video; You'd rather miss him while you're still alive

[magneticfields]

(OOC: Locked to X-Cast, including Wanda but not Rogue)

[ Erik is uncomfortable with this situation, to put it lightly. Not only does the responsibility he now finds himself with weigh heavily upon him, but the act of putting himself in the spotlight and making some kind of public address, more or less, is also difficult. But he has to deal with it. So he retreats into the persona he generally uses when he has to do these kinds of things. Albeit without the cape and helmet, at least. ]

Mutant brothers and sisters. We find ourselves in an unexpected situation with the recent departure of Logan, Jean, and Charles. I know that you are most likely feeling uncertain about what this means for those of us who are still here. I find myself wondering the same thing.

I am here for you, with whatever guidance I may be able to offer. I do not have the experience with this sort of role that Charles and Logan had. I will do my best, for whatever that may be worth to you.

As for the majority of your education, my associate Miss Clara Oswald will be handling that. If you seek assistance on mastering your powers, I will do what I can. I will warn you: my methods are a bit harsher than Charles' tend to be.

And finally, I would ask you all to extend whatever kindness you can to Rogue. She is in a difficult and lonely position right now. You know she is from a point in time that is some years in the future for the rest of us. [ He pauses, as what he has to say is not only emotionally difficult but also the tenses involved are complicated. ] Apparently, I attacked her and very nearly killed her.

I don't have an explanation for why this happened to her. I can't imagine why I would do such a thing, but I saw her memories and I know she is telling the truth. She will need your friendship and consideration now more than ever.

If you have any questions or concerns, please bring them to me.

Comments

[magneticfields]

[ Erik suppresses a sigh. ]

I was hoping more for specifics regarding her personal experience. It's alright if you don't have them, I can't imagine such things are widely publicized.

[coercive]

I was made in 2017. You are old. And not as important as you think you are.

[Meaning: not every bad thing he does is documented for all of mankind to know about. ]

But maybe there isn't a reason you did that to her. Maybe you just did it because you could. Why does there have to be a reason?

[magneticfields]

None of us are as important as we'd like to think.

[ Of course he does not live to 2017. The fact that he apparently survives to 2005 is still something he has trouble believing. ]

I never do anything without a reason. I certainly do not attack our own without a very good cause.

[ Like Shaw. Or Raven, in Paris. ]

[coercive]

But men can just be bad without any reason.

[If they can't be, then that means the men that made her could get out of answering to what they did because they felt their actions were justified. ]

[magneticfields]

Some can, yes. Generally, people look for reasons to justify the terrible things they want to do and usually manage to find them.

[ He is beginning to feel the conversation shifting away from his personal point of existential crisis, but allows the girl to work toward whatever knot she's trying to unravel. ]

[coercive]

[She can't really get to the point of working anything out, and looks confused. That makes her feel stupid, which quickly leads to anger. And unfortunately right now, her anger is either expressed through violence or tears. Her breathing starts to quicken as tears come to her eyes, and she angrily wipes at them with the back of her hands.]

My father told me how you could use your power to hurt me. Could you justify that?

[magneticfields]

[ She starts to cry and something twists in Erik's chest. ]

No. [ He says quietly, his voice thick. ] And I don't want that to change.

[coercive]

[She nods, still crying and wiping at her eyes. At this point, she doesn't even know why she's crying. She's just emotional all the time.]

I want my daddy back.

[It's the softest, most out of the blue admission.]

I don't want to be alone.

[And maybe that right there is the root of her issue with men justifying hurting people. If he can justify hurting Rogue, then she knows she shouldn't spend time with him. But if he can train her and help her miss her family a little less...]

[magneticfields]

[ The pain in Erik's chest becomes sharper. Nobody will ever take me away.

He won't promise that. Or anything else. ]

You aren't alone, Laura. Peter, Kurt, Rogue, Wanda, Pietro. [ A pause. ] Me. We're all here. And maybe others will come, too. We are all brothers and sisters. None of us are alone.