Pre-A/N: This'll probably be it. It's been fun, but I've been reliving what we techies called Hell Month, what with the musical and dozens of other shows and awards ceremonies going on in our theatre all around the same time.

-stgcrw24: I kinda answered your question right there, didn't I? I put a mention of the crew in the first chap cuz I was on the NCH tech crew for 5 years. Our crew was always separate from the acting dept., so we weren't cast-offs who didn't make the cut as actors. We were just "The Crew." We always had inside jokes and lots of fun things to say to one another, even when we were really busy and stressed out. I miss all my techie brethren and sistren. LOOK! YOU GOT ME ALL WEEPY! So, anyway, that's a long answer to a short question. I put the crew in cuz I was on it. &%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%

Rogue took her costume to a separate bathroom, away from anyone she might inadvertently bump into, so that she could change. It didn't take her too long. What took the most time was taking off her usual make-up and putting on the stage make-up, all of which she did herself, since she didn't want anyone else near her face. Strangely, there wasn't much difference between the two looks except for foundation and eye shadow color.

On her way back to the green room, Rogue came across Principal Kelley in the hallway. Oh, the joy.

"So, you can't just get through high school and leave, but you have to take away extracurricular activities from deserving students," he sneered. "At least the role is fitting for your kind."

Rogue wanted to deck him, but she kept her temper under control. As much as possible, anyway. "If you'll 'scuse me, Principal Kelley, Ah need ta go warm up with the rest o' the cast (you stupid, bigoted, mutant-phobic, muthah fuckin' bastard)" she said, adding the rest mentally.

She stomped back to the stage and demonstrated to Ms. White that she could do just as well with the veil as without, her determination only fueled by Principal Kelley's harsh comments. As a matter of fact-

"You know?" Ms. White asked. "I think it actually adds something to the performance. Good idea, Rogue."

"Yeah, well, ya know me," Rogue drawled. "Just love ta improve on mah parts." (A/N: Ba-dum-tss!)

Ms. White laughed, her giggle high and girly, yet still managing to be condescending. It was irksome at best.

Opening night filled up the auditorium/ theatre, the crowd made mostly of Institute members. Over half of them had to be threatened or bribed in ordered to go.

"I hope soma dese filles are legal," Remy grumbled, falling into a very squeaky, faded forest green (A/N: think old puke) upholstered chair.

"If my ass isn't detached from my body from laughing, I'm suing Kitty false advertisement," Bobby said.

"Bobby, watch your language," Hank warned.

The house lights went down to half and the usual speech about fire exits, cell phones, blah blah blah was given. The lights were taken out, and the show began. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

.... "Tintinabula!"

Rogue gulped and stepped out, taking a deep breath to calm down as Leo continued with her introduction. She was glad that the lights were so bright that she couldn't see the audience.

The music started and Rogue took her first steps of the dance. Some swaying, a few undulations, a handstand, two back flips and one split later, her solo ended and she got to stop.

"Don't you have anyone less...noisy?" the actor playing Psuedolus asked.

"I have!" Leo said.

Rogue- nice and safe behind her veil, sure that no one had recognized her, even when the cloth had flipped up during the flips- got to move back to stand by Lycus's house. The next time she was needed was to pose in front of Sennex's house, fawn over Miles Gloriosus (pronounced MEE-lays), and run. And for the finale, of course.

Finally, thankfully, the play was over and it was curtain call. She walked out with the two girls who had played Panacea and Vibrata, Rogue in the middle. Unbeknownst to our girl Rogue, Kelley had talked to his nice, human students before the show and got them to do a mission for humanity. It was petty and childish, but it was effective, though not for the reason he wanted. As the girls bowed and Rogue's veil pulled away from her face, each girl on either side took a corner and ripped it off, revealing her face to the world. Well, revealing her face to the audience, but it felt like the whole world.

"Is that-?"

"Holy shit!"

"Rogue?!"

"No way!"

"I always knew the girl had it in her! Go Rogue!"

"Didn't think she had it in her."

"Wonder if she'll 'member dat dance..."

Rogue turned scarlet on stage and severely wanted to kill those two girls. Instead, she did the meditation technique the Professor was teaching her and did just like in rehearsal. She spent the rest of what felt like a paranormally long curtain call plotting her elaborate and painful revenge. It involved a tiger pit, whips, and acid after only the first twenty seconds.

Curtain closed and the girls fled as far away from Rogue as they could get. The rest of the cast followed at a more reasonable pace, filing out into the hall to meet with the audience and let them lavish them with praise over their talent. Rogue ran the opposite direction, straight back to the green room, and couldn't decide whether to destroy everything or start screaming her rage into the cherry-Kool-Aide-flavored-haze filled air.

Outside, the Institute congratulated Kitty, but Rogue's downplayed part was the main focus of conversation. Bobby and Tabitha were the first ones who started the chant, soon picked up by the rest of the X-students.

"Rogue! Rogue! We want Rogue! Rogue! Rogue! We want Rogue!"

Soon, Ms. White was forced to go backstage to collect the girl, who just stood still, quivering with rage, in the green room, not having decided on which activity to engage in first.