It's too plush. I know that immediately. But I can't do anything about it, since I'm just a voice in his head. Funny, how things work out like they do. One moment you're living, the next you're dead. That's life. Well, at least for most people. I'm not one of them.
You may have heard of me before, in stories that your grandma would tell you so you'd go to bed on time, but I can assure you, I am no story. I am The Ghoul, and I am very real. Now, in the state that I am in, you couldn't tell that I am the ghost that haunts your dreams, but I am. Like I said before, I have been reduced to a whisper in a broken man's head.
There used to be two voices, but after that last cryosleep there has only been me. Sometimes I get sad, i miss Winter, even if he was silent most of the time, only mumbling "Hail HYDRA" every once and a while. When Winter was in control, I had no one. Even though there were three of us, Bucky was almost never present. He was chained in the back of his mind. I, on the other hand, have never been in control, at least, not in control of this body.
I had my own body once. It was very nice. Strong, tall, muscular. But I also got to let my personality shine! I was nice, charismatic, friendly, courageous, funny. But now I'm none of that. I first felt myself slip away when I died. I remember that night very vividly. After all, it was the night when I died.
Lord Rogers wanted to go out on a midnight stroll in the most dangerous part of the forest. I tried to convince him not to go, but he only laughed and said that he could do anything because he was the lord of the land. I just huffed and decided to go with him to try and keep him safe. Look how that turned out. Rogers got off scot-free, while I paid with my life. Y'know, I'm rambling. Sorry about that. I'm sure you would all want to hear something interesting. Like why I'm just a voice. Who I was before. Who I'm a part of now. I guess I'll start at the beginning.
My name is James Buchanan Barneston, but my friend called me Bucky. Emphasis on "called." Like I said before, I'm dead. I know you're probably thinking "How can you be Bucky Barnes if he's still alive?" Well, I am a past version of him. I know. That sounds weird, but it's true. Every person has a past version of themselves. Now enough of that. I was once a brave knight who was one of the best in the land. I was good friends with Stephen Rogers, who was set to be the lord of the land we lived in. He did go on to become lord of the land, and I was his faithful knight. We were best of friends. Because of that, I was blind to his shortcomings. He only saw himself as good, and no one else. He sniffed and turned up his nose anytime someone had a radical idea. I am ashamed to say that I believed him. My view on my world changed that night.
As I was saying before, Lord Rogers wanted to go out on a midnight stroll through the most dangerous part of the forest. I had begun to doubt my friend's judgement as we grew older, so I tried to convince him that what we were doing was dangerous and that we should turn around, but he said that he could do whatever he wanted because he was the lord of the land, and that I had to do his bidding. I huffed and went after him, he would only get himself killed if he didn't have me with him. So we left the castle and headed out into the forest.
As we walked along, I tried to convince Steve to go back home, but he wouldn't listen. Thinking back, I probably should have listened to my instincts and gone back home myself, but I was too loyal to Steve to leave him alone. So I kept going. And walked straight into an ambush. Thankfully, the beast got me first, letting Steve get out of the woods. He lived. I died. End of story. Well, at least Part 1.
I didn't stay peacefully dead. Noooo, I came back as The Ghoul. I was always a good horseback rider, so the afterlife was sort of kind to me by giving me a horse to ride on. I did get some cool clothes, and a new arm. You see, when I died, the beast ripped my arm off, then killed me. I think this arm is cooler though. It's made of metal and has fire inside it. Of course, if you remember that story, you know that my hair, eyes and mouth are filled with fire.
At first I was very scared. I didn't know why I was walking the Earth once again, but with my footsteps making no sounds. I called out to the silence, asking why I was alive, at least, in some form. My cries were answered. Soon he found me. The Demon King. He was actually quite kind. And patient. I had a lot of questions. He told me that I was "un-alive" because he saw something special in me. He said that I could help so many people as The Ghoul. He also said that I had unfinished business with the person who left me dying in a forest. As he said that, I realized that he was right. I did have unfinished business with Steve. I didn't want him to hurt anybody else like he had hurt me. So I thanked the Demon King. He made me realize my new purpose. Revenge.That's when I felt my humanity slip away. After all, I'm not human anymore.
There. One question down. Second question. Who I'm a part of. That's simple. This James Buchanan Barnes. The one of this time. He's nice. I think he's had the worst time out of all of us. And that's saying something. Look at me! Oh well. He doesn't know about me, but I know about him. I wish he didn't have to suffer so much. But at least his Steve is kind. His Steve didn't kill him. Well, I guess my Steve didn't kill me. Directly. Well, moving on.
Last question. Why I'm just a voice. You see, I was a Ghoul for a very long time. Until Starkenstein. I had become good friends with the Demon King and brought him an opportunity. After the doctor's monster tore apart my hometown, and Steve, the Demon King summoned me. He told me that I could pass on, as my thirst for revenge had finally been quenched. For a while I was happy. I could finally pass on. It lasted for a while. Until this Bucky fought this Steve.
I felt myself being pulled back to Earth. I hated it. I screamed and struggled against the invisible restraints. Then I woke up. I was looking at a street. And Steve. I felt all of my old anger rise up again, and I tried to lash out. That's when I discovered that I was just a voice. I knew who was to blame. HIM. The one that I had thought had saved me all those years ago. He was playing with me. I just couldn't understand why I was just a voice, and not in control of the body. When I saw him through Bucky's eyes, I knew he was playing games with me. He told me that he would need me one day, and that I just had to wait. I'm done waiting. I've let him mess with my life for too long. It's time for the King to be overthrown.
Now I understand why I was brought back from a peaceful death. Revenge. It's why I was resurrected. It's my purpose. I used to be James Buchanan Barneston. He took that away from me. Now I am The Ghoul. And I shall have my revenge.