"Emissaries are gifted people, but our gifts don't always provide the support we need when it comes to protecting our supernatural elect," Guillermo said, pacing in front of the class of emissaries in Cartwright Hall. "Does anyone know what to do when your gifts fail you in the heat of battle? DuPree?"
"Have a weapon on hand, Sir!" Ellie called as she had been taught in the first two weeks of training.
The training they had endured in the past two weeks had been rigorous and hard. They had each started to learn how to hold their own against each other in a fist fight, and each of the six had found themselves on scrubbing duty for losing a match throughout the fortnight. Now, they had made it to the second portion of their training.
"That's correct, DuPree," he said, stopping his pacing and facing the group. "An emissary typically carries a weapon of their choosing designed specifically to *take care* of any creature who threatens your pack or coven."
Guillermo walked to a large maroon tapestry hanging behind the statue of Philip Cartwright. "Come this way."
As the emissaries gathered in a semi circle around him, Guillermo pulled the tapestry back to reveal a shiny, metallic wall. He placed his hand in the center of the wall causing a red glow to illuminate under his palm before a bright white lit up the west side of the panel, and the panel slid open revealing various weapons lining the walls, catching the eyes of the six emissaries.
"Your weapon will be your safe haven," Guillermo said, pulling a sword from the wall and weighing it in his hands. "You will learn to use it. You will clean it. You will cherish it. It will protect you and those you are called to." He gestured to the wall behind him, littered with guns, swords, and bows of all kinds. "Choose your weapon carefully. It's your lifeline now."
The six emissaries looked at the wall for a moment, weighing their options, before stepping forward and claiming their weapon of choice.
Ellie weighed the gun in her hand. It was similar to others she had used, but different in its own right. It was lighter than than her standard .45 and sleeker with streaks of silver licking up the barrel, and as strange as it may have sounded to anyone else, it was almost as if the gun had called to her, begging her to pull it from the rack as if they were meant to be together.
Guillermo watched the group studying their weapons. They had all chosen just as he had expected they would. From Eleanor's Excalibur 5 to Zeke's Trident 12 bow. Everything was going exactly according to plan. "Get to know your weapons. Target practice will begin tomorrow. Class dismissed."
After Guillermo marched out of the room, Felicity turned to Ellie flashing her shiny katana with pride. A bright grin on her lips, she asked, "Isn't this the coolest?"
Ellie offered her a small smile and nodded, a wave of nostalgia rushing over her. She could remember when she was as bright eyed and bushy tailed as her brunette friend. It had been immediately after her first marking, before Jesse had ripped the most important person in her life away from her. Allison had always laughed off her enthusiasm and reminded her that while it was charming, it wasn't practical when facing off against an enemy.
A sigh slipped through her lips causing her to close her eyes.
"Hey," Felicity said, furrowing her eyebrows at the blonde's countenance. "Are you alright?"
Ellie opened her eyes and nodded, a small frown replacing her smile, "I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"
Felicity narrowed her eyes at the blonde, knowing for certain she was lying, "You just don't look like you feel well."
Ellie sighed and placed a hand on her forehead. Of course, Felicity didn't believe her. Granted, she was right not to believe her, but she wasn't going to let her know that. "I'm just tired, that's all. It's nothing to worry about."
She pursed her lips and nodded. She couldn't make her tell the truth, but she did have to give her credit for her believable lie. Everyone was feeling tired since they had arrived at the academy, but they all weren't wearing their tiredness like Ellie. The dark circles forming under her eyes were enough to tell she wasn't explaining everything. Giving her a tight smile, Felicity said, "The past two weeks have been strenuous for all of us. It's no wonder you're tired."
Ellie forced a smile onto her own lips and decided to change the subject. "Want to have an early lunch today? I'm famished."
A wide grin spread across Felicity's face causing Ellie to give a real smile in return. "Do I ever!"
The duo of girls giggled all the way to the cafeteria, excitement rushing off of them. Their weapons were secured on their persons and safe from causing any harm as they made their way through the line of food, piling a mixture of healthy and unhealthy foods onto their trays.
Ellie and Felicity had taken to eating lunch with Garrison, who insisted that the duo spend time getting to know their emissary elders. Although, Ellie saw right through his crooked smile. His eyes gave it all away. He was attracted to Felicity and her infectious smile. Of course, Felicity didn't see him that way, but he didn't seem to mind as long as she was near him.
Not to mention Dawson Knight was a frequenter at Garrison's table.
Felicity couldn't help but want to play matchmaker. She claimed, too often in Ellie's opinion, that the weather wielding emissary would be perfect for the blonde.
Ellie couldn't agree though. She was still holding onto the hope that Jasper wouldn't be an idiot for much longer. He would eventually return for her, and when he did, he would be in for a rude awakening. He wasn't going to get away with hurting her without some form of recompense. She did have to agree that the blue eyed emissary was quite handsome though.
They were near five feet from their table when all chaos broke loose.
Ellie turned to tell Felicity to keep her cool concerning Dawson when she walked straight into a wall, knocking her to the ground and sending her tray flying into the air, drenching the blonde in a mess of pepperoni, lettuce and ranch dressing.
"Watch where you're going, Princess," a baritone voice growled causing Ellie to realize that it had not been a wall that she had crashed into. Instead, it had been the lone wolf of the emissaries that had sent her tumbling.
Harmon Cartwright was tall and as stout as a bear. He was dressed in black from head to toe, adding an uneasy air to all who encountered him. He had curly, sand colored hair, and his blue eyes were menacing and currently, narrowed in on Ellie who immediately returned the glare. She would not back down from this man, no matter the outcome.
Before Ellie even knew what she was doing, she was on her feet, shoving the sandy haired emissary away from her, snarling, "Don't call me that."
Harmon grit his teeth together, hearing the snap in his ears. Just who did this girl think she was? She wouldn't survive a match against him. "Or what? What are you gonna do about it, Princess?"
Ellie's eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared, and before she realized it had happened her fist had aimed for his face, striking him hard in the nose.
Harmon's hand went to his nose, a growl rumbling in his chest. He pulled his hand away only to find a smear of blood streaked across it. He lifted his gaze to the blonde and muttered, "Oh, you're gonna regret that." He jutted a hand forward, and a ball of ice flew toward Ellie who ducked at the last second before she kicked her leg out and swept him off of his feet.
That didn't keep him down for long though as he had used his hands to flip himself upright, and in a fluid like motion, swept both arms to the left causing a gust of wind to blast Ellie across the room and into a wall, narrowly missing an emissary who had chosen to move seats at an unfortunate moment.
This only made Ellie angrier. Her hair was standing up in all directions, and a wild look that hadn't been in her eyes for a long time made an appearance. Picking herself up and ignoring the blood beginning to drip from her nose, she threw both hands forward, lifting the boy into the air. She pulled both hands above her head before swinging them both downward, harshly tossing him onto the floor causing a groan to emit from him. She lifted her arms again to attack him, but a voice cut through the room, causing all action to stop.
"What in the world is going on in here?" the voice of Anastasia Black said as she strutted into the room with Dawson Knight at her side. "Hm? Anyone want to offer an explanation as to why the cafeteria is now in shambles?" She turned her green eyes to Ellie, narrowing them in on her, now, shaking form. "What about you, Eleanor? Care to explain?"
Ellie shifted her eyes from the boy slowly trying to lift himself from the floor to the, now, fuming strawberry blonde in the entrance. She dropped her hands and turned to fully face the tiny woman who was in charge of the complex. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words escaped her lips. Instead, her eyes rolled back into her head, and she, promptly, collapsed to the floor.
A sigh slipped from Anastasia's lips as she brought her hand to the bridge of her nose. "Somebody get them both to the med wing."