[audio]

[soulsword]

[ Illyana's voice is terse but lacks any sort of real discernable emotion when she starts to speak: ]

Once upon a time a little girl died of a virus that only targeted mutants. It was a great tragedy, she was beloved by many as an innocent girl who had her childhood taken away twice. Unfortunately, her friends and family were not the only ones who mourned her. Did you know demons can love?[ Now there's emotion: disgust and disdain all placed on the word love. ] Belasco loved the girl who had died. Not at first, at first she was just to be a tool to open a portal to summon his Elder Gods. Eldritch abominations that required an amulet with bloodstones made from corrupted pieces of an innocent soul to be set free. Somewhere along the way he found himself in love with the demon sorceress he was creating and so he decided to bring her back.

[ She pauses for a second and her tone takes a bit of a mocking tone. ] Belasco was never as smart as he liked to think he was though. He seemed to have forgotten that he was the one who had taken the girl's soul and so the creation he brought back was nearly empty. Not all of her was gone though and the parts that still remembered wanted what was hers back.

I wanted my soul back and I did everything I could to get it back. My soul was not the only thing I wanted back though. I wanted to save my friends from the future I had seen, one where the Elder Gods decimated everything. More than that though, I wanted revenge. I wanted the threat of the Elder gods gone. I wanted them to understand that though they hungered for human suffering we were not human, we were superior.

I manipulated the X-Men, my former friends, my family, everyone, to bring about the end of these Elder Gods. If my plan had not gone precisely right the world would have ended. It went right. They are gone, no longer a threat to the universe, and my soul was returned. People want me to feel remorse for what I did, but I do not. Though...I do not always know if I particularly like having a soul again.

[ A beat and she sighs. ] I so appreciate storytime being forced upon me. Another accident I suppose. I hope the Aspects or whomever enjoyed the tale.

Comments

[notarambler]

Wow...um I can kind of sympathize with you.

[soulsword]

Usually I would try to make a claim about how this was just a simple tale. It seems I can't at the moment. [ How irritating. ] How do you relate? Risk the world to stop some great menace?

[notarambler]

Couple of times yeah. Saving the world...I've actually sent myself to Hell to do that.

[soulsword]

Did you know you were sending yourself to hell?

[notarambler]

Yes...I was the host to..something very dangerous so it was either send it back or risk innocent people.

[soulsword]

What was the thing you were a host to?

[notarambler]

Lucifer. I was born to be his vessel...angels where I'm from can't walk among humans without one.

[Audio]

[monochromatically]

[Mono had tuned in, curious about the story that Illyana was telling. At least, it sounded like a story until it started to sound more like she was talking about herself.

One thing kind of stood out to him... Actually a lot did because he didn't really understand a lot of the story... But one thing nagged a bit, and Illyana would have to forgive the kid.]

If you did what you did to save everyone, and you did, why would they want you to feel bad?

[... One day, Mono would learn that not all plans were going to be seen as good by everyone else just because they worked out.]

[Audio]

[soulsword]

What a good question. Some people lack the vision to see the bigger picture. Some have egos and think their morals are the only correct ones. [ There's an edge of annoyance to her tone. ]

Mostly Scott was angry I kept our leader in the dark.

[monochromatically]

Seems kind of dumb to be mad if everything worked out in the end. Maybe if it didn't?

I accidentally dropped Six on her head once when I saved her and that made her grumpy, but she was still glad I helped her get away from the bullies!

[Clearly, this was an excellent comparison... At least to him.]

Would he have still been mad and stopped you if you did tell him?

[soulsword]

Sometimes leaders do not like being informed of others plans. They consider it untrustworthy to engage in manipulation.

What an...interesting comparison. [ She chuckles. ]

He would never have allowed me to conduct my plan.

[monochromatically]

[Maybe Mono could understand that a little, but he still thought this Scott person sounded kind of stupid to be angry.]

Well, it's good then that you did it anyway, right? If he hadn't let you, then you couldn't have stopped the bad things or saved your friends.

[soulsword]

Very good, especially for me. They can no longer plague me and the world will not be plunged into an eldritch war. Though I am uncertain how much I enjoy the consequences that have been placed before me.

[harrythelizard]

It sounds like the Elder Gods were the greater evil. Sometimes, the ends really do justify the means. I'm not in any place to judge you, at any rate.

[Not something he would usually admit, nice.]

[soulsword]

Unfortunately some do not understand the ends justify the means. Instead they focus on insignificant things like how bad it is to manipulate family. [ She pauses ] I take it you have experience?

[harrythelizard]

I'd prefer what little family I have left to keep breathing, whether they hate me or not.

...and yeah, you could say that.

[soulsword]

How many currently hate you?

[harrythelizard]

Hate's a strong world, but more than a few of them roll their eyes audibly when I call them for help.

Some just openly call me an ass to my face, and they're not wrong.

My...ex-girlfriend hasn't called me in a few years, but I did sort of get her half-turned into a vampire. There was a while where one of my closest friends pretty much arrested me on sight.

[soulsword]

How impressive. How did you get her turned into a vampire?

audio

[asthecroweflies]

[It's some time before Jagger really has an idea of what to say, but after a moment, he speaks up.]

I don't know if it counts for much, love, but...I like your soul. It's a nice thing to have around.

[soulsword]

For some strange reason it does count for something. I'm not quite certain what. Or why I feel so odd about it.

[asthecroweflies]

...you know that's alright, yeah? To be confused and not understand? That's part of life.

[soulsword]

It's not a part of my life. Or at least it wasn't until recently. The only confusion I had was over my brother seeing me like this.

[asthecroweflies]

I don't pretend to be an expert of souls or anything, but, I know they've got to be tied to our connections to one another. They entwine, you know? And I don't mean necessarily in that deeply profound way where it feels like you'll never be able to live without someone, but just...a little? People become a part of your sphere, and...I guess that could be confusing to someone who didn't have one for a while.

[soulsword]

They tie to everything, but most importantly they tie to your emotions. Without one you're...hollow. Sometimes you can remember how you were supposed to feel about something or someone and then you can... pretend. [ She fell silent for a few seconds. ] Until recently I have done a lot of pretending. It's very different to actually feel things.