She normally wasn't one for brooding. She felt, however, that tonight was a night that deserved such treatment.

Leaning back against smooth glass, the woman heaved in a deep sigh. The slightest of breezes crooned past her neck, sweeping up her pale pink hair in its gentle breath; the fraught air was unusually chilling for a summer evening, and she couldn't help snuggling deeper into her fluffy jacket as yet another gust of icy wind billowed past.

"Huh. I don't normally see you here."

Great. Him again. As fascinating a specimen as he was, she was in no mood to deal with eggplant-wig tonight. Despite this she forced a smile, and met the sharp green eyes of Harley.

There they stood, perched precariously on the edge of a skyscraper, towering hundreds upon hundreds of feet off the ground. Harley didn't seem to care about this danger however; arms out, he strolled forward as if he were merely walking a tightrope, and more than once did his foot nearly slip.

"Hello, Harley," the woman replied mildly, as Harley finally crossed the distance and pressed back against the glass beside her. "I can never escape you, can't I?"

He puffed out his chest at that, as if her slight insult were something to be proud of. "Gods got me on patrol tonight," he said in his slimy voice; "I can't disappoint them now, can't I?"

She couldn't help laughing at that. Of course…as infuriating as Harley could be, she had to admit that he was a sly creature. Perhaps that's why she found herself so intrigued by him. He was one of the very few with the courage – no, scratch that, foolishness – to deceit the Gods, and he displayed no fear in his constant flip flopping of sides.

She wished she could feel as carefree as he did. As it was however nothing but a brooding, sickly anticipation clutched at her chest. Something was about to happen. Maybe it was just a stray thought of hers, or maybe it was intuition. But she couldn't shake the feeling that something horrible was approaching, something truly bad.

"Oh come on, Solidad!" Harley snapped, rolling his eyes; "what's got you all down in the dumps? Don't tell me you're still worrying about that stupid Drew. I saw him a few days ago! He's fine!"

"I know," she murmured. "But Drew…well, he's always been like a son to me. I'd hate for anything bad to happen to him…or her," she added, suddenly thinking of the girl he'd recently contracted to. "She never asked to be in on this."

"Relax," Harley scowled, carelessly waving a hand. "If anyone's got it, Drew has. What with his bad boy looks and swooning charm and…and…damn it!" Suddenly, as if he were a child, he slammed his foot, clenched his fists, and shouted to the lonely night sky. "Damn it all! What does he have that I don't! I'm good looking right? I've got charm too, don't I? And I have a way better fashion sense than he does! The hell has that pretty boy got that I don't?!"

A brain for a start, Solidad wanted to say, though she kept her mouth shut. Instead she said, "You know looks have nothing to do with it. Honestly, Harley, straighten up and think for a second. Who was it that started this war?"

"War? You talk about it as if it's honorable," Harley grumbled. "If you ask me Drew just started a whole big mess. Not that I'm complaining or anything. I mean, it was getting kind of boring just sitting around being demons. At least this is exciting."

"You don't care about what we're fighting for?"

"Meh. I mean, don't get me wrong. Humans are pretty interesting. And they love me," he added with a smug smirk. "Can't take their eyes off me in the streets! Must be my natural gift with fashion." Solidad had to suppress a giggle; taking in his putrid green suit and protruding cactus spines, she guessed that the humans were indeed marveling his choice of clothing, though not in a good way. "But what good is it going to do anyway? We're demons, they're humans. It's not like we could ever live among them or anything."

It was the age old argument. They were the evil of the world, the creatures that caused mayhem and destruction just by breathing the same air that humanity breathed – and yet they were also as complex and individualistic as the humans they so desired to walk among. Perhaps Solidad, Drew, Serena – hell, even Harley were all in the minority, but they couldn't deny the fact that the human race was like a magnet, an attracting force they could not stay away from no matter how hard they tried.

"But that's it, isn't it," Solidad whispered, her voice so low that Harley had to lean closer to hear. "We're constantly going back and forth. It's always the same debate, always the same argument. It never changes…" She trailed off; unable to find the words she so desperately was looking for.

Harley looked confused. An eerie silence fell upon the two for quite a few, long moments, until Harley finally piped up again. "Oh puh-lease. C'mon, Soli, this is so unlike you! Loosen up! Enjoy life! What's moping around going to do?"

He was right, although she hated to admit it. Brooding to herself like a lost puppy wouldn't help Drew in any way, shape or form; sitting around as if they'd already lost was no help to anyone. She felt her steely resolve once again, breaking through the clouding despair like an iceberg. But before she could say anymore, Harley was leaning perilously off the very edge of the skyscraper, his eyes focused on the twinkling of faraway lights so very down below.

He peered over his shoulder, a mischievous grin crossing his countenance. "Perk up, Soli, my dear! A frown doesn't suit your pretty face!" Then, with a fanciful twirl as though he were a skilled ballet dancer, he threw himself back-first off the skyscraper, disappearing at once over the lip of the edge.

Solidad ran forward, almost tripping herself when she skidded to a halt at the verge. Below she caught sight of Harley's gracefully falling shape; down he fell, wind ripping through his mauve hair, so very fast and so unrelenting…

Then, with a sudden flash, wings burst from his back, horns curled, and he twisted mid-air, whizzing at lightning speed through the night sky. His shadow crossed the full moon, and she heard him yell with glee, before he'd dashed out of sight.

Solidad sighed. "Showoff," she muttered.

Despite this she smiled.

All was peaceful that Sunday morning. A thin shawl of mist hung low over the city, rising slowly in smoky swirls, and perched upon the horizon shone the watery white light of the sun. Birds twittered their wakeup call and the air was aflutter with their beating wings and wavering songs. Even the city, usually all hustle and bustle, seemed unusually settled, with only a few cars chugging along the roads and even fewer crowds permeating the sidewalks.

Indeed all seemed perfect. Too perfect perhaps.

On a certain apartment block in a certain street, the lulling silence was suddenly broken by a high-pitched squeal, a ricocheting hiss, and the baying yaps of a fluffy little dog.

"It's on, it's on, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S ON!"

"…And there she goes again."

It was a rather normal scene to behold nowadays; Brianna perched upon the dangerously swaying shelves, batting feebly at small Lua who's incessant barking echoed loudly across the room; Drew splayed across the couch, reading some sort of supernatural magazine (and subsequently rolling his eyes and complaining about what frauds these psychics were); and of course, May, perched unhealthily close to the blaring lights of the television, her eyes wide and sparkling like that of a shoujo love interest.

"Do you have to be so loud?" sighed Drew, his eyes never leaving the pages of his book. "Not everybody wants to hear you fangirling over just a band, you know."

May snorted, barely sparing him a look. "It's not a band," she responded haughtily; "it's a revolution! KAB42 is the greatest union of idols ever to take the stage!" A dreamy sigh escaped her lips; clasping hands together, May looked to the heavens, as if she'd seen just seen something that the others could only dream to see. "Their music changed the industry as we know it. Led by the spectacular Shima Haruno with a heart of gold, all forty two members possess voices as sweet as honey, and their songs are amazing and so meaningful and –"

"Okay, okay, we get the point!" It was Brianna this time, now clinging to the curtains as Lua jumped and yapped below, her unsheathed claws digging deep and tearing at the soft fabric as she slid slowly down. "Now can one of you please help me out here? Seriously? Guys…? GUYS!"

Drew frowned. "I thought those girl bands were all fake?"

"Fake? Where'd you here that from."

He shrugged, turning back to the depths of his magazine. "I read it somewhere. Apparently KAB42 is just a manufactured product of the bloated corporate music industry."

May scowled, finally tearing her gaze away from the TV and glancing back at the smug looking Drew. "You know, for a demon you sure know a lot of big words."

He smirked. "Hm. I try."

There was a sudden crackle from the television, and just like a woven spell May's attention was once more on the hazy glare of the TV. A rich, feminine announcer's voice spoke over the colorful figures of forty two idols, as they pranced cheerily about on stage; "we apologize for this interruption in live programming. However, IdolTV would like to present you with something even better, even greater than the current program we're streaming for you. Ladies and gentleman, cats and dogs, hunters and demons –"

May's heart nearly stopped in its tracks, as another crackle of static buzzed through the TV's screen. Drew was up at once, his magazine flopping with a thump to the ground.

"-it's time, my dear friends, for the best idol to ever take the stage! Give it up for…Lisia!"

"L-Lisia?!" Even Lua had stopped her yapping; the cat landed with a heavy 'oof' to the floor, her red eyes stretched unnaturally wide, trembling violently beneath her thick set of black fur. "Drew…is it really…?"

"Yeah," he replied grimly. "It's her."

Before May could even ask a question, the scene changed. Gone were the bright lights of the KAB42 concert; instead, in its place, stood a dark and looming stage.

At first there was a deep silence, broken only by the hushed and anticipated whispers of a watching audience. Their dark shadows melded and shifted before the camera, and May guessed there must've been nearly three hundred crammed in that theatre. She swallowed, a bile of dread swirling uneasily in the very pit of her stomach.

Suddenly there was a sudden flash of light from the TV; the once dark stage now danced with an array of lights, bright sparks of blue and pink and red flashing like strobes before the seated audience. There was a crackle, a boom, and then, over the sharp amplification of the microphone, there was a sweet, honeyed voice – that same voice as the announcer's, so rich and deep that just the mere sound of it seemed to lull May into an almost bleary dream.

"Hello, hello!" this Lisia chirped, and her words were met by the collective cheer of over a thousand voices. "How are my meowsters today? I hope you're ready to make some noise, 'cause we aren't stopping 'til we're dropping!"

At this there was another thundering cheer, louder than the last, and the audience raised their hands in a rippling wave. May could hear Brianna hiss in the background – "oh of course she does something stupid like this! Seriously, Lisia is one of the dumbest Gods I've ever met!" – but strangely, May found she couldn't care less about what the two had to say.

There was something so alluring, so captivating, about what was taking place before her; even on TV, it was as if there was a dark power seeping from the screen, wrapping chilled fingers around her heart and drawing her even closer than before.

It was at this that a platform began to descend upon the stage, a dark figure perched atop it. A swirl of airy white mist curled up and around the idol's slim form, as with a heavy thump the platform ground to a stop and the pristine woman took one dainty step into the light.

She seemed normal, at first glance – well, as normal as a pop idol could be…which in retrospect wasn't very normal at all. Dressed in a revealing blue cropped outfit with a ringlet tangle of sea-green hair, all this woman merely needed to do was raise her hand in a salute, and at once the crowd erupted into another round of clapping and excited screaming and enthusiastic cheering.

And then May saw her eyes.

Red. Deep red, bottomless, even darker than Drew's. She should've recoiled in disgust – she should've felt hate coil like a snake within her gut, and she should've been shouting happily to Drew about how they'd found their next target. But something entirely different happened; instead, there was a strange flip in her belly, a sudden fog clouding her mind, and the next thing she uttered was merely the hushed whisper of – "she's amazing."

It was a strange experience…as if she were no longer in control, as if she were floating outside her own body. Everything felt numb, from the very tips of her fingers to the nubs of her toes. A cold shiver rippled down her spine, and conflicting emotions of an almost false admiration and bitterness intertwined together, her stomach roiling at the unnatural clash of her feelings.

"Look into my eyes," Lisia was saying from her place on stage, and the audience obeyed, hell, even May did, and it was at that moment that her previous doubt and uncertainty vanished, and she felt strangely comforted, as if she could stare into Lisia's deep red orbs for all eternity. "That's it, my friends…The eyes are the windows to our soul. Look deep, deeper even, and you'll see everything I have to offer."

In the background she heard Brianna screech – "Turn it off, Drew, turn it off!" – and there was a dull, distant thud of feet, before there was an abrupt flash of darkness before the screen; another sharp crackle of static, and Lisia disappeared, as if she'd never even been there in the first place.

And just like a spell it was broken. May blinked, long and slow, a grogginess still weighing down heavily upon her mind, and her movements felt strangely sluggish, as if she still wasn't entirely in control. "What…just happened?"

But her faint question was ignored; instead, spitting with rage, Brianna was arguing with Drew; "could she be even stupider? And she wonders why she's always in trouble with Death."

"But that's Lisia for you," Drew muttered. "She doesn't care about the consequences. It's all just a game for her."

An eerie quietness fell across the room. It took May a few minutes until she found the strength to speak once more; even then, her voice trembled slightly, as if she still hadn't found the energy to force the words out. "That was a God, wasn't it?"

It was a dumb question – of course it was a God, she realized immediately, throughout the thick slog that was her thoughts.

"Oh, my dearest Maple," Drew sighed, an edge of sarcasm blunting his unusually serious tone; "I suppose it's time for you to meet Lisia – the God of Idolism."

There they stood, right before the great and looming architecture of the theatre, swamped in its impending shadow. For a moment May was unsure whether they were being brave, or just incredibly foolish idiots – honestly, it was probably the latter. Even now, May could feel the beginnings of a dark presence shifting and swirling beneath her feet, clinging like a dark mist to the clothes on her back. She shuddered; Serena's darkness had felt almost kind compared to this.

There was no doubt about it. The God they were about to tackle was one of raw power, a being to rightfully be feared.

Her stomach roiled at the mere thought of coming face to face with the same God whom had somehow managed to lull her into a drifting trace, the effects of which still hung heavily upon her shoulders even now. A few hours later and May's movements still felt slow and restricted, as if her bones were bound with lead. Had simply glancing the God in the eye really done that to her?

"There's no doubt about it!" reported Brianna as she loped back to them in her half-demon form. "She's definitely here. Question is, how do we get to her?"

A crowd swarmed like bees before them; young and old reaching out to the looming steel doors, pressing back against two surly guards as they fought the oncoming wave. The fans were screaming her name, as if just doing so would be enough to summon the Idol to their very beck and call. May grimaced – to think that this God had the power to manipulate and attract people like that…She quelled another shiver, and turned back to Drew.

"Alright," she said, hoping her voice sounded determined enough; "we need to get past those guards. Any ideas?"

"It'll be difficult," the green-haired demon mused. "Lisia is ten times worse than Serena. She's one of the more powerful on the spectrum."

"Every God has its own special ability," Brianna had chirped knowledgably as they'd prepared to leave; "the God of Idolism's is simple. One look at her eyes and she'll have you caught like a fly in a spider's web." The cat's eyes had narrowed at that point. "You gotta promise, don't look her in the eyes. The moment you do is the moment when she'll have complete power over you."

...Just like when she'd locked gazes with Lisia on television.

It was worse with those who couldn't sense demons or Gods however; they were acting as if Lisia had been a well-established idol for years. Everyone who saw her seemed to melt into a puddle of slop – so much so that she's even managed to go about manipulating the broadcast waves. May had never seen someone so…so…reckless before. Most demons in possession of a body wondered about quality, but here, Lisia didn't seem content until she had the entire world wallowing at her feet.

"Oh, oh, I know! I got an idea!" With a whisk Brianna was back in her normal cat form, practically shaking with excitement. "I'll distract them! And while I'm working my magic, you two can saunter past and go kick that Lisia's butt to the moon and back!"

May tried to hold it back – she really did – but seeing Brianna, chest puffed with pride, thinking she'd found the end all be all plan for them to sneak in…She snorted, and burst out into laughter. "O-Oh yeah? What are you going to do? Purr them to death?"

The small kitten hissed with impatience. "Oh you laugh now!" she snapped, "but you won't be laughing when I get you into that theater." With that she turned her back on May and, with a disdainful sniff, kicked up some dust at the Hunter's feet. "Watch and learn, my friend," she said, as she melded into the thronging of the crowd; "watch and learn."

She disappeared. May shared a dubious glance with Drew. "How long do you give her?"

"A minute," he immediately replied.

"I say thirty seconds."

"It's a bet then."

Sure enough, mere twenty seconds later and there was a black blur hurtling towards them. Drew sighed as the shape collided sharply with his chest, claws scrambling for grip, eyes terrified, violent shakes wracking her body. "Oh, Drew!" she wailed, as May rolled her eyes; "it was terrible! Those guards kicked and swatted at me! I thought humans couldn't resist this fluffy body!"

"They hated you, huh?"

"Y-Yeah," the little cat sniffed; "the second guard was sneezing and yelling and the first kicking and swearing. What complete butts."

"Hm…I think I have a plan."

Brianna seemed to brighten at that. "You do?"

"Yeah." With this he gripped Brianna even closer to his chest, and began to push his way into the crowd. May stifled a groan and followed, already beginning to see where this encounter was heading.

As they shoved their way nearer and nearer to the guards, Brianna's mews became even more incessant. "H-Hey, Drew…so uh, what's the plan? You're not going to do something stupid, are you?"

"You're kidding, right?" Drew blinked wide, innocent eyes at the cat, though May caught the sly hint of mischief that had alighted in his orbs. "Since when do I ever not come up with the perfect plans?"

"That's true." There was a surprised pause; May blushed, feeling a hot heat warm her cheeks, and she quickly added, "I mean, just trust him, Brianna. Don't worry, we have you covered."

Drew said nothing for a while – then he flashed his trademark cocky smirk. "Exactly. This is for the best, Brianna."

"…For the best?"

May, quickly catching on to his idea, chipped in once more; "sometimes you gotta take one for the team, y'know?"

"Oh great. What are you two planning?"

They didn't have time to answer. They'd managed to push their way to the very front of the crowd, where the two guards stood hulking by the doors, the second security's brow knitted as his friend sneezed and sneezed beside him.

Drew lowered his voice as Brianna stiffened even further within his arms. "Don't stay long. Just long enough to distract him, alright? Once we're in, you can run away."

"Uh, Drew, I'm not sure I approve of this plan –"

And just like that, he flashed Brianna the most charming and slick smile that the demon could muster. Seeing it even made May feel sick to her stomach; she huffed, glancing away, as Drew pulled out yet another of his deep red roses and tucked it behind the demon-cat's ear. "I believe in you, Brianna," he said, almost warmly; "can you do this one thing for me?"

"Anything for you, Drew!"

As if by magic, she'd wriggled out of his grip and leaped to the ground. "Alright, guys! Wish me luck!"

She wriggled her haunches, narrowed her eyes in fiery determination, and leaped.

Brianna's claws caught the man's face, and she held there, red eyes staring into a shocked and pallid blue. Even the crowd went still for a moment, an unnatural hush falling like a shadow over the anticipating audience.

And then the guard started screaming. He swung around, grappled at the cat hooked like a vice to his skin, and his friend, shouting, attempted to help, hitting at everything but the black cat clinging on like glue. "Now!" snapped Drew, and they shoved themselves against the steel door; it opened with a whining creak. May was first to slip through, just as a guard noticed their act; he yelled, but it was too late, as Drew followed her lead and they slammed the door back into place, locking it firmly behind them. The nervous and excited shouts of the crowd, and the pained howling of the man, faded to a distant hum beyond the heavy metal of the doors. Guilt coiled in her stomach – had she really just done that? – But she forced the feeling away, a new sense of determination seizing at her chest.

They had a mission to accomplish here. They couldn't give up now.

"We don't have much time," Drew said, and he grasped her hand in his own. "Come on. We should hurry."

For once May didn't refuse his grip.

They ran down the dark hall, following the dark presence as its slinking ebb and flow grew more potent and powerful by the minute. We're close, May thought, and with it she began to feel afraid, an intoxicating fear swirling through her mind like a mist. What would they find there? How would they even go about killing a God?

…What the hell would Hollis say if he saw her now? Breaking and entering, consorting with demons, about to tackle a God so beyond their league –

She laughed. It was a bitter sound, but she couldn't help it. Glancing at Drew, May couldn't resist a small smile. Alright, maybe fighting a God was out of her league – but she wasn't alone. She had a demon by her side. It was, at the very least, some small comfort; she wouldn't be facing Lisia alone.

They came to a sudden halt at the end of the hall, where a steel bolted door titled 'Makeup' sat. May shivered; the presence was incredibly strong here, its flow and pull dragging uncomfortably at her feet. She stepped back, and for the first time she couldn't help vocalizing her fears.

"…Drew, are we way over our heads here?"

His response was immediate. "Probably." He turned to May, releasing her hand, and a serious expression now crossed his countenance, only further serving to feed May's doubt. "But do you want to break the Contract or not?"

She paused, unsure how to answer.

"I mean…" he continued on, inspecting his hand, "unless you enjoy being bound to a demon as handsome and great as myself."

"Ugh! No thanks! I'd rather be shackled to a maneating, rabid, demonic boarhound than with you!"

"Oh! So you're scared then?"

"As if! You'd think that was hilarious, huh?" She huffed, stalking away from him and pressing one hand against the cool, sheen metal of the door. She hesitated for the briefest of moments, until she felt Drew's callous hand on top of her own.

"Come on," he sighed, his brow furrowed determinedly; "we'll do this thing together. Okay?"

She paused – then nodded. "Okay. Together."

"3."

"2."

"1."

The door swung open before they could even grasp the handle.

And there, standing before them, eyes as red as gore and teal-blue hair curled into fanciful ringlets, was Lisia.

"Well, well. I've been waiting for you, Drew. Come in." She narrowed her eyes, a cruel smile worming its way onto her lips. "Make yourself at home."

Extra 0.7

WHO'S THAT DEMON/GOD P.2

Brianna: A God of Idolism! Oh, I know Lisia well! She's the most aggravating, annoying, self-obsessed, vain, petty -

May: Uh...let's just consult Dexter the DemonDex, shall we?

Brianna: Hmph! Fine...

Dexter: God of Idolism - This particular God adores attention. They preside over all that is ungodly and false, materialistic or otherwise! They are known for their special ability of manipulation. One look into their eyes renders all those around them lovestruck and in adoration. Most commonly found around crowds of people.

Brianna: Ugh...May, Drew, do me a favor and make sure you don't stop fighting until Lisia's dead as can be!

Brianna: That's it for this episode. Tune in next time, dear readers, for the next episode of WHO'S THAT DEMON/GOD (p3)!

Oh, would you look at that! Another late update! -flails-

Don't hate me guys. xD

Well, a bit of a cliffhanger, but I can confirm that next chapter is when things get serious! I had fun writing Lisia's power in this chapter; she's a pretty fun God to play around with. We'll definitely be seeing more of her soon!

Also, indeed, poor May is quite the fan of J-pop and K-pop. I'm not sure how she'll feel about the genres however after her encounter with Lisia!

And finally, for all the reviewers! Thank you SO much for every favorite, follow and review! It's amazing to see and I love you all for it! Again, THANK YOU!

LolaXP - Serena's one of the very rare 'nice' Gods, I should say. As you can probably tell from Lisia here, they stop being nice and start getting dangerous...Thank you for keeping up with the story, as always! I look forward to your feedback!

Sterling - Ahh, Sterling! Thank you! I'm feeling much better now, thanks for asking! And all will be revealed in good time...

Ace - Ace, your review really made me overjoyed to see. Again, thank you so much for your feedback! On the subject of why I decided to run with this take on Iris's characterization, I admit in retrospect perhaps I could've taken a different route more befitting of her original character. However I did feel that maybe Iris's wild personality and rather invasive nature could work well in this AU, so I decided to expand upon those traits. She's fun to write, but I agree, looking back I should probably have written her differently! Again, thank you very much for your lovely review.

Until next time!