The Pen Isn't Quite as Mighty

Evelyn sat on a bench in the courtyard, turning over a dagger in her hand. It glinted menacingly with the light of the sun, and just holding it made her feel nervous. It was heavy and strange to hold in her palm. She'd been given a weapon now that she was sorted, and it just felt... well, weird. What kind of school would give out weapons to their students? Wasn't this dangerous? Why did they need weapons? Her stomach felt sick until she just couldn't take it, setting the dagger down by her side.

Evelyn sighed lightly. With everything that happened during her first week, she wasn't sure what to make of Beata... People were very strange. That girl talking to herself in that branch, Alicia kissing her, Montare and his...

She felt bile rise up in her throat at the thought of it. Was he given a weapon as well? They'd give something that dangerous to someone as unstable as that? The rumors about that boy had been going around the school like wildfire. To think that he was right there when she had fainted made her frightened, and she stared down into her hands in her lap, lost in thought. Many had been sociable and friendly. Jace, Jayden, Oliver, Faith, Kimply... but there was something off about all of them, and the school in general.

I guess it'll just take a bit of time to get used to it all... she tried to reason with herself, but she was still unconvinced.

He had actually passed her several times already, not bothering to even notice the girl sitting on the bench all by herself. Walking back and forth around the Courtyard, either with a friend or just very casually enjoying the pleasant Spring day. It wasn't until the sharp glare of her weapon had hit his eyes that he had actually noticed Evelyn sitting there. The young man looked a little happy to see her and figured she had just walked outside, staring down at her weapon and looking very uncomfortable.
Jason supposed he couldn't blame her. What normal people in the world walked around with a dagger or a mace strapped to them constantly - and allowed teens to do so, none-the-less? Maybe if he talked to her, though, she'd loosen up at the idea a bit.
"Its so you can protect yourself." He walked over with his hands stuffed in his pocket, not bothering with a hello - since he figured they saw each other so much, and he thought his kind smile would be enough. "They haven't told you all exactly everything yet, but there's a lot about the world you probably don't know."

Evelyn looked up to see Jace, a little startled to see him. At his comments, she looked back down at the dagger. What was that supposed to mean? "...F-from... who...?" Was there something else to this school she didn't know? Evelyn couldn't possibly imagine what was being kept from her... and she had already spent a whole week here. Why would they need to keep it form her. She glanced back at Jace, her eyes wide. The boy had said that his mother worked in the Infirmary, so of course he would know... but would he tell her?

It was silly, but she felt a chill run down her spine at the thought of something dangerous that they'd need to protect themselves with. After all, she'd only known about these powers for a week... maybe it was best if they didn't tell her everything right away. Even so, she couldn't help but be curious.

The sky was positioned perfectly, the light blue mixed with the puffy white shades, the sunlight creating a flare. The two figures, one on a bench and one standing. It seemed natural, and at a perfect position, the girl pressed the button.
Snap!
"Perfect, perfect! An Average Day at Campus! I can see it now!"
Lotte constantly seemed to be captioning her pictures, giving them titles and imagining herself famous. Of course, she never went on to submit her work to galleries, partially due to the isolation of Beata. She was pretty sure she couldn't freely show what was inside the gates of Beata Academy.
She walked up to the two, holding the camera in one hand. "Good job, you two! You'll make great models, maybe!" she said in an enthusiastic voice. She then looked at a nearby tree, blinking. Ethel was leaning on the branch, preserving and recharging her life force. Lotte was tethered to the area.

Evelyn looked to the girl with surprise. It was the girl from the forest. She blinked, noticing the camera in her hands. Had she taken a picture of them when they weren't looking. "M-m-models...?" Evelyn stuttered, hugging her arms to her chest and hiding her hands in her sleeves. She briefly imagined herself as one, and a light pink tint entered her cheeks. Was that even legal, to take pictures of people without their consent? Even so, Evelyn wasn't sure if she minded. She still felt embarrassed after the forest incident, and she hoped that Lotte didn't recognize her...

Jason took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, "Well, if I explain, are you going to call me crazy?" He laughed lightly, rubbing the back of his neck. He paused for a second, as if to let his thoughts catch up with him, trying to figure out how to explain this. "I'm not sure if I'm supposed to tell you guys but... It's not exactly who so much as what." He looked at the other empty spot on the bench beside the dagger and wondered if Evelyn would let him sit down next to her - that is, until he heard the click of a camera and a voice that was getting more and more familiar by the day.
"Oh, Hey Lotte... And Ethel?" He took a gander at that second name, trying to be polite to the passed Victorian girl. "You think I got the right look?" He winked at her and the camera, pausing when he noticed Evelyn shyly curl up. He was just talking a guess here, but something told him she might be a little on the introverted side. /shot

"Ethel is asleep. She has to do that at times, so I can use her life force in combat." said Lotte, before giggling at his second comment. "Anyhow, I am kind of stuck in this area until she wakes."
The girl blinked at Evelyn, rubbing one of her eyes. She remembered this girl! It was the one from the forest, who ran from her and nearly got her and Ethel lost. Lotte tapped on her shoulder. "Don't think I haven't forgotten that time in the forest. I'll get my ghost friend to haunt you." she said in a chilling tone, though did not mean it. It wasn't even possible to send Ethel away like that temporarily.

Evelyn flinched away, as if she was stung. She looked down into her lap, face burning. She had hardly heard what Jace had said. "I-I'm s-s-sorry... I d-didn't m-mean.... t-to..." she stopped right there, shaking slightly. Her power must be to contact ghosts, then. That must have been who she was talking to. But... she didn't mean to do startle her like that in the forest... it was an accident...

Suddenly, Lotte started to laugh. Her laugh was surprisingly light toned and silent, despite her happy energetic mood. "I was only kidding. Hi there, I am Lotte." the girl said with a wink. She circled the bench and sat down next to the girl, extending her hand. "I see you know Jace. What is your name?"
She asked this in a kind tone, giving a light smile. Truth be told, she didn't know Jace too much herself. The closest bonding they had ever done was fighting a giant spider. Lotte still regretted going, even with her large sums of money that she had received. It would all go to tea. She liked tea.

Jace simply blinked for a few moments, clearly having no idea what the two were going on about; and while Lotte's teasing was nicely intended, it was even more obvious how serious Evelyn was taking it. And I had more than thissss but I had to editttt ittttt. /flipplz. So instead, take these random words. And here some more words. And he's just thinking and hoping Evelyn doesn't freak out - like when Misha was badgering Hanako in class. And a few more words and... Kay. Jason held back a few comments and ran his fingers back through his hair.
This post was completely pointless.

Montare was walking into the area as he looked at his own dagger, which he had carved the blades of which something he was sent from home. He also had put what appeared to be a golden grip on it, although he refused to believe his father managed to obtain a grip made of real gold. When he saw the group he froze as recognized Evelyn, although she seemed to fade away constantly. He hoped none of them would notice him.

Evelyn slowly looked up at the girl as she sat down next to her, tentatively and lightly grasping Lotte's hand and shaking it ever so slightly. "...Evelyn..." she said quietly, feeling a bit more at ease as she lowered her own hand and returned it to her lap. Still, the blush remained. How embarrassing... Stupid Evelyn... Stupidstupidstupidstupid...

She looked up for just a moment, trying to look to Jace, when she caught sight of Montare right in the corner of her eye. He was looking right at them. Evelyn immediately locked up in place and let out a small quiet gasp, clenching the hem of her skirt tightly. "I-it's that boy..." What if he was mad at her for what happened in the conservatory? She noticed a dagger and something gold glittering in his hand. Evelyn involuntarily moved her hands up to grab onto something to protect her, clinging to Jace's sleeve.

Lotte blinked as she turned to who she mentioned, examining the boy. "Who is that? Is that another one of your friends, Evelyn?" asked the girl in a light tone. She had seen her reach for her dagger, and realized it was probably the opposite. Hopefully no fighting would ensue. Evelyn didn't seem like that kind of person, but still...
She had left her staff in her dorm, and had no way of fighting alongside her friends if anything happened. Ethel was sleeping, and her power was not an option. Were school enemies what the weapons were for?

Evelyn shook her head, grabbing tighter onto Jace's sleeve. "T-that's... Montare... y-you've heard what he tried to... do to Alicia, r-right?" Evelyn said, her voice shaking slightly. Yeah, everyone talked about how he got rejected after finding out that Alicia wasn't exactly straight, but they didn't talk about how Alicia had showed him by kissing her... or how she had fainted afterwards, and how Montare tried to kiss her while in the Infirmary while she was unconscious in the other room.

Montare sighed. So that was spreading around, and quickly at that. "No....Evelyn, is it? I'm not here to seek revenge or anything. I was simply looking at my...erm...modified dagger." He held the dagger up so that they could see the carvings and grip. He stood still, not daring to approach until it was clear he meant no harm.