A/N: Sorry for the late update. I had written a draft for this chapter long ago and forgotten where I had placed it. Finally found it and thought I'd type it up and upload it. Please read and review! Thanks!

-x-

I didn't like this. I couldn't find one reason why I had chosen Theater as one of my electives for graduation. But I believe that the Ox played some part in it. He looks so smug, sitting across from me as the whole cast gathered around in a circle discussing our first project performance of Shakespeare's play, "A Midsummer's Night Dream".(1)

"I believe you all have your lines memorized? Tonight's the night where the magic happens!" my Drama teacher replied with enthusiasm. I rolled my eyes,

"You have no idea."

There could be many things happening tonight. "Magical" things as my teacher would put it. For instance, a girl falls and trips onto the Ox. He goes poof and in place there stands a real live Ox. In a millisecond our secrets blown and Hatori is forced to come down here and take care of the problem by erasing their memories. Then there's this other scenario where everyone believes that it's just the plain old switcheroo with the floorboards and the Ox. But we all know that a theater stage wasn't built like that.

"Kyou! Mr. Sohma! Did you hear me?"

I looked up sharply to see everyone looking at me.

"What?" I huffed, crossing my arms about my chest and blew the uneasiness off.

"Sorry, teacher. Kyou has mice on the brain," the Ox explained. I let my irritation show, but the latter disregarded it.

'Mice on the brain? Is the Ox stupid? What kind of saying is that?'

"I see," the teacher said. I scoffed in my head. There was no way that she understood what the cow meant. Not even close.

"Well, that's it for the meeting. I hope to see you all here for the play tonight. Remember, be here at exactly 6PM to get into hair and make-up. And last but not least, let's make this production a big hit!" the teacher exclaimed. I sighed, she was way too energetic about way too many things.

-x-

"Are you nervous?" Haru asked me. I turned slightly to look at the Ox,

"Are you happy that you're getting control over me?"

"Should I?" Haru wondered at me.

"Look!" I shouted, "You're enjoying this aren't you?"

"It's just a character, Kyou. Why are you so riled up over that?"

"Shut up!" I snapped, "I wanted to be the King and you to be the damn King's joker!"

"You're not the joker. You're playing Puck. Did you not read the play? He's the King's fairy, Kyou." Haru said.

"If you look at all of my parts on here, they're all about pranking people! If that's not a joker, then I don't know what is!" I shouted.

"You stupid cat, I can practically hear you from the other end of the hall," an icy tone seethed.

"Yuki," Haru greeted, sidling up to the student council president and his first love.

"Are you ashamed? Is that it?" I sneered and saw the rat narrowing his eyes at me.

"I suggest you be on your best behavior while in school. I don't want you to shame me or the Sohma name by your atrocious behavior."

"Shame?" I choked. The rat was evil and he loved his control over the weak, especially me. He saw me as a threat, there was no other reason than that.

"You're the one shaming us by putting down your cousin and older brother!" I said and I knew by the Ox's concerned face that I had stepped over the line.

"You don't know nothing, cat," and Yuki turned around with the Ox following him.

"Stupid! Stupid!" I slapped my cheek, blaming myself as I walked the opposite of where I had come.

-x-

It was later at exactly 6PM, that I reported to the dressing room where I began getting my make-up done and started on my costume change. In my mind as I sat in my chair in front of a big mirror, I thought about what happened earlier in the day. I felt bad for the words that had spilled from my lips, but at the same time, I couldn't help but feel giddy that I finally one-up on the rat.

"Did something good happen?" asked one of my male classmates who was dabbing some make-up concealer on my face. Usually the job belonged to the females, but because of my curse, I had to make some safety precautions.

"It's nothing," I scowled.

"Sorry, it's just at that moment, you looked approachable . . . normal perhaps," the boy commented.

"I am normal!" I snapped and the boy scurried off. I scoffed in annoyance when I decided to finish off where the boy had stopped and groaned when I failed to zip my costume up.

"You know . . ." a voice monotone and then a pair of hands replaced mine on the zipper, "That boy is right. If you loosen up a little, then maybe you'll be as popular as Yuki."

"I don't need words from you, Haru," I said, standing up when the other was finished.

"Yuki's here to cheer you on, as well as Shigure-sensei, Hatori-san and Kagura."

I whipped my head around when the Ox mentioned that Kagura had come also.

"Don't worry, kitten. Hatori has her on a leash," Haru assured me. I sighed,

"He should get a leash for the dog too. Who knows what might happen in an audience mostly filled with the female gender?"

"You're right," Haru chuckled lightly.

"In your places!" I heard our teacher shout and then shuffles of feet hurrying were heard all around me. I looked up just in time to see the Ox placing two fingers to his lips and then placed them on my clothed belly.

"Suck in your stomach, kitten. Puck doesn't have a lump there."

I threw a punch at the Ox, but he was already going on ahead and in to position. He called back to me with a wave of an arm,

"Break a leg, Kyou."

-x-

(1) I decided to use this Shakespeare play rather than "Romeo & Juliet" which was too overly used.