This is a wee little ficlet, a bite-sized peek into Mystique's mind. She's a pretty cool character, mind you, and I never got the impression that she was unhappy with the Brotherhood. It just seemed fun.

Disclaimer: You KNOW the drill. Not mine.

xXx
Shift
What am I?
Anything you want.

I remember seeing others look at me with love, lust, hatred, fear - it was never me, they didn't know me. They knew their family, friends, lovers, enemies. I have none.

I've been
a metal man with claws of death
a weather witch
a statue, a student

A mutant.

I shift from person to person. The transformation would be enjoyable if it didn't mean I was leaving myself behind, if it didn't mean that no one wanted me for myself. They wanted me for the mutant.

Mortimer and Victor gave me a family, of sorts. Eric gave me a cause. But they wanted my powers. Not my identity.

Am I a tool?

Of course.

I can be anything.