Billie Lurk

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Dad, am I ugly ? 🔊

THE MOST COLOR DUNWALL TOWER HAS IS ON THIS CLIFFSIDE . especially in the months seeds, timber, clans, songs, earth, harvest, and nest with the bright flowers of the garden when the sun rises on the sparkling horizon. oh, it's beautiful. and maybe it's just always been a privilege for her, but she'll never understand how a corrupted person would want to ruin this. DELILAH, NOTABLY . but dunwall suffered in each coup. somehow. emily will never understand what the gain is. or loss.

. . . though as it stands, some rats get eaten just the same. SURVIVAL CAN KNOCK THE PRIVILEGE FROM ANYONE'S BONES . even if just for moments at a time. emily does not care for cruelty, she just sometimes enacts a harsh justice. THAT IS THE EXTENT . she prefers gristol's beauty and a prospering empire. that is everything her mother would be proud of.

oh, the little smile that's still curling the corner of her lips. IF SARCASM HAD A LOOK, IT'S THE ONE EMILY HAS ON NOW .

She rubs the thumb and index finger of the black shard arm together slowly, a soft grating noise of glass-like stone on glass-like stone coming from it. Made of void stone, but moves like flesh. Easily covered by a glove, sure, but she'd need a coat that covered the awkward whale bone.

It's a lot, and often why she doesn't bother trying to cover it up in the first place.

Her slight dig at Anton had her laughing, though- They had too much fun cracking jokes at the old mans expense. She pushes herself off the rampart wall and slowly makes her way to Emily's side, trying to roll the sleeve of her coat down over the whale bone in her arm before pulling a glove tight over the hand, reaching up to point at the sliver in her eye as she did so.

Also Billie Lurk:

“Dear Passengers, I’d like to offer my apologies for being such a grumpy captain.

First, to Anton, who I called a senile old goat when he decided to bring live bloodflies aboard for study. Not a single day passes without me staring in delight at those little marvels of nature.

Second, my apologies to Lady Emily, who broke the bloodfly tank, allowing them to flutter down to the engine room, bringing joy to this sad boat of mine with the gentle humming of their soft wings. I deeply regret calling you a ‘Clumsy Silk-Wiped ass’.

Daud lowers the hand with the pillow to his side, and walks to her to close the distance. When he reaches within an arm's length, the older man sits down on the still-sturdy floorboards, and offers Billie the pillow. He gestures her to sit as well.

"Exhausting is the least of it," he murmurs, "Anger's helpful in a lot of situations. It's a 'call to action' feeling. But also a result of not being in control."

He tilted his head upward toward her, pointedly, "You're not used to having that control. But you have anger in spades. You're exhausted because you now have an overabundance of it."

And very little outlet.

"There's nothing wrong with that. I used to be that angry, too. Still can be, when I need it."

It’s reluctantly taken, but she does sit down beside him, choosing to hold it loosely in her arms while she sat crossed-legged, almost cradling it in her lap. She knew she was about to get lectured, but that was never usually a bad thing.

Daud was wise beyond his years. He shared that with each of the Whalers, she’s seen it. He had a weird knack for diving right into peoples cracks and helping them piece them together. It’s what made him such a strong leader, and one that people cared about in spades.

He was like a father to them all, in that regard, she supposed. Where most Whalers either didn’t know theirs or lost them for whatever reason, he was exceptionally good at filling that gap.

It brought a small smile to her face, nodding at his observations with a faint sigh. “Yeah, dead on… It’s strange not having to really scrape together survival for once. Hard to really slow down when there’s so much to learn.” She grins, gripping the pillow in her fingers, squishing the fabric a bit.

Because you need to earn your keep, or he’ll abandon you like the rest.

Anger was a useful tool as well. Daud was no stranger to drawing on reserves of rage to get through a task- though, he hadn't had to do that in a long while. He hadn't felt as threatened after his Mark was given.

Daud waits for her to right herself upward before tugging the pillow back from her, stepping a few paces further away while holding out a hand to signal her to stay where she was.

"Very good. Try widening your stance and taking note of your balance. We'll increase the difficulty, until you can't sustain it."

She caught it, but it's annoying.

They exchange the pillow like it's a game of catch, pulling it from one another while Billie drives herself to the point of nearly collapsing. Burning her energy fast, letting her anger get the better of her while she mulled on his question.

His praise felt good, though. She couldn’t deny that.

So she turns back to the pillow on the floor, taking a slow breath and focusing her attention fully on it. She took a moment to idly draw that line in front of her with two fingers, before opening her palm again… Again, imagining that sensation of her fingers hooking into the fabric, and pulling her arm back.

She gets a hold of it, but this time it launches up and hits her in the face at the same time it connects with her palm, sending her staggering back a step with a soft grunt of annoyance.

"You would think," he muses, "But I find it's easier to work with stuff that's lighter- not smaller. At least, at first."

He gestures to the pillow in her hand, "I imagine you'd rather get hit in the face with that, than a glass bottle, knife, or pen. Let's just say not everyone in the gang's facial scars are from fighting."

With a crook of his fingers, and a green glow, Daud pulls the pillow from her outstretched arm, and back into his hand. He holds it to the side, watching her adjust.

Again she’s thrown off balance, and she gives an almost annoyed grunt as she stomps her foot down again to anchor herself, leveling him with a bit of a glare before reaching out and pulling her arm back again.

The pillow is dragged with far more force this time, right to her palm, but the momentum nearly knocks her over this time. She manages to stay standing, but the whole top half of her body travels with her arm before she manages to right herself.

Once she’s right on her feet, she holds the pillow up to stare at it for a long moment, deep in thought. Why does it always take getting angry at the problem for her to make progress? She doesn’t like the feeling, but its always when she seems to perform at her best.

The thought alone annoys her, Daud’s training her personally and treating her very well, he didn’t deserve that.

She’d been crawling around in Dunwalls underbelly since she was 7, stealth and pickpocketing were already deeply ingrained in her muscle memory.

Her eyes stay fixed on him while he elaborates, intently listening, head tilting slightly while she processed the information. Deirdre had always spoken about it as a form of control- Not on any one person, but on the world around them. It was this belief that drove Billies determination to try and just make the world better for them, so they didn’t have to rely on parlor tricks, or void forbid they try and ask the outsider for anything.

Treating it as a tool- Yeah, that made sense.

She’d seen the masters pull things like this before. Her master specifically used it on a pen once, and Dauds effortless yank on that pillow left her just as surprised.

She casts her hand out to try and focus on the pillow, pausing when he specifies to pull just the pillow and not him with it, a comment that makes her chuckle under her breath- Oh, he figured her out fast.

“Sure, sure.”

There’s a long moment of silence that followed, trying to use the same methodology she used for Blink- Imagine yourself standing in the spot you want, and will it to be so… This had to work on similar principles, right?

The more she focused, there was a faint feeling in the back of her head, imagining the feeling of hooking her fingers into the fabric… And while it’s weak, she does seem to make that connection, gripping her had into a fist and yanking it back toward her, the pillow being yanked from his hand and falling flat on the floor between them, leaving her to look at it in some shock.

She really just did that, huh?

"Good. Good first attempt," he praises, "But now, you need to follow through."

Daud walked two paces to the side, dark eyes keen on observing her position, her readjustments. Most other recruits either underutilized their powers, and didn't commit to pulling objects all the way to them. A smaller amount overshot, mis-aimed, or pulled the wrong target entirely.

But here Billie was, in the middle. And working quick.

"Breathe, let your energy return. Focus. When you've recovered, tether that pillow from its position on the floor, then, into your hand."

He took his right hand from behind his back and drew a line in the air, "Imagine now, a line that travels from the object into your palm. Make it travel along that line, and reel it in towards you."

His praise felt good, though. She couldn’t deny that.

So she turns back to the pillow on the floor, taking a slow breath and focusing her attention fully on it. She took a moment to idly draw that line in front of her with two fingers, before opening her palm again… Again, imagining that sensation of her fingers hooking into the fabric, and pulling her arm back.

She gets a hold of it, but this time it launches up and hits her in the face at the same time it connects with her palm, sending her staggering back a step with a soft grunt of annoyance.

It was true that while every one of his master assassins were capable and trustworthy of teaching, all of them were still human, and conflicts of personality were bound to happen when each insisted on doing things a specific way.

Billie was more like Daud himself. A quick learner, very adaptive, but also very literal with instruction.

"Magic can do a lot of things," he replies, "I don't think there's anything that it can't do. But capability to shape things and pull from the Void is limited by our own humanity. Magic may not have limits, but our understanding does."

"It's also fickle," Daud says, unfurling his hand to gesture vaguely around them, "And it's better to look at the power we have as a tool, rather than something to rely on."

The Mark on the back of his hand glows a pale green as he scans the room around him, "Tetherings allow you to bind something or someone to you, and pull them across physical space."

He points to one of the pillows gathered, and snatches it in an arc of green light from across the room. It flies to his hand, and he catches it to show Billie.

She’d been crawling around in Dunwalls underbelly since she was 7, stealth and pickpocketing were already deeply ingrained in her muscle memory.

Her eyes stay fixed on him while he elaborates, intently listening, head tilting slightly while she processed the information. Deirdre had always spoken about it as a form of control- Not on any one person, but on the world around them. It was this belief that drove Billies determination to try and just make the world better for them, so they didn’t have to rely on parlor tricks, or void forbid they try and ask the outsider for anything.

Treating it as a tool- Yeah, that made sense.

She’d seen the masters pull things like this before. Her master specifically used it on a pen once, and Dauds effortless yank on that pillow left her just as surprised.

She casts her hand out to try and focus on the pillow, pausing when he specifies to pull just the pillow and not him with it, a comment that makes her chuckle under her breath- Oh, he figured her out fast.

“Sure, sure.”

There’s a long moment of silence that followed, trying to use the same methodology she used for Blink- Imagine yourself standing in the spot you want, and will it to be so… This had to work on similar principles, right?

The more she focused, there was a faint feeling in the back of her head, imagining the feeling of hooking her fingers into the fabric… And while it’s weak, she does seem to make that connection, gripping her had into a fist and yanking it back toward her, the pillow being yanked from his hand and falling flat on the floor between them, leaving her to look at it in some shock.

She really just did that, huh?

sender to receiver:

[ HOOK ] sender hooking a finger beneath receiver's jaw

[ PINCH ] sender holding receiver's chin between their thumb and forefinger

[ LOOK ] sender holding receiver's jaw and turning their head to look at them

[ PICK ] sender telling receiver to "hold still" while they remove something from their hair

[ GRAZE ] sender brushes their fingertip back and forth along receiver's jaw while they listen to receiver talk

[ DIRECT ] sender seeing that receiver is going the wrong way, takes hold of their shoulders from behind and turns them the right direction

[ BACK ] sender grabs receiver's wrist and tugs them closer when receiver tries to walk away.

[ TOY ] sender fidgets with something receiver is wearing while receiver talks to them

[ STROKE ] sender absentmindedly plays with receiver's hair while they're focused on another task

[ DEPART ] sender is saying goodbye and kisses receiver's forehead

[ DRESS ] sender without prompting helps receiver put on a jacket

[ UNDRESS ] sender helps receiver remove an article of clothing or jewelry

[ REFILL ] sender refills receiver's drink before they can ask or do it themselves

[ FIX ] sender cleans something off of receiver's face

[ RUB ] sender places their hand around the back of receiver's neck, rubbing their thumb just under their ear

[ PULL ] sender sits next to receiver and places their arm around their shoulders, gently pulling them into their side

[ BECKON ] sender sees receiver and lifts their arm up so they can come hug/cuddle them

[ GLIDE ] sender is gently rubbing/scratching receivers back and rubs their knuckle down their spine to the small of their back

[ CHEER ] seeing that receiver is scowling, sender rubs their thumb over the furrow between receiver's brows

[ TUCK ] sender finds receiver asleep somewhere and puts a blanket or their own coat over them

[ TRACE ] sender brushes their fingers along receiver's forehead, temple and cheekbone

[ BRUSH ] sender brushes their hand up and down receiver's arm as they walk past them

[ KEEP ] sender holds receiver's arm just above the elbow while they're talking or to get their attention

[ LEAN ] sender looks over receiver's shoulder who is sitting, placing a hand on their desk while receiver shows them something

[ NUDGE ] sender grabs the chair receiver is sitting in and pulls it closer

[ LISTEN ] sender is listening to receiver talk and picks up an object that belongs to receiver to fidget with

[ SEARCH ] sender searches out receiver's gaze in a crowded room either for approval or to check if they're okay

[ SMOOTH ] sender smooths their thumb over receiver's eyebrow

[ SLIP ] sender places their hand in receiver's back pocket while they walk together

receiver to sender:

[ HOOKING ] receiver hooking a finger beneath sender's jaw

[ PINCHING ] receiver holding sender's chin between their thumb and forefinger

[ LOOKING ] receiver holding sender's jaw and turning their head to look at them

[ PICKING ] receiver telling sender to "hold still" while they remove something from their hair

[ GRAZING ] receiver brushes their fingertip back and forth along sender's jaw while they listen to sender talk

[ DIRECTING ] receiver seeing that sender is going the wrong way, takes hold of their shoulders from behind and turns them the right direction

[ BACKING ] receiver grabs sender's wrist and tugs them closer when sender tries to walk away.

[ TOYING ] receiver fidgets with something sender is wearing while sender talks to them

[ STROKING ] receiver absentmindedly plays with sender's hair while they're focused on another task

[ DEPARTING ] receiver is saying goodbye and kisses sender's forehead

[ DRESSING ] receiver without prompting helps sender put on a jacket

[ UNDRESSING ] receiver helps sender remove an article of clothing or jewelry

[ REFILLING ] receiver refills sender's drink before they can ask or do it themselves

[ FIXING ] receiver cleans something off of senders face

[ RUBBING ] receiver places their hand around the back of receiver's neck, rubbing their thumb just under their ear

[ PULLING ] receiver sits next to sender and places their arm around their shoulders, gently pulling them into their side

[ BECKONING ] receiver sees sender and lifts their arm up so they can come hug/cuddle them

[ GLIDING ] receiver is gently rubbing/scratching sender's back and rubs their knuckle down their spine to the small of their back

[ CHEERING ] seeing that sender is scowling, receiver rubs their thumb over the furrow between sender's brows

[ TUCKING ] receiver finds sender asleep somewhere and puts a blanket or their own coat over them

[ TRACING ] receiver brushes their fingers along sender's forehead, temple and cheekbone

[ BRUSHING ] receiver brushes their hand up and down sender's arm as they walk past them

[ KEEPING ] receiver holds sender's arm just above the elbow while they're talking or to get their attention

[ LEANING ] receiver looks over sender's shoulder who is sitting, placing a hand on their desk while sender shows them something

[ NUDGING ] receiver grabs the chair sender is sitting in and pulls it closer

[ LISTENING ] receiver is listening to sender talk and picks up an object that belongs to sender to fidget with

[ SEARCHING ] receiver seeks out sender's gaze in a crowded room either for approval or to check that they're okay

[ SMOOTHING ] receiver smooths their thumb over sender's eyebrow

SENDER forces RECEIVER to keep moving despite exhaustion.

SENDER lifts RECEIVER over an obstacle they can't clear alone.

OUR MUSES get separated briefly and panic sets in.

OUR MUSES light a fire for warmth using scavenged materials.

OUR MUSES wade through floodwater, gripping each other for balance.

OUR MUSES emerge into daylight to see how much the world has changed.

SENDER blocks RECEIVER from seeing something horrifying.

OUR MUSES take turns standing watch through the night.

OUR MUSES navigate by landmarks that no longer exist.

SENDER covers RECEIVER'S mouth to keep them quiet.

SENDER confesses fear to RECEIVER in a rare quiet moment.

OUR MUSES shelter in a vehicle that may not hold.

SENDER gives up their share of medicine for RECEIVER.

SENDER promises RECEIVER they'll get through this together.

OUR MUSES climb to higher ground as water rises.

SENDER wakes RECEIVER just in time to avoid danger.

SENDER helps RECEIVER wash ash or grime from their face.

OUR MUSES mourn someone they couldn't save.

SENDER collapses and RECEIVER helps them back up.

OUR MUSES cling to each other as the ground shakes.

OUR MUSES listen to emergency broadcasts on a dying radio.

OUR MUSES sneak through an area crawling with danger.

OUR MUSES share the last dry blanket between them.

OUR MUSES shelter together as debris batters the structure around them.

OUR MUSES argue quietly over whether to leave shelter or stay.

SENDER gives RECEIVER the last flashlight battery.

SENDER shares a memory with RECEIVER to distract from fear.

SENDER gives RECEIVER their coat despite the cold.

OUR MUSES break into an abandoned building looking for supplies.

OUR MUSES follow a map they don't fully trust.

SENDER scouts ahead while RECEIVER waits, terrified and alone.

OUR MUSES hold onto each other in complete darkness.

OUR MUSES move through ruins that were once familiar.

OUR MUSES barricade a door as something pounds on the other side.

SENDER cleans blood from RECEIVER'S hands, steady and careful.

SENDER hands RECEIVER a weapon.

OUR MUSES share whispered plans over a flickering flashlight.

OUR MUSES hide in silence, listening for signs they've been found.

OUR MUSES ration food between them, unsure when help will come.

OUR MUSES wait out the storm in a cramped, unsafe space.

SENDER teaches RECEIVER how to start a fire without matches.

SENDER teaches RECEIVER how to use a weapon they've never used before.

SENDER drags RECEIVER out of a wrecked vehicle.

SENDER reassures RECEIVER during a panic attack.

SENDER carries RECEIVER when they can no longer walk.

OUR MUSES share a silent moment of relief after surviving something close.

OUR MUSES watch the skyline burn or collapse from a distance.

SENDER makes a hard call that puts them both at risk.

SENDER helps RECEIVER breathe through shock.

SENDER pulls glass from RECEIVER'S skin carefully.

SENDER pulls RECEIVER into cover just as something explodes nearby.

SENDER refuses to leave RECEIVER behind.

OUR MUSES wait for rescue that may never come.

SENDER struggles to pull RECEIVER back from a collapsing ledge.

OUR MUSES wait out danger inches apart, barely breathing.

their nightstand.

their voice memos.

their junk drawer.

their car visor.

their desk.

their dorm room.

their basement.

their laundry basket.

their sock drawer.

their keyring.

their notebooks.

their safe.

their cup holders.

their shoe rack.

their gym bag.

their old hard drives.

their USBs.

their medicine cabinet.

their garage.

their e-reader.

their center console.

their shower shelf.

their trash can.

their workstation.

their notes app.

their spare tire compartment.

their spam folder.

their email inbox.

their tablet.

their storage unit.

the place they never let anyone look.

their makeup bag.

their phone.

the back of their closet.

their underwear drawer.

their jeans pockets.

their shared bedroom.

their storage bins.

their passenger seat.

their bookshelf.

their suitcase.

their bed.

their razor drawer.

their spice rack.

their shoebox of keepsakes.

their driver's seat.

their dresser.

their filing cabinet.

their computer.

their bathroom sink.

their playlists.

their freezer.

their online shopping carts.

their glovebox.

their toolbox.

their coat pockets.

their browser bookmarks.

their pockets right now.

under their bed.

their camera roll.

their pillowcase.

their backpack.

their trunk.

their saved passwords list.

their kitchen counter.

their pantry.

their sketchbooks.

their closet.

their loose papers.

their unsent messages.

their purse.

their toiletry bag.

their fridge.

their overnight bag.

their cloud storage.

their shed.

their school bag.

their attic.

their photo albums.

their childhood bedroom.

their wallet.

their headboard shelf.

their locker.

their blocked contacts list.

their burned CDs.

"Figured," he grunted, "There's two groups of people I'd avoid pissing off as much as possible. One of those are witches, the other? The Sixways Gang. I'd rather count them as allies for the same reason. The Overseers are our mutual enemy here."

"And they can use magic like we can," he continues, "They use artifacts, though, so you can never be too certain of their arsenal. I've heard that one of their Tens can turn into a rat and uses it to spy. I believe it."

Billie vanished in a blink to investigate the other side of the space, Daud followed after, opening his knapsack to show more shelf-stable food, medicinal herbs, and alchemical reagents. He prioritized the most valuable small things.

"We'll take the blankets with us," he confirms, "and we'll check the other burnt-out buildings around. Not everything is going to be a cache for the Sixways."

Daud closed the knapsack, and lifted his mask off of his head to smell at the air without the rubber and chalk scents interfering. Petrichor, burnt wood, rats, mildew... but no people smells, not any present. He stood, tucking the mask into a loop on his belt, and combing his hair back with his fingers.

The revelation that the Sixways gang also had access to magic made her turn to face him, taking her mask off and leveling him with a curious look. “I didn’t think the magicks went that far… Men turning into Rats? Shocked I haven’t run across one yet.” She shrugs, setting some of the good-repair pillows on top of the blankets before clipping her mask to her belt. A strange order of tasks, but she eventually separates from it- The opportunity to practice more magic was far more interesting.