knew_anyway | Eighth Summoning [Voice] || Sometimes I'm nervous when I talk

-right.

[There's a small pause, and Nathaniel takes a deep breath, before starting to speak.]

As you all know, there is a festivity of sorts, held on Friday. For preparation, I am willing to teach a class on the basics of dance Thursday evening. Though I am not a certified instructor in the matter, I have attended several galas which required such... things, and I have had instruction on- dance. [God, it sounds so girly when he says it like that. But with friends like Makepeace, he knows the basics, which is far more than you barbaric lot.]

I will also be attending the prom of sorts if anyone wishes to speak to me face to face- on any matter. Thank you.

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[There's a long pause, as if he's not sure if he really wants to say this- but he goes with it anyway, taking a deep breath.]

...I have located another spirit that I believe to be residing in Adstringendum. Something a bit more powerful than Faisal. If... if you like, [a deep breath] you can watch the summoning.

[He lets out a soft sound, like he's nervous, maybe.] Um- not that I think it would be particularly entertaining, but you seemed... curious about that sort of thing. It would be easier than trying to explain everything.

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Two thousand eight.

[Noted, but he doesn't push it.]

Though my timeline often doesn't coincide with other people's.

Yeah. I'm pretty sure they have prom in London-

Actually, potentially not, your high school system is really weird.

Mm, it's not that. We do have an education system- though not traditional 'high schools' that I've researched.

[He shrugs.]

Being a magician, I was instructed privately. We're not well versed in the social customs of commoners.

I didn't believe in stuff like that until earlier this week.

Like what?

Magic.

Oh. You're one of the people from a nonmagical world, then?

Oh, no, my world is fucked up. I just didn't know it until right before I got here.

What do you mean?

I guess I'm still trying to process it all, but it turned out literally two days before I arrived in Adstringendum that my house is haunted.

Not uncommon.

[He tilts his head.]

Who set the spirit on you?

There are at least six of them. I think they've been there for a long time- people keep dying in our house. Before we moved in, I mean.

Dying?

[A pause. He frowns and shakes his head.]

You're talking about ghosts. Not my sort of spirits.

Maybe. All these worlds are supposed to be different.

I'm Violet, by the way.

[A faint smile.]

John Mandrake. It's a pleasure.

So are you worried about the city's morale?

I'm worried about the city as a whole. I want to try to help people live happier and more peacefully to the utmost of my abilities.

Why?

[He balks at that. People don't generally ask why.]

-because I... I neglected my duties to the people when I was in a position of power back home.

[It sounds so cut and dry like that. Nathaniel winces.]

So you're putting yourself in a position of responsibility again?

It's not quite that simple.

Well, obviously. When is it ever?

Never.

[A sigh.]

At any rate, if I weren't actively trying to organize the community, I might go mad. This place is chaos.

So I've noticed. I'm trying to find a safe place to live, but it sounds fucked up out there.

I'd invite you to stay with me until you got your bearings, but my place is crawling with spirits.

[A wry smile. You talked to the right person.]

But I can point you to the clinic, which helps new arrivals, or the halfway house, which is a temporary lodging for new people. I also have a map of most of the homes in Adstringendum, though it hasn't been updated in terms of who's living where in over a month.