Exton L. Pratt
| Exton L. Pratt | |
|---|---|
| Powers | Rithmatics |
| Profession | Clerk |
| Residence | Armedius Academy |
| Homeworld | Earth (Rithmatist) |
| First Appeared | The Rithmatist |
Exton L. Pratt is a clerk employed by Armedius Academy.[1] He is a Rithmatist, and an Armedius alumnus.[2][3]
Appearance and Personality
“Oh yes. I'm excited to have yet another item striving to distract me from the two hundred end-of-term grade reports I must fill out and file before the week is over. Delightful.”
—Exton to Florence[4]
Exton is a portly man, and is always quite fashionably dressed. He orders his clothes from the Californian Archipelago, and usually wears a vest and trousers, suspenders, and a bow tie.[5]
Exton often makes sarcastic remarks, and often when someone interrupts his work. However, he has a soft spot for both Florence and Joel. He is often quite focused on his work, and is prone to carrying on conversations without looking up from whatever he's working on.[1][4] He harbors a bitterness against Rithmatists in general, despite being one himself.[2]
Attributes and Abilities
Though Exton is a Rithmatist, he is not a very skilled one. He can't draw Rithmatic lines very well, even basic Lines of Forbiddance.[3] He is particularly bad with chalklings, and can't control them properly.[6]
History
Student at Armedius
Exton used to be a Rithmatic student at Armedius Academy, but he was expelled from the Rithmatic program because he couldn't control his chalklings properly. This made it too risky for him to be sent to Nebrask, so he became a student at the general school and later graduated.[6]
Back at Armedius
“Fitch is the best at the academy. He'll take that upstart to pieces so fast that the chalk dust won't have time to settle before the duel is over.”
—Exton to Joel about Nalizar's challenge[1]
Exton returned to work as a clerk at Armedius soon after, working alongside Florence. When Andrew Nalizar challenged Professor Fitch to a duel, Exton heard about it from Joel Saxon. Exton was initially confident that Fitch had won the duel easily, and was shocked to hear that Nalizar had won.[1] Nalizar later approached Exton to tell him that common students should no longer be permitted to run messages to the Rithmatic professors. Nalizar appointed Melody Muns to run the messages instead of Joel, which Exton hesitantly agreed to.[7]
As the Scribbler began kidnapping Rithmatic students, Exton and Florence often discussed the current events with Joel, having known him for years. Exton was annoyed when worried parents came to Armedius to protest and pull their children out of Armedius, and wasn't even able to get into his office because of the crowd.[8] While going through census records for Professor Fitch, Joel eventually discovered that Exton once attended Armedius. He asked Exton about it, making Florence curious as well, but Exton refused to talk about it and left.[2] When the Scribbler eventually came for Joel, attacking him in the night, Joel fled towards the office building and yelled for help. Exton heard the shouting and came outside. He was alarmed at the sight of the chalking horde, and yelled for the police. Exton washed one chalking away with a bucket of acid, then he and Joel retreated into the office, where Exton revealed his Rithmatic abilities to Joel by drawing a Line of Forbiddance in front of the doorway. Though Exton drew more Lines of Forbiddance, Joel knew that the chalklings would overwhelm Exton's defenses. He told Exton to box himself in with more lines, and ran for help. Joel was successful, and Exton was soon rescued by a squad of police officers with buckets of acid.[3]
The next morning, Inspector Harding arrested Exton, declaring him to be the Scribbler using planted evidence.[6][9] Exton was put in jail while he awaited trial.[6]
Released from Custody
“Joel! Thank you so much, lad. Fitch told me how you continued to believe in me, even when they took me into custody. ”
—Exton to Joel before the Melee[9]
After the true identity of the Scribbler was revealed to be a Forgotten controlling Harding, Exton was released from custody. Principal York personally apologized to Exton, and Exton was tasked with adjudicating the Melee soon after. Exton was immensely grateful to Joel after his release, and thanked Joel for continually believing in his innocence, even when he was arrested. Right before the Melee started, Joel asked Exton if non-Rithmatists were allowed to enter the Melee. When Exton said it was technically legal, Joel asked to enter the Melee on Melody's team, representing Professor Fitch. Exton agreed, and allowed Joel to enter.[9]