(Cut to a rooftop, where Gambit rushes up to the edge, carrying

a loaf of bread. He almost drops it over the edge.)

Scott: Stop, thief! I'll have your hands for a trophy,

swamp rat!

Gambit: (Looks back, then down, then at the bread.) All

this for a loaf of bread?

(He jumps off, landing on two ropes strung between buildings, with

drying clothes on them. He skies down them, collecting bits

and pieces of clothing on him as he goes. Finally, he's

nearing the end of the rope, at a window, when a woman reaches

out and slams the shutters closed. Gambit slams into the

shutters and falls to the street, his fall being broken by

numerous awnings and the pile of clothes around him. He pulls

off the top layer of clothes and is about to enjoy his bread

when...)

Scott: There he is!

Bobby: You won't get away so easy!

Gambit: You think that was easy?

(He looks at three women, laughing at him.)

Scott: You two, over that way, and you, with me. We'll

find him.

(Gambit puts on a disguise.

He rushes over to the women.)

Gambit: Morning, ladies.

WOMAN 1: Getting into trouble a little early today, aren't

we Gambit?

Gambit: Trouble? No way. You're only in trouble if you

get caught--

(A hand grabs Gambit's shoulder and yanks him back. It's Scott. Gambit's disguise falls off.)

Gambit: I'm in trouble!

Scott: ...and this time--(A lightning bolt from Storm,

then Scott's visor comes off. Storm dances above Scott's head, laughing.)

Gambit: Perfect timing, Stormy!

Storm: Hello!

Gambit: Gotta keep
One jump ahead of the breadline
One swing ahead of the sword
I steal only what I can't afford
( And That's Everything! )

One jump ahead of the lawmen
That's all, and that's no joke
These guys don't appreciate I'm broke

Random Brown Nosers: Riffraff! Swamp rat! Scoundrel! Take that!

Gambit: Just a little snack, guys
Scott: Rip him open, take it back, guys
Gambit: I can take a hint, gotta face the facts
You're my only friend, Stormy!
Storm: Wheee!

Random Chicks: Oh it's that Remy's hit the bottom.
He's become a one-man rise in crime
Old Lady: I'd blame parents except he hasn't got 'em
Gambit: Gotta eat to live, gotta steal to eat
Tell you all about it when I got the time!

One jump ahead of the slowpokes
One skip ahead of my doom
Next time gonna use a nom de plume
One jump ahead of the hit men
One hit ahead of the flock
I think I'll take a stroll around the block

Random Brown Nosers: Stop, thief! Vandal! Outrage! Scandal!

Gambit: Let's not be too hasty
Leah: Still I think he's rather tasty
Gambit: Gotta eat to live, gotta steal to eat
Otherwise we'd get along
Brown Nosers: Wrong!

Gambit: One jump ahead of the trucks

(Vandal!)
One hop ahead of the hoard
(Swamp rat!)
One trick ahead of disaster
(Scoundrel!)
They're quick, but I'm much faster
(Take that!)
Here goes, better throw my hand in
Wish me happy landin'
All I gotta do is jump

Gambit escapes by way of his mad skills and BO-STAFF!

(The Brown Nosers follow him out the window, but they go straight down to

the street, and land in a pile. Gambit uses the carpet as a parachute

to land safely and out of danger. Gambit and Storm high-five each

other.)

Gambit: And now, esteemed effendi, we feast! All right!

(Gambit breaks the bread in two and gives half to Storm, who begins

to eat. But Gambit looks over and sees two young children

rummaging through the garbage for food. The GIRL sees him, then

drops her find and tries to hide. Gambit looks at them, then

the bread, then at Storm.)

Storm: Uh-oh!

(Storm takes a big bite of his food, but Gambit gets up and walks

over to the children. The GIRL pulls her brother back.)

Gambit: Here, go on--take it.

(The children giggle with delight. Storm tries to swallow his bite,

then looks guilty. He walks over to the children and offers his

bread to them. In delight, they pet him on the head.)

Storm: Ah, don't. Huh?

(Storm sees Gambit walking into the daylight, where there is a parade

going on. Gambit peers over the shoulders of people. He sees

Joseph riding on a horse.)

BYSTANDER 1: On his way to the mansion, I suppose.

BYSTANDER 2: Another suitor for Rouge.

(Gambit is startled as the two children come running out from the

alley. The BOY runs out in front of Joseph's horse,

startling it.)

Joseph: Out of my way, you filthy brat!

(The Joseph brings up his whip to attack the children, but Gambit

jumps in front of them and catches the whip.)

Gambit: Hey, if I were as rich as you, I could afford some manners

Joseph: Oh—I'll teach you some manners!

(Joseph kicks Gambit into a mud puddle. The crowd laugh at him.)

Gambit: Look at dat, Stormy... It's not every day you see a

horse with two rear ends!

(Joseph stops and turns back to Gambit.)

Joseph: You are a worthless swamp rat. You were born a

swamp rat, you'll die a swamp rat, and only

your fleas will mourn you.

(Gambit rushes Joseph, but the gates to the mansion slam shut

in his face.)

Gambit: I'm not worthless. And I don't have fleas. Come

on, Storm. Let's go home.

(Gambit makes the climb to his home with the view, then tucks in

Storm for the night.)

Gambit: Riffraff, swamp rat.

I don't buy that.

If only they'd look closer

Would they see a poor boy? No siree.

They'd find out, there's so much more to me.

(He pulls back a curtain to reveal the beautiful X-Mansion.)

Someday, Storm, things are gonna change. We'll be

rich, live in a mansion, and never have any problems

at all.

(Dissolve to same shot during day. Cut to int. of Cerebro's chamber.

The door bursts open, and Joseph storms in, missing the

rear end of his pants.)

Joseph: I've never been so insulted!

Xavier: Oh, Joseph. You're not leaving so soon, are

you?

Joseph: Good luck marrying her off!

Xavier: Oh, Rouge! Rouge! Rouge! (Xavier goes off into the garden looking for Rouge. He finds her, but is interrupted by Jean, who blocks him off. Jean has a piece of Joseph's under shorts floating in the air. Xavier grabs the cloth and yanks it out of the air.)

Confound it, Jean! So, this is why Joseph stormed out!

Rouge: Oh, Professor. Jean was just playing with him,

weren't you Jean. (Jean comes over and allows Rouge to hug her.) You were just playing

with that overdressed, self-absorbed Joseph,

weren't you? (She high fives Jean, until she looks up at Xavier. )

Ahem.

Xavier: Rouge, you've got to stop rejecting every suitor

that comes to call. The law says you...

Both: ...must be married to a prince.

(They walk over to a dove cage.)

Xavier: By your next birthday.

Rouge: The law is wrong.

Xavier: You've only got three more days!

Rouge: Professor, I hate being forced into this. (She takes

a dove out of the cage and pets it.) If I do marry,

I want it to be for love.

Xavier: Rogue, it's not only this law. (She hands him

the dove, and he puts it back in the cage.) I'm not

going to be around forever, and I just want to make

sure you're taken care of, provided for.

Rouge: Try to understand. I've never done a thing on my

own. (She swirls her finger in the water of the

pond, petting the fish.)I've never had any real

friends. (Jean looks up at her and glares.)

Except you, Jean. (Satisfied, she goes back to

sleep.) I've never even been outside the mansion

walls.

Xavier: But Rouge, you're a princess.

Rouge: Then maybe I don't want to be a princess. (She

splashes the water.)

Xavier: Oooohhh! Heaven forbid you should have any

daughters!

(Jean looks up and thinks for a second. Rouge goes to the dove

cage and yanks open the door. The birds fly off into freedom.

She watches them go. No symbolism there at all. )