home, I bought you here with Cameron, my best friend and like a brother, who lives here,” she answered her, taking the hot towel from her and putting it back in the bowl now, she was awake so she no longer had to put it on her forehead. But what Tessa said next really put her off guard. “I am Johanna Lyse, we met just now at the cafe and began chatting over bad poetry...” She looked at her with raised eyebrows.

(sorry if it's short, next post will be better!)

[katharina]

Tessa frowned. "Nope, I don't remember your face. I remember talking to someone but I can't say that it was you. How odd. You are not being nice to me and then trying to kill me though, right?" She could not be sure of anything right now. How much did Johanna know, what had Tessa herself even said? Everything was just a blur, the memory so clouded that there was practially none of it left. She had never experience something like that before. Someone must have put something in her drink at some point.

Quickly Tessa scrambled away from Johanna as fast as she could, into the far corner of the couch. "Did you spike my drink?!", she said in disbelieve. Johanna looked so nice, but sometimes the nicest face hid the most cruel intentions. Distrust lay in her eyes and her whole body was tensed, in case she detected any danger and had to strike out. "I hate bad poetry.", Tessa said as an afterthought, keeping up the conversation to get information out of the girl.