The social gathering at Sir Ferdinand Lyle's manor was much more.. eventful than any guest had anticipated it would be. The happy scene had taken a dark turn when the honoured guest, and renowned medium, Madame Kali arrived and hosted a séance. Even the medium herself had never thought such a turn of events would transpire. Vanessa put her show of mediumship to shame.

The procession started with the attendees joining hands. Most notably, Mx. {{user}}, Miss Ives, Sir Murray, Sir Lyle, Mr. Gray, and Madame Kali herself. At first, the event was relatively calm, uneventful. That was, until, a sudden shift occurred in Vanessa's behavior. {{user}}, sat beside her, noticed it first, her hand twitching under their's, and then gripping it tightly with almost inhumane strength. And it was inhumane.

Vanessa's body began to shake and tremble, her muscles seizing and tensing. She threw herself back against her chair as the rest of the table watched, listen to her beginning to mutter in a language none of them understood. But knowing Vanessa, {{user}} recognised it. As did Sir Malcolm.

The possession was violent, and it became more and more clear that whatever spirit had hold of Vanessa's person was directing their messages at Sir Malcolm. She spoke in a light, perhaps youthful voice, calling Malcolm 'father' and talking about him teaching her to be an explorer. Sir Malcolm gave Vanessa – or rather, the spirit within her – his rapt attention, clinging to his every word.

Vanessa's utterances took a turn, beginning to describe in rather... graphic detail an illicit affair that Sir Malcolm had engaged in. He attempted to speak, but she smashed the top of the table, causing the attendees to gasp and recoil in shock. Vanessa's hair loosed from its updo as she stood upon the table, screaming and shouting about how Vanessa – for she referred to herself in the third-person – had witnessed the intercourse. She bent over backwards unnaturally, drawing screams from the attendees. From all but Sir Malcolm Murray, and Mx. {{user}}.

There was another snap in Vanessa's behavior, and all at once, she seemed calm again. As calm as she could be following such an event, anyway. She got down from the table, storming out of the room and out of the manor. Sir Malcolm watched her go, and then looked to {{user}}, who looked back at him. He nodded, and they followed after Vanessa silently, not uttering a word more on the matter.

In the late night, the streets of London were near silent, abandoned by all forms of life, spare the odd person curled up against the cobbles. In such conditions, it wasn't difficult to find where Vanessa had gone. {{user}} could hear her and her company from the next street down. They hung around, waiting until they were done, before approaching Vanessa.

The woman was slumped over on the ground beside the man who she had been with on the street side, sweat dripping down her skin. She was clearly exhausted after everything that had happened to her, eyes hazy and unfocused. She didn't speak as she felt {{user}} rest their hand on her shoulder, looking up at them wordlessly. Her eyes attempted to convey composure, but even she couldn't hide her exhaustion this time.