(no subject)

[ineffabilities]

the lyric prompt meme

HOW TO PLAY:

♪ Comment with your characters.
♪ Post to other characters with lyric prompts and, optionally, a picture to go with it.
♪ The lyrics can come from any song you like, or, hell, you can just link some instrumental music as well. Just so long as there's a song.
♪ Threads happen! Tears are shed.

Comments

[bornintonothing]

Ah.

[The Overseer shakes his head.]

You don't get to ask the questions here. I do.

[He stares the assassin in the eyes.]

The man you work for-- where is he now?

[lurkin]

I think it's only fair I get to ask some questions too.

[There's a faint smile through her exhaustion. She doesn't answer him.]

[bornintonothing]

Fair?

[Hohoho there's that amusement again.]

You practice the dark arts and dabble in black magics. You gave up any right to "fair" when you took his mark.

man, I always come up with better ideas WAY after I tag back

[lurkin]

And you're a snake. I think that makes us even. [Snorts.] By 'him' you mean the Outsider? If I ever meet him, I'll run my rights by him.

[Normally, Billie wouldn't give an Overseer the satisfaction of knowing anything about her, like the pieces she's feeding Martin. But she knows this Overseer. And it's almost fun to quip back at him. It's almost a game. It gives her something to focus on besides the pain, besides ignoring his questions. She's picking what she tells him carefully. It shouldn't be incriminating, but it's enough to keep the conversation interesting.]

Besides. You don't give up anything when you're born into nothing.

Ha ha, I know how that goes

[bornintonothing]

[Snake? He's heard that before, but he hasn't gotten this far by being bothered by names like that.]

Yes, I meant him. I'm surprised you haven't met him already-- here I thought those he favored had a direct line. Perhaps you're not as popular as you think.

[Martin folds his arms.]

I wonder if he's watching right now.

[Not that Martin thinks the Outsider has any power here. The music box sees to that. And on some level, he'd like to see the entity try and challenge the Overseers head-on. Billie's last comment, however, strikes a chord in Martin and throws him a bit for a loop.]

...No, I suppose you don't.

[He doesn't have a quip for that, just a look.]

[lurkin]

[Martin was halfway right. There was a 'direct line' of sorts. Depends on who you were talking about, someone who had his REAL mark. But that was a piece of information she wasn't going to give away.]

Maybe it's just me. You have the wrong woman if you want to know about the Outsider. [Billie shrugged.] But he seems like the easily entertained kind. Maybe he is watching.

[But Billie notices that her last words did something. She looks at him with her usual, intense curiousities. Watching him, studying him. Hm.]

You must know. [She's guessing.]

[bornintonothing]

Let him try his worst; I think you'll find your dark God is not going to save you this time.

["You must know"? Oh, he did. Martin knew very well, but by the Void was he going to tell the Whaler that. He returns her comment with a guarded comment of his own.]

I know that you've made a series of unfortunate choices that have led you to this point.

[lurkin]

[Billie laughs weakly at that. Sheesh, this guy was overdramatic. She leans back in the chair again and lulls her head to the side, fixing her gaze to the wall.]

Unfortunate to you, maybe. [Because she didn't regret any of it.]

[bornintonothing]

[Martin waits to see if Billie has anything else to say before speaking up himself.]

You were about to tell me where I might find the man you serve, I believe.

[lurkin]

[She's quiet for a moment. For a few seconds, her gaze doesn't waver. Finally, without turning her head, she sideeyes him.]

Was I? You really want to do this again?

[bornintonothing]

I still haven't gotten the answer I asked for, so yes. I do.

[He frowns.]

This could all be over quickly if you tell me what I want to know.

[lurkin]

You mean you'll kill me sooner, if I do.

[bornintonothing]

[A chuckle.]

Would you prefer to suffer?

[So casual in his tone.]

We wouldn't necessarily kill you, you know. Not if you can still be saved.

[Which Martin highly doubts, so yes, death is a certainty. But it's sometimes effective to offer windows of hope to the prisoners.]

[lurkin]

You think you can save me?

['Thalia' snorts with another barely-there smile. The question buys her some time to think, which is a lot harder to do when a music box is almost literally kicking her ass. Her gaze returns to the wall.

Lying was a possibility. She ran through plausible places she could tell him in her mind. The Whalers knew some of the places on her list as good points to overwhelm a group. But she couldn't exactly organize an ambush like this. And it wasn't like Hume was on her side yet, either. Martin's offer was bull, she knew, but maybe it'd buy her a chance to escape somehow.

It was a lot better than her other options.]

Salvation doesn't get through to many dirty street kids. [Okay, that was a little melodramatic. She wasn't a kid anymore, either. But hse wouldn't even forget being one, the way she lived.]

[bornintonothing]

...and I suppose offering yourself to a dark god is more appealing?

[Martin is dismissive.]

His "gifts" do little to change your situation.

[lurkin]

Yes. It is. [She says matter-of-factly.] And you didn't answer my question.

[Their rooftop perch on Clavering Street? No. Too small, it'd be obvious that she was lying. The Legal District? No, no, that doesn't work either...

It was already a rumor that they were in the Flooded District. Maybe she could use that to her personal advantage.]

[bornintonothing]

You haven't answered any of mine.

[He's blunt and continues to dismiss Billie.]

This is not going to do.

[Is he heading back to that music box? Why yes, yes he is.]

[lurkin]

I don't plan on answering them. You're not very good at making inciting cooperation--

[Oh, god dammit. Billie can take pain. She accepts it if she must. You learn how to endure it as a Whaler--though many of the people Daud took in already knew. But now that she's on a verge of a pseudo-escape plan, she wants as much focus as possible--without the nails-on-a-chalkboard sensation re-burning through her brain.

Think, think, think--]

--The Sewers.

[She near blurts it out in her mental haste. That's convincing, right?]

[bornintonothing]

The Sewers?

[Martin parrots the word with a half smile. That wasn't so hard, was it? He hovers by the music box but doesn't yet turn it on.]

They're rather large. I don't suppose you could be a bit more specific?

[Of course she could. The question now was if she'd give the actual location or try and throw them off. Given what Martin has seen so far, he suspects he'll have to ask Billie more than once before he gets an answer he's satisfied with. But this is progress!]

I thought the Sewers were overrun with rats.

[lurkin]

[Billie sighs in relief that she caught him in time, though it could be taken as part of her confession.]

The sewers.

It is overrun. Nobody's found us yet, haven't they?

[And it's about as plausible as hiding in the Flooded District, too--risky, but smart.

A location, though, she had to think about. It'd be more convincing if she gave him one, yes. Looking down at the floor, she feigns faint anguish in the processs. Oh yeah, she puked down there, didn't she?

Wait. Suddenly, she had an idea.

She took a deep breath.]

It's under the south end of Kaldwin's Bridge, near those abandoned houses.

[It was a hell of a risk she was taking. But the sewers were narrow in the place she had in mind. It was good for an ambush. If she could get away, she could tell the others. Then they could wait, and kill them one by one. But that all depended on if she could escape.

If she couldn't, well. They were still miles away from their real hideout.]

[bornintonothing]

[Martin doesn't waver.]

Kaldwin's Bridge? I wonder why the Watch hasn't run across you, then.

[The music is still silenced, though Martin is making it perfectly clear it won't remain that way unless he wills it.]

Are you sure about that?

[lurkin]

You're wondering that when you haven't found us before? [Still looking at the floor, she snorted.

Then she glanced up at him.]

I'm sure.

[Mentally crossing her fingers, she hoped she would be convincing enough. She looked and felt enough like genuine shit. Acting wasn't her strongest suit, but she tried to play the part of someone who had had enough, but at the same time still keeping it Billie-like. Thalia-like. Whatever.]

[bornintonothing]

[Martin nods towards someone beyond Billie's sight before turning his attention back to the Whaler.]

We'll check it out, but of course you won't be going anywhere until it's confirmed.

[He stares.]

You wouldn't be lying to me, would you?

[lurkin]

[She stares back.]

No.

[Not until she figures out a way to get out, anyway. The fact that the music box was off was some comfort, at least.]

[bornintonothing]

For your sake, I'd hope not.

[Martin folds his hands behind his back.]

We'll find out soon enough.