Disclaimer: Me no own X-men.

Author's note: This is a companion piece to 'For What Was I Looking?'. This one's in Irene's (aka Destiny's) POV.

I can't help but pity her.

It seems strange to feel that way. Mystique is not someone who usually inspires pity for herself. For her victims, perhaps. But not for her.

Mystique is an expert in martial arts-- even if she weren't a mutant, she'd be a deadly foe.

As a shapeshifter, Mystique is the perfect spy. She could infiltrate even the most secret of places by simply taking the form of the right person.

Yes, I admire her to some point. Technically, both of our mutant abilities could be described as 'passive'-- she shapeshifts, and I see the future, neither of which is used for attack. But as I said earlier, Mystique is a very dangerous person.

And as for myself? I'm just a blind woman. I couldn't hurt anyone if I tried.

And yet... I have hurt others, haven't I? I've aided Mystique in doing things that could cause harm to innocent people. I suppose that makes me as dangerous, in my own way, as she.

We've been friends for a long time-- she was often the only one I could tell about my visions. In many ways, we are different-- she's always been the more aggressive one, and she never could stay in one place for any period of time. She always had to be doing something.

And that fact is perhaps what has caused her the most grief.

Over time, I saw less and less of her. She started working for a man called Magneto. I had seen him in my visions-- he had the potential to cause the world great pain, and he also had the potential to aid it. When he sought to do harm, other mutants would rise against him. I tried telling Mystique this, once. She shook it off. She said that Magneto was doing what was best for mutantkind.

Later, she told me that she had given birth to a son, but had left him in the care of another family. This was true, although not the whole truth. My visions reveal much-- often more than I want to know. And I knew Mystique's grief.

But... as disloyal as it sounds, I doubt that she'd make a good mother.

She'd always be gone, and she hardly has a nurturing personality. She is hard and cruel, and any children she raised would likely end up the same way. Yet she does have a gentler side, one which I sometimes caught brief glimpses of.

She asked me once to promise that I'd make sure to tell her if I had any visions regarding her son. Her tone was edged with a strange wistfulness, which she tried to conceal. But my ears are sharp, to make up for my eyes. I promised, and then I told her of another vision I had had.

A young girl, living in an orphanage, would be the key to the world's survival.

Mystique created a new identity for herself, and filed for adoption. She took the little girl in, and named her Rogue.

Perhaps I should add another reason to my list of why Mystique would not be a good parent-- she isn't so good at coming up with baby names.

I jest, of course.

She rented an apartment, and she lived as Rogue's mother for several months. I think that during those months, Mystique was happier than I'd ever seen her before.

But, like always, she left again.

Another call from Magneto came. She left Rogue in my care. She promised to be back.

It was a long time. Rogue grew older.

One day, when Rogue was about five, I got a call from Mystique. She sounded hesitant, and asked if she could, perhaps, visit Rogue-- under a different identity, of course.

I wondered why she would need to disguise herself from her daughter, but I simply accepted it as something she probably had her own reasons for.

She came, and I introduced her as a lady friend Rogue hadn't met before. Rogue was polite enough, but didn't go out of her way to be affectionate. It didn't matter to Mystique. She was just glad to see her daughter again.

This process repeated several times over the years.

Just before one of these visits, I had a vision.

I saw an older version of Rogue, and an odd looking boy, with blue fur, three-fingered hands, two-toed feet, and a tail to boot. Somehow I knew that this was Mystique's son.

She was saying something to them. Her expression and tone were appeasing, almost desperate. They were angry, and turned away from her. Her expression hardened even as her heart broke.

I remembered my promise to tell of any visions regarding Mystique's son. I told her that he would grow into a fine young man, but told nothing more. How could I tell her that her children would have little love for her, if any? How could I tell her that they would turn their backs on her?

Eventually, Rogue discovered her powers in a most unfortunate way, and Mystique went to recruit her for the newly founded Brotherhood. After that, I saw little more of Rogue.

I lived alone in the house. I couldn't help but miss the girl I had come to think of as almost a daughter.

I learned that she joined the X-men. Mystique was upset, but my feelings were mixed. Perhaps this was the way that Fate would lead her. Perhaps this was what had to happen for Rogue to meet her destiny.

As it turned out, it was. Apocalypse was defeated. And my vision of Mystique's children came to pass.

I truly pity her. Has she lost her children forever?

I do not know. My visions have not told me of this. I suppose only time will tell.