Thirteenth Summoning [Accidental Video] || Overworked and Underpaid

[knew_anyway]

[The feed clicks on to show Nat in his study- but unlike his public addresses, he's not sitting calmly at his desk, or even looking at the camera. Instead, he has his back to the device, reaching up to get a book from his top shelf

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[Video // Private // Unhackable] THE 30TH AND STUFF

[marsfireignite]

[She looks exhausted, but exhilarated. Sorry for the whole vanishing for three days thing but the information will be totally worth it, right?]

Nathaniel.

If you're sleeping, get up.

[marsfireignite]

Praise the Heavens.

[Somewhat curtly, because excuse you, Nat. 8| But her curiosity gets better of her pride, to look over his shoulder to the wall, eyes narrowing slightly to decipher some of it in the languages she recognizes.]

Your handwriting is terrible.

[In a quiet remark, as she tilts her head slightly at the Japanese symbols.]

What did you discover?

[knew_anyway]

That there are many deities out there, the majority of which have some sort of affiliation for fire.

[Shut up about his handwriting, they were his personal notes okay.]

I'm in the process of trying to narrow down the possibilities by cross referencing the known worlds and religions in all of the textbooks in the library and the gods of the people who are already here.

1/2

[marsfireignite]

[ ... wait, Nathaniel, hold on, Rei just has to say:]

The deduction you've made is that there are a lot of fire gods and goddesses.

[The flattest tone you know, Nat. The flattest tone you know. But give her a moment more before she ducks out of the frame.]

[marsfireignite]

[And then, suddenly, there's a burst of fire that doesn't seem to actually burn anything, before Mars ducks back into view, one white-gloved hand wrapping a coil of fire between her fingers like it was nothing more than a string.

She looks so unimpressed it literally hurts her.]

I could have told you that.

[8|]

[knew_anyway]

Yes, obviously.

[Don't push him Rei, he's still mad at you. >:(]

That was dry humor. I'm working as hard as I can.

[marsfireignite]

[She sighs to herself, letting the fire dissipate from her fingers, though she remains transformed, for a few moments.]

I can come over and help you.

[Pause.]

And I can tell you about the scientists.

[knew_anyway]

[He watches her for a moment- still upset, but again, new information and the good of Adstring was more important than a few hurt feelings. He could swallow his pride for this.]

...I'll put on tea.

[It's not going to stop him from treating this painfully like a business transaction though.]

[marsfireignite]

[She's quiet for a moment before the transformation melts away in the flicker of flames -- and Rei sighs quietly before nodding slightly to herself, getting up and grabbing a thick wad of papers hand-bound together.]

I'll be there in half an hour.

[She has to tell Cas where she's going so he doesn't freak out again. It might take some doing.]

[knew_anyway]

[Nat nods and shuts off the feed. He spends the next half hour trying to make the place look habitable, clearing up a space to sit at, and putting on that tea.

He tidies up his appearance, but there's nothing to be done for the bags under his eyes or the incredible weariness that was finally beginning to peek through the boundless energy he'd had at Christmas. She'll just have to deal with it.]

[marsfireignite]

[She slides into his house without knocking, when she arrives, precisely half an hour later, a little taken aback by the amount of... well, clutter everywhere. And when she eventually finds Nathaniel, she leans against the doorframe, hugging the papers to her chest, frowning slightly in concern.]

You need to sleep.

[Quietly. It's not a command. Just an observation.]

[knew_anyway]

I need to fix this city.

[It's more important than his own needs- he's already realized that. Nathaniel looks at her for a moment, before leaning back against the wall.]

Have a seat. I'll get the tea.

[marsfireignite]

I can get my own tea.

[She doesn't move to take a seat.]

You're going to kill yourself before you even make it to the summoning, Nathaniel.

[She looks worried. 8(]

[knew_anyway]

I need to do this, Rei.

[There's no real soft tones or gentle gestures here. He's tired, he's frayed and stressed, and he's still upset with her.]

It's for everyone's good. I can't justify making them all suffer just because I was too weak to keep going.

[marsfireignite]

I know that you need to do this, I need to do this too, but you can't just keep --

[But Rei stops herself, frustrated, and she grits her teeth together. There's little point in arguing. So, instead, Rei simply stares at him, stubborn, to wait for him to continue talking.]

[knew_anyway]

You wanted to tell me about the scientists.

[Bart will knock him out before he actually keels over.]