The tATu saga:

Prologue – She Caught My Eye

An Emi/Devil Zukin fanfiction

Disclaimer: DDR is not my creation, though I'm sure I'd be pretty rich if it was.  Unfortunately, DDR is copyright to Konami… so don't go suing me, I've given up all right to the characters. However, any characters derived from the original characters are mine, and the story idea is mine as well.

General warning: This story is set in an alternate reality from the DDR world and contains language, brief descriptions of sex, abuse/brief descriptions of rape, and a female/female relationship (lesbians ^^;; ). So if you don't want to read about two girls being together, turn back now. Flames will be laughed at, pissed on, and promptly fed to my hamsters.

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            //Why do I get the sudden feeling that I should never have gotten out of bed this morning?// Zukin's mind screamed at her as she stood before Tokyo High School, her backpack slung over her shoulder and her new school schedule clutched in her hand. Before her she watched as students interacted in the few precious moments before school started, standing outside smoking or talking with friends/significant others. The young Zukin rolled her eyes and sighed, taking in the different clichés and groups that were around; the Goths, the stoners, the preps, the jocks, the nerds, the recluses… yup, they were all there and waiting for someone new to pick on.

            //And that new person just happens to be me… oh goody.// Another sigh escaped her lips and she shifted the weight of her backpack onto her other shoulder, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. She wasn't permitted to wear her normal clothing to school, so Zukin now found herself donned in a plaid skirt and white long sleeved top with a tie securing the collar against her neck.  It was an uncomfortable uniform, far too constricting for the rather hot month of August (not to mention it was uglier than sin). Even the black school shoes and white knee-high socks felt far too awkward on her – but then again, the last school that she had been to had not required her to wear any type of uniform.  America might have been a shithole to live in, but at least they didn't try to make you look and act like everyone else by forcing you to wear clothing that you hated.

            //But America was no longer safe for me…// Zukin thought to herself, her mind going back to her previous home for just a moment before she violently shoved it out of her mind, a slight scowl coming to her face.  //No matter… I'll be graduating at the end of this school year, so I suppose I can put up with it for just one year…// With her resolve set she made the journey across the sidewalk and up the stairs, heading for the front door. Immediately she was aware of the glances that came her way; they were only a quick look out of the corner of people's eyes, but it was enough to let her know that people were very quickly taking notice of the new student.

            //I suppose it can't be avoided… after all, how often is it that a new student comes to school with cat-like ears, wings and a tail? REAL cat-ears, wings and a tail, anyway…// She ignored the stares, as was habit for her anymore, and quietly entered the building.

Glancing at her watch told her she still had ten minutes to locate her locker, dump some of her shit into it, and head off to her first class of the day. She fought her way through the halls, tucking her wings in against her back and her tail down by her thigh to give other students a bit more room (that and human contact disgusted her). Finding her locker proved to be easier than she had originally thought it would be, and she quickly worked out the combination and opened her backpack, shifting through the books and dumping those for her afternoon courses on the shelf provided. With that done she shut the door and reset the lock, turning to head to class. However, her ears picked up on something she never thought she'd hear in a high school hallway – it was the lack of screaming students and loud voices. She turned around to see that the hall was still crowded with bodies, but everyone had now fallen silent and seemed to all be staring in the same direction. Zukin sighed and tapped the boy in front of her on the shoulder, ignoring his annoyed look as he turned around.

"What's going on?" she asked, trying to stand on the tip of her toes to look over the sea of students before her; being only five foot two had its disadvantages at times.

            "Rage is running Emi through the washer again… this happens almost every morning; it's almost like it's routine now more than anything else. People have tried to stop him before, but they don't call him 'Rage' for nothing…" Zukin blinked, then began to push her way through the crowd, tuning out the complains and curses that she was assaulted with. It took her only a few moments to force her way to the head of the crowd, and what she saw there made her blood boil. The boy had to be at least twice the size of his girlfriend, who was now pinned against the locker with her head down and her bangs covering her eyes. His hand held her in her current position by her arm, and judging by the intensity of his grip, her arm would carry a rather heavy bruise within just a few hours. He was looming over her and screaming in her face, words that Zukin could no longer comprehend thanks to the anger now pulsing through her veins. To the shock of every student in the room she marched over to Rage and dug her nails into his hand, drawing a strangled cry of pain from the young man and producing blood on her nails. He released the small girl in his grip and stumbled back, holding his hand and directing a look at Zukin that made the spectators take a step back.

            "What the FUCK is your problem?!" he screamed, "this is none of your business, bitch!" Zukin's eyes narrowed and she stepped between the two, flaring her wings out to shield the young woman behind her.

            "It becomes my business when I see you treating her like that…" Zukin replied, her voice calm and lacking all of the anger she currently felt. His increasing anger showed on his face, and the winged girl allowed a smirk to pass over her lips; withholding her own fury had, as she expected, fueled his further.

            "Who do you think you are, telling me how I can and cannot treat my girlfriend?! This is none of your concern, now step aside before I make you wish you had!" he snarled, getting up in her face. The smirk increased and her eyes darkened, her tail flicking behind her slowly.

            "Really now? You really, honestly think that it'll be easy for you to take me down? Do you believe that because you feel you're tough… or because you feel that if one girl puts up with your shit, every girl will?" The flash of raw fury that ran through his eyes delighted her and she released a low, chilling laugh. "Bring it on then, 'Rage'… if you think you can take me out, prove it…" He lunged at her before she was half-way through her sentence and her hand went out in a flash, grabbing his neck. She turned her body to the side and suddenly Rage found himself pinned against the lockers by his neck. Emi, who had been hiding behind Zukin the entire time, now stood staring in shock, her tiny hand settled on her now swelling arm.  Zukin chuckled darkly and allowed Rage a few moments to struggle in her grip before she tightened the hold and he gasped sharply, a gurgling noise escaping his lips.

            "Now then… are you willing to see things my way?" The anger finally showed through in Zukin's voice, and her prisoner nodded weakly and winced, closing his eyes and tipping back his head to attempt to access more air for his burning lungs.  "Good… " she replied, releasing him so suddenly that he fell to the floor, choking and holding his neck. She stood watching him for a long moment, her wings returning to their folding position on her back, and then she glanced over her shoulder at the students still watching.

            "Show's over now, you can all feel free to head to class… or whatever." Immediately the students complied, not wishing to invoke the same wrath they had just witnessed. Zukin nodded, and then turned to Emi, who stood with her head dipped low once again.

            "Th… Thank you…" she whispered, looking up briefly and giving the older girl a weak, shaky smile. Zukin nodded, looking the girl over to make sure there were no major injuries before she turned back to Rage, who was just now struggling to his feet.

            "Listen to me and listen to me well, human…" she hissed, baring her fangs. "If I ever catch you treating your girlfriend, or ANYONE, like that again, I'll make sure you suffer long and hard before I kill you, gut you like a fish, and grill you up on a barbeque… do you understand me?" Rage's eyes narrowed and they stood facing each other off for several moments before he turned to Emi, his eyes narrowing.

            "Let's go," he told her harshly, his tone indicating his expected no objections. To the immense surprise of both beings the girl shook her head, diverting her eyes to the floor.

            "No…" she whispered, her voice shaking in fear. His lips curled back in a snarl and he stepped toward her, Zukin moving to once against stand between them.

            "You heard her… and you heard me. I suggest you listen before I make good on my threat, child… by the sounds of things, your relationship is over." Both girls watched as his face became red with fury, before he snorted and turned to glare at Emi with such intensity that it chilled her to the core.

            "This isn't over Emi… this isn't over by a long shot," he whispered before he turned and stormed off, throwing one of his books into the nearest locker and leaving it lying there on the floor. For a long moment after he left there was silence, and then Zukin turned to Emi, offering a soft smile.

            "Are you alright?" She questioned, gently inspecting the girl's arm. Emi nodded and brushed a strand of blue hair off her face, giving a soft smile of her own. Zukin nodded, then sighed.

            "Well, we best go… class has already started, and I for one don't want to get grilled any worse than I already am…" she turned to go, but a soft hand on her shoulder stopped her.

            "Wait… I didn't even get to ask you your name…" Emi whispered softly, a slight blush crossing her face. Zukin smiled and softly shrugged Emi's hand away, though she was a bit shocked that the girl's touch didn't bother her as badly as human contact usually did.

            "It's Ditto… but if you call me that, I'll have to rearrange your face. You can call me Devil Zukin… you take care of yourself Emi." She turned and headed down the hallway, leaving the small girl to watch her go, a soft smile on her face.

            "Zukin… that's pretty. Thank you, Zukin…" she whispered, knowing full well the girl couldn't hear her. She then stooped to grab her bag and slung it over her shoulder, taking one last glance down the hall before she quietly turned and walked away, a soft smile still drifting on the corners of her lips.

TBC

SMC, Dated the 3rd of March 2004