She crept through the hallway, and ignored the bathroom sign pointing to the right. She walked down the hall. She had only been down here when no one was around; only when the building was completely abandoned and empty, did she adventure and explore this place inside out. At the time, it had its own aura to it. But now… now it was full of people. Full of souls, personalities, minds, and ideas. It felt different now. And as she moved down the hall, towards the door she dared to enter, she heard laughter. Her eyebrows came down as her curiosity pulled her along.

In front of the door that read 'Back Stage.'

The sounds of a mad man singing and giggling to himself came out under the doorframe. Raven gulped. Maybe this wasn't such a hot idea… The guy seemed a bit off when he was out and performing. What if he is even worse in person?

Nope, gotta do this!

Raven gripped the doorknob tightly and slowly turned it. She then leaned her body on it carefully to crack it open and peer through.

"Bwahahaha!"

Raven gasped and pulled her head away quickly.

The shadow of the mouse DJ flashed over the door. Luckily, he didn't see her. She slowly returned her face to the door crack to look.

The mouse was dancing around like a lunatic, still wearing his helmet. He was very pleased with himself about something.

"Hehehehe~ Oh what a wonderful night. So many people enjoyed that show."

Raven softly chuckled to herself. Full of it, are we? She thought.

The DJ continued to frolic around, waving his hands as he gloated in his pride. The helmet bobbed up and down, the ears twitched slightly and the eyelids closed as he blinked. The corners of the idiotic grin on his face twitched as he chuckled.

Raven stared, mouth open. Even up close, she could not see how it could possibly be fake. It looked so god damn real!

"Ah, there were so many good dancers out there! I love to see my music move people like that. Bwahaha~!" He swung around in circles as if imitating the dances. The baggy pants around his waist and legs flopped about oddly. Raven stared. There was something weird about those too…

A strange bulge could be seen just bellow his lower back. It was moving too…

Raven curled her lip. That's really disturbing look. I can only imagine that to be-

Suddenly the bulge grew and a long red shape extended out of his pant line. It stretched out and circled around his body. A tail! A fucking tail!

"Oh shit!" Raven gasped out loud.

One ear twitch toward the door, then his head turned to look straight at her, his mouth now flattened in a straight line.

Raven's eyes went wide as she immediately pulled away from the door. She took several steps back in shock. It was too late, girl, he saw you. For sure, he saw you.

She was about to make a run for it, when the door swung open, and the DJ, now more mouse like then ever, stood in the door way, his idiotic smile large and his bug eyes fixed upon her.

"Oh jesus.." Raven said, as the mouse lunged forward and grabbed her hand. He then took it firmly in his and shook it up and down: a rather rough handshake.

"Congrats, friend. You discovered the truth!"

Raven only stared... her heart was pounding and she felt rather embarrassed that she was caught spying on him.

"…Truth?" She squeaked.

The mouse giggled excitedly. "Why yes!" He then pulled her with him to his room. "Please, come in! Chat!"

"Ah!" Raven stumbled after him. He was incredibly strong.

He pulled her in and shut the door. He remained facing the door, but turned his head, beaming over his shoulder at her.

Raven's comfort suddenly was gone. She held her ground.

"Uh… so… the head. And I guess… the tail. What kind of effect is that?"

The DJ cocked his head, still beaming. "Effect. Silly girl, it's no effect." He fully turned around. "It's how I am."

Raven gawked at the guy. "Uh-huh…"

"See?" He announced proudly, swishing his tail about and twitching his ears dramatically.

Raven looked back to his tail, noticing the tip looked rather peculiar. "Is that… a plug on the end of the tail?"

"Why yessss~ Yes it is." The mouse said ecstatically. "I'm glad you noticed. It's my recent update."

"Update?" Raven asked.

"Mhmmmm. I'm not naturally like this. I'm a design." He giggled again. "The only successful design~!"

Raven frowned. How did this sound so familiar?

"You weren't by chance… an experiment in a lab, were you?"

"No lab. Just a studio." The guy grinned. "Why?"

"Uh… nothing. I just know of an animal that was grown in a lab just out side the city."

"I know you do. You're best friends with the fella."

Raven looked up at the DJ, skeptically. The more she stared at the face of the mouse head; she could see the patterns of short, textured fur around the eyes and mouth. Maybe this guy is telling the truth. That was his real face.

"You've already got a love for freaks." He took his hands and placed his fingers together so that each lined up perfectly with the other.

"Pardon?" Raven asked.

"Oh.. nothing. It's another one of my upgrades. I can read you like a book. I know lots of details about you, Raven."

Raven flinched. "Ok dude… not cool. How do you know my name?"

"Like I said, my upgrade let's me know lots of stuff about you."

"Yeah, that's not weird at all." Raven said sarcastically. But truthfully, she was starting to feel very uncomfortable around this guy now.

"Don't worry. Nothing personal. Just basic details." His stupid smile seemed to be growing bigger by the minute. He was too amused by this. "Say.. I remember you from the crowd. You certainly know how to move to my music."

"..It was good music." Raven said softly.

"Why thank you. I wrote it myself."

Thankful of the subject change, Raven continued. "Its not a mix?"

"Nope. It's all original. Of course, I feature other vocalists to sing since I cannot. Hehehe~"

"Well, that's wonderful. I'm sure you're bound to get bigger the more you travel. I wish you luck."

The mouse blinked at her slowly now, still eyeing her extra carefully. He could sense she wanted to leave. "Why were you spying on me, lil Raven?"

"Uh.. I, Uh.. I was curious to know how your head's ears moved. That was before I knew it was real, of course."

The mouse chuckled. "Of course, of course. Say, you are a good dancer. A really good dancer. You know that? I'd like for you to dance for me again. Would you? Please?"

Raven swallowed nervously. "Wot do ya mean?"

"I really enjoyed how you danced earlier. You could definitely sense my pulses in the music, and you expressed it perfectly. I'd like you to dance at my other shows for people."

"Uh.. I don't know about that. See, I'm going to school here in this town. I can't just leave."

"You need no school if you already have a career." The guy said, sticking out a tongue from his over size mouth.

"You mean.. you are offering me a full time thing? To just dance at each of your showings?"

"Of course! You're perfect. You're the first lil lady to not be appalled by me. It's an added bonus that you are an amazing dancer."

"Gee, I don't know what to say.." Raven said, shifting nervously from foot to foot.

"Say yes." The mouse suddenly spun around, his tail coiling about him. "Say Yes! Say Yes!"

"Uh.." Raven was very much tempted about the idea to travel and see the world, and to make money off of one of the things she loved to do. But the fact that this guy was kinda crazy made it seem sketchy. Truthfully, he was right, his appearance didn't bother her that much. She was use to that kind of stuff. But his state of mind seemed mentally unstable. What was her bad luck in running into psychotic animal freaks?

"I should probably sleep on it. Why don't I get back to you on it? It sounds like a great offer, really. But I can't decide right on the dot. I'd have to arrange to quit school, get my stuff.. you know, if I was to agree and go." Raven said, gesturing toward the door so she could leave.

But the mouse did not move away from the door, he stood firmly to the spot and in the way.

His smile got a bit more demented looking as he chuckled softly.

"No Raven. You must not go. I can't risk you leaving and never coming back."

"Dude.." Raven said, her voice shaking with fear. "You can't just keep me here."

"Why not?"

Before Raven had time to react (scream, at that), the DJ came up and sealed his hand over her mouth.

"Shhhh.." He said leaning his face close to hers. "There, there."

Raven flailed trying to break free, but he had already grabbed a hold of the rest of her body with his other arm and she could feel his tail tightly curling around her legs.

"I'll give you something to relax." He chuckled. Keeping his other arm around her, he pulled her close to his chest so that he could pull something out of the dress coat he wore. Out, and unexpectedly, came a needle full of a bright red fluid. Raven's eyes went wide in panic. Oh god, no… oh god, please no!

She could only picture those thriller movies from this situation. Movies where they took the captured victim and stuck them with drugs in needles or up there nose, making them completely vulnerable. Then of course, rape.

She panicked more. No, it can't be like this! She was in the warehouse full of other people. Full of not just ravers, but other DJs, technicians, and managers. Someone was bound to walk by and hear them, maybe even just check in on this guy.

But the needle came to her neck and her whole body locked up in anxiety.

"Come now, its ok. This is going to make you feel really good~" He hummed to her.

Instant pain. The needle was in. He pushed down on the syringe. Suddenly her vains felt like they were going to pop out of her flesh.

Dear god, I'm about to get raped. That was the only thing she could think of.

But then… warm fuzzies filled her cheeks. Then her arms, then her chest, until the feeling covered her whole body. Her vision was becoming hazy and very colorful.

Ohhhhhhhhh my god.

Her body was numb. Her senses were firing. Oh my god. What the hell did he give her? She felt good. Very good.

He grinned down at her as he could see the effect going in on her face expression. "How do you feel?"

Her eyes glazed a bit as she looked up into this mouse man's face. She grinned stupidly up at him. "Oh my god." She laughed. "I'm fucking horny. What the hell man?"

The mouse blinked, his smiling face going somewhat blank. He then laughed. "Oh MY! Horny, huh?" He licked his upper lip. "Curious.. that mix hasn't had that effect yet. But it's different for everyone."

Raven shook her head slowly up at him, unable to really understand what he was saying.

"Ok, lil Raven. Let's fix that problem, shall we?" He said, curling his tail delightedly.