Nari's chin rested tiredly against her hand and elbow on the desk. Her eyes followed the little needle round and round, anxiety rising with every single tick. The day had finally come, and it was nearly time. Just another three minutes.

Thoth paced along in the front of the room, pointer stick tapping against the different points written on the board. The sound of the noise was driving her crazy. It was only adding to her frustration. A quiet huff escaped her and the instructor turned around, shooting a glare at the older sister, daring her to move even a second early. She was annoyed but said nothing. The fact that she was being granted early leave at all was a blessing. Just another twenty seconds.

"Human body language can be a doorway to their innermost thoughts and emotions. By paying attention to their subconscious cues, it is possible to garner information —"

The sound of scraping wood interrupted his explanation, Nari rising quickly from her seat. "Excuse me." Those words were all she offered before turning and striding from the room, ignoring the looks of confusion from her classmates. The moment the door closed behind her; she broke into a run.

Back in the classroom, Loki complained. "Eeeeh? We can leave class early? Well, why didn't you say so." Scooting back his chair, he rose to his feet. "In that case, I'll —"

"Sit down, Laevatein." Thoth shut him down before he could fully stand, glaring at him with a look that screamed bloody murder until his rear was fixed back in his seat.

"Whaaat? But Puppy got to leave early!"

"Because I allowed it."

"Why?"

"Silence!"

Loki sulked, crossing his arms, and shrinking back into his chair. He grumbled, making his displeasure known, but didn't argue further. The other gods took note of the exchange, looking at one another and receiving similar looks of confusion in response. All of them were wondering the same question, Loki was simply the only one bold enough to address it. Their suspicion only grew tenfold when the bell sounded, signaling the end of the class. The chime hadn't even concluded before Yui was on her feet, excusing herself and making a beeline for the door. "S-Sorry, there's something I need to do today. Please, start club without me!" was the only thing she offered before she vanished in the same fashion as her sister.

. . .

That was how classes ended that day, leaving all of the gods with multiple inquiries. None of them were answered, and any attempt to get them from their instructor ended in a harsh scolding. So, they were left with little more than mystery and speculation. And concern. It wasn't like the sisters to run off in such a way, nor to shirk their responsibilities, especially the younger one. Now, three pairs of footsteps walked aimlessly down the empty hallway, the Greek gods chattering quietly amongst themselves. More accurately, two of them chattered; the third walked sulkily a few paces behind with his eyes to the floor.

Apollon hummed, tapping his chin in thought. "I'm not sure what that was all about. It just seemed so suspicious. That was suspicious, wasn't it, Di-Di?"

"Yeah, it was definitely strange. I don't think I've ever seen Fotia in such a hurry. Or her sister for that matter. I wonder what's going on…"

"It is my presence. I must have brought them misfortune…"

"Hades, please," Dionysus scolded. "I highly doubt your curse had anything to do with what the sisters were doing. They probably just —"

"Aaaggggghhhhh!"

All three gods jumped in the air as the sound of a loud shriek echoed through the halls. Hades shot a sideways glance at his redheaded nephew, who responded with a similar look of exasperation. Before either of them could say anything, however, the noise grew, a cacophony of screams sounding from down the hall. Apollon sprang into action, turning to the other two students. "It sounds like someone's in trouble. We should go help them! We should help!"

"I second that…" Dionysus agreed. Hades opened his mouth to protest, but his words morphed into a yelp as his nephew grabbed him by the arm and dragged him right along with them.

When they arrived at the source of the noise, they found a situation far worse than any of them had expected. Students from all classes filled the hall, shouting and screeching as though in some sort of frenzy. It was utter chaos; even Dionysus wasn't certain what to make of it. Some of his wildest trysts had never resulted in such madness.

Apollon looked around in utter panic, trying to see through the mob. "What's going on?! Are there monsters?!"

"I'm not sure… this is nuts."

The two nephews exchanged a look with one another, uncertain of how best to tackle the situation. Moments later another pair of footsteps approached from a nearby hallway. It seemed other gods had been drawn by the noise as well. Takeru was the first to skid to a stop, looking ready for war. "Are we under attack? What the hell's happening?"

"Not sure. Trying to figure that out ourselves," Dionysus replied.

Tsukito appeared a few moments later, moving at a much calmer pace. Notebook in hand, he finished scribbling his note before tearing it out and handing it to the sea god. "Infraction. There is no running in the halls, Takeru Totsuka."

His brother deflated, looking incredulously at his older sibling. "Wha — Bro…"

"Apollon? Takeru? What are you guys doing here?"

All five gods turned at the sound of a familiar voice, eyeing each of them with confusion and surprise. Apollon surged forward, grabbing the woman's arm. "Hurry, Fairy! We have to get out of here. We have to get out! Something crazy is going on!"

"Huh?!"

Takeru was quick to second his assertion. "Right. I'll hold them off, you guys make a run for it."

"What are you talking about? No one's in any danger. Although, I'm sure it probably looks that way…" Yui shook off the sun god with a quizzical expression. "Security is around here somewhere, I'm sure things will settle down soon." Turning, she gestured to the mob. Sure enough, speckled within the chaos were multiple marked dolls, all adorned with black shirts labeled 'Security'. They were ushering the squealing students into a winding single file, slowly making an orderly line.

"I… Weed, what is going on?" Takeru demanded, now looking dumbfounded as well as agitated.

"This?" Yui gestured to the students with a frivolous wave. "It's a fan sign."

"Um… a what?" Dionysus questioned.

"A fan sign," Yui repeated. "Idols have them on tours and in between shows. People come to show their support; get autographs, take photos…"

Looking around them, it became evident what she was talking about. Among the mass of students clambering about, many of them were carrying posters and knick-knacks, star-shaped glowsticks, a few were carrying CDs. Even various objects, possibly gifts, were laden in some of their arms.

"I am so confused," Takeru muttered.

"What the heck is an autograph?" Dionysus asked.

"It is a custom in which other humans sign their name on various objects," Tsukito explained.

"Um… why?"

Shaking her head, Yui offered a smile before gesturing once more at the students around them. "It's a human thing. Luna's concert is in a few days. Chances are, she'll be too exhausted after the performance, so she's taking the time now to interact with her fans."

"Interact with her fans?" Dionysus asked. There was a moment of silence while he pondered the gravity of her explanation before he blanched. "Wait… so, you're saying Luna's here? Now?"

Yui nodded. "Yeah, in the auditorium. The doors are closed, so she's probably getting ready. But security is lining everybody up, so that means they're going to start soon."

"Oh!" Apollon exclaimed, seemingly growing excited. "That means we'll get to meet her? We can meet Luna?"

"Um… well, y-yeah, I guess so." The gods hadn't been part of their original plan, but there was technically nothing stopping them.

"Oh…" Dionysus mumbled. "Is that why you ran out of class earlier? To come here?"

Yui nodded excitedly. "Mm-hmm. I knew the fan sign was today, so I wanted to make sure I got a place in line."

"Oooh, sounds fun!"

Yui turned around, blinking to see the Norse gods standing behind them. The noise had attracted everyone in the school, it seemed. Balder looked around at the shouting students with widened eyes. "Wow… It's rather strange to see this sort of thing happening to somebody else for a change."

"No kidding…" Loki muttered, linking his hands behind his head.

A blur of purple drew Kusanagi's attention. Looking to her side, she was startled to find the moon god at her side. "U-Um, Tsukito? What are you doing?"

He turned to her with his typical deadpan expression. "I am standing in line."

"Y-Yes, but why?"

"I am going to get an autograph." He lifted his handbook as though it were obvious.

"Huh? Tsukito, you're a Starlight?"

He shook his head. "Our goal is to learn about humans through human experience. This is part of the human experience. Therefore, in order to complete the mission, I must obtain it."

"Um… I don't know if I'd call getting an autograph a 'mission…'"

"Also, I am not a star. I am a god."

Yui blinked. "Er… n-no, Tsukito. Starlight, not a star…"

"I am failing to see the difference."

"A star is a burning ball of gas in the sky. A Starlight is… um… well, us." She gestured to herself and everyone around them. Her explanation didn't seem to help.

"I do not understand."

Takeru frowned in confusion. "Stars? You're all stars too? I thought this Luna was a star…"

"Oh, that must make her a super star!" Apollon exclaimed.

Yui fought the urge to sigh. "No… Starlights are — it's the name of her fandom."

"A fan dome? What's a fan dome?"

"Not a fan dome, a fandom. It's what you collectively call an idol's fans. Weren't you paying attention in class…?" Yui muttered. Perhaps he had been more distracted by the images than she thought. Shortly after their exchange, she was surprised to find all of the other gods gathering around her. "Eh?! Takeru? You too?"

"If my brother is going, then so am I. Not like I've got anything else to do. Besides, you humans have hyped her up so much, I'm curious to see what she's all about."

"I can't wait to meet her! I can't wait!" Apollon shouted.

"She looks cute in her photos. I wonder if she's even cuter up close," Dionysus reasoned.

"I am also curious to interact with Luna," Balder seconded. "Kusanagi made her sound very kind."

"I-I… I fear I may bring her misfortune…"

Dionysus shook her head. "Hades, it'll be fine."

"Guess you can count me in too. I've got a few questions I want to ask her…"

"Questions…?" His classmate eyed him suspiciously before narrowing her eyes. "Loki, you had better not pester my si — favorite artist. If you're asking what I think you are, don't."

Loki held her gaze, frowning when he saw how serious she was. He had now been on both of the sisters' bad sides. This box of traps wasn't worth opening. He would get another opportunity later. He was sure of it. "Alright, alright, fine. I won't mess with her. The last thing I need is both you and your sister —" Loki stopped, suddenly struck with a thought. "Come to think of it… where is puppy? She's one of those Starlights too, isn't she? I'm surprised she isn't here with you."

Yui's face went pale. "O-Oh! Um… Nari got here before I did. She got permission to leave class early, so she's probably further up in line,"

"She got out of class early just to come to this?" Takeru asked incredulously.

"Hmph. She must really like this artist," he mumbled suspiciously.

"Of course, she does," Balder confirmed. "I was asking some questions about her after one of our classes, and she was very knowledgeable. She knows the lyrics to all of her songs.

"Why the hell do you need song lyrics…?" Takeru questioned.

"For the concert. She provided them to me so I could sing along."

Loki tutted with a playful shake of his head. "Balder, Balder, Balder… whatever am I going to do with you?"

Yui interrupted their banter, her face lighting up with excitement as the doors opened. "Oh! It's starting!"

. . .

Straightening her corset, Nari took a deep breath to try and calm her nerves. It had been a while since she held one of these events, and she wasn't entirely certain she could pull it off. Fan signs were exhausting in the human world, but at least she knew what to expect. But here, in the magical garden, she didn't know what sort of things she would encounter.

Would she have a smooth, easy session, signing photo cards, taking pictures, and smiling for her fans? Would it be her nightmare come to life, being questioned and interrogated about the events leading up to her arrival? For that matter, how many students were out there? From all the noise, it almost sounded like the entire school. She was beginning to grow nervous when one of the doll staff got her attention.

"It's time, Luna," he said, gesturing toward the clock on the wall. It seemed there was no turning back now. Whatever was waiting for her on the other side, she would have to face.

"Alright… let's get this show on the road."

With a loud click, the staff slowly unlocked the large wooden doors. The moment they swung open, she nearly felt her jaw hit the floor. It seemed Zeus had programmed his students better than she anticipated. Lovely. As the stream of fans started filing in, Nari took a deep breath and gave her signature smile. Veiled behind the mask, Nari was gone.

. . .

The gods shuffled along in single file, watching as other students marched into the auditorium. After a few minutes, they would funnel out on the other side, looking a mixture of excitement and satisfaction. Yui wasn't sure how long they had been standing in line. The closer they inched to the door, the more nervous she became. She wasn't sure why. It was true that she had never been to an event like this, and she certainly felt out of place — anyone would, meeting their idol for the first time. But this was her sister, for crying out loud. There was no reason for her to feel anything other than supportive. She had been zoning out when she heard Apollon's excited voice in front of her.

"Oh, it's time! It's almost time! I can't wait!"

"Apollon, please calm down. I know you're excited, but…"

"Yeah, you don't want to frighten her off," Dionysus snarked.

"Di-Di, that's mean!"

His brother only smiled, turning his head as a waving arm got his attention. The security staff were calling them in. With a charming smile, Dionysus strode into the room, balking when he saw the inside.

The entire hall, which once served to hold the school assembly, had been transformed into a world of colorful wonder. Decorations lined the walls, and the center was filled with a winding pathway separated by crimson dangling ropes to keep the students in order. Following along the makeshift path, he made his way toward the table where the woman of the hour was seated. From his position in line, he could only see the top of her violet head which appeared to be adorned with purple… cat ears?

He didn't know what to make of it. One by one, the group made their way toward the center. The god of wine was the first to approach her, coming to a stop before the large desk. Unsure of what else to do, he waited patiently for her to finish signing a large photo of herself for the previous student before bidding them farewell. The student bowed to her, offering a small box wrapped with a pretty bow. He watched her gratefully accept it, flashing a dazzling smile before the student wandered off. When she turned her attention to him, she paused.

Now, standing in front of her, Dionysus did the same. The woman before him was far more beautiful than he had imagined. The photographs didn't do her justice at all. In still-form, she was a stunning beauty. But in person, she was a living work of art. Her violet waves were full and lush, her azure eyes sparkled in the light. They were oddly expressive, and strangely human; for a moment, he could have sworn she looked almost as surprised as he did. Almost. He was impressed. It seemed his father had crafted quite the replica. Fixing him with the most elegant grin, she greeted him with a bow of her head.

"Hello."

"Hey there."

"You seem surprised."

"I am a little, yeah. I wasn't expecting you to be so gorgeous," he said with a wink. To his surprise, she took his compliment in stride, giggling sweetly. Then, she shot him one right back, glitter sparkling from her lashes.

"Why thank you. You are far too kind. And you are?"

"Dionysus, god of wine and merriment."

"Well, thank you for coming, Dionysus. It is wonderful to see you."

"The pleasure is all mine. Meeting you was certainly worth the wait."

"Likewise. Always happy to meet a new Starlight."

The god of fertility smiled at her, feeling a certain way when she returned it. There was something odd about her gaze that kept him rooted to the spot, though he wasn't sure what. After a few moments, he shook himself out of it, remembering he only had limited time. "Ah, right. I didn't bring anything for you to sign."

"That's quite alright. Was there something else I can do for you?"

"Actually… there is one thing."

"Oh? Do tell."

The others watched with fascination; Luna leaning forward curiously as Dionysus whispered something in her ear. A look of surprise crossed her features for a moment before shifting into one of genuine amusement. Pulling back, she nodded her head before saying her goodbyes, making way for the next person in line.

Unlike his nephew, Hades slinked toward her, looking deeply concerned. Yes, he knew in his mind that this Luna wasn't real; she was only a figment of his brother's creation. Even still…

"E-Erm…"

"Hello there."

"U-Um… Hi."

"And who might you be?"

"Uh… Hades."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Hades." The god of the underworld gave no reaction. He instead averted his eyes toward anything but the woman in front of him. Luna smiled. "There's no reason to be so nervous. I promise, I won't bite." The wink she gave following her statement made him question that sentiment.

"R-Right. Well, I —" Hades had all but a moment to begin a more confident greeting when a loud creak sounded in front of him. In the next second, a leg of Luna's chair collapsed, bringing the entire thing tumbling to the floor. He watched in shocked horror as her eyes widened, leaping from the seat, and skittering away. She took it in stride, brushing off her skirt with graceful poise almost as though she had been expecting it. She was entirely unfazed.

"I apologize… I have brought misfortune…" Hades sulked. He turned away, fully prepared to be escorted out of the room when a gentle hand stopped him. She had come around the table, greeting him directly. Meeting her gaze, he was surprised to find her wearing a sympathetic smile.

"It's no trouble at all. Sometimes these things happen."

"I'll take my leave… I wouldn't want to bother you further —"

"I insist," she pressed. "Would you like a photo?"

Hades stared, looking like a deer in headlights as doll staff came toward them with a large camera. He wasn't sure what to do, still stunned by the sudden turn of events. The seconds that followed were fuzzy to him, Luna stood at his side and struck a pose, holding still for the camera shutter. She wasn't concerned about what happened at all. What a strange, strange woman. "…Thank you."

Luna offered him one final grin before the doll staff sent him on his way. The god of death could only meander to the exit, still in shock, after collecting his photograph. He couldn't help but chuckle at the image in his hands. It was actually rather adorable.

Back in the room, Luna nearly balked when her next visitor arrived. Apollon all but sprinted up to her, nearly alerting security in his haste. She could barely open her painted lips before he was babbling. "Oh, wow, wow! You're pretty! You're so, so pretty! Hi, my name is Apollon Agana Belea! I'm the god of the sun!"

"Hello, Apollon," Luna replied, narrowly keeping her composure.

"I saw Uncle Hades got a photo! Can I get one too?! Can I?!" It seemed the idol had inadvertently started a pattern.

"Hehe… sure."

There was little more that she could do than give him what he desired, striking a pose alongside him as he did the same. He held perfectly still until the camera clicked before returning immediately back into motion. "Thanks! Thanks so much!"

"Anytime."

When Apollon skipped away, Luna nearly heaved a sigh of relief. But her tired eyes illuminated with life when her next fan appeared, smiling with utter adoration. "Wow, Luna… you look so pretty."

"Why thank you, erm…?" she asked.

Continuing the charade, her sister responded. "Yui. Yui Kusanagi."

Luna remained in perfect character, offering a respectful bow which her sister returned. "It is lovely to meet you, Yui. Thank you so much for all your support."

"I would never do anything less… Luna." The sisters smiled lovingly at one another, giving a silent but knowing exchange. "Nice cat ears, by the way."

Luna chuckled. "A gift from a fan."

Before she left, Yui got her glowstick and her student handbook signed before getting a photo of both women beaming into the camera. As the faculty printed her image, Yui leaned close to her and whispered. "The others are here too… fair warning."

'Greaaat…' Luna nodded gracefully, before bidding her sister farewell. Despite that warning, she had little time to prepare for her next visitor as he stalked toward her.

"Huh. Thought you'd be taller." Luna blinked, taken aback by Takeru's immediate insult.

"Sorry to disappoint," she replied politely. As politely as possible while wanting to smack him.

He took note of her for a moment before looking away. He nervously scratched the back of his head, muttering quietly. "But I heard your stuff… not bad. For a human."

"Thank you for your kind words."

The god of storms had nothing more to say. To be honest, he had been expecting a bit more from her. From the way people spoke of her, he had assumed she would be more… animated? Perhaps the idol was passive off the stage. Having no interest in anything further, he left without a photo, but not without getting a signature in his handbook. His brother appeared shortly after he left. Unlike Takeru however, Tsukito got straight to the point. Deadpanned, he held out his handbook to her along with a pen. "Luna, please provide me with your autograph so I may complete my mission."

For a moment, he was met with a blank stare as the popstar tried to process his words. After a quick reset, she nodded. "Of course…" Luna took his handbook and signed it, looking a little unnerved as he stared at her with a blank face. When she handed it back to him, he bowed in gratitude. She returned the gesture before bidding farewell.

The next person was just as stoic and so tall, she was forced to look up at him. Thor stopped in front of her. "You have a beautiful voice."

"Thank you."

The two said nothing further to each other, leading to a silent and somewhat awkward exchange. In the end, they took a simple photo before he walked away.

Balder was next, appearing suddenly with far more life. Smiling sweetly, he offered her his student handbook, which she gracefully accepted. "I am so very pleased to meet you, Luna. I have listened to much of your work."

"I'm pleased to meet you too…?"

"Balder Hringhorni, Norse god of light."

"Thank you for your kind words, Balder. I'm happy to hear you have heard my music. You enjoyed it, I hope?"

"Like the enchanting songs of the Hulder, you have a voice as beautiful are you are."

Luna gave an appreciative smile and a grateful bow. "Your words fill me with great joy. Thank you so much for your support." With an autograph and a photo, Balder was on his way. For a moment, she was nearly relieved. And then, she wasn't.

Sauntering toward her, Loki appeared with a playful grin. At the sight of him, Luna couldn't hide her momentary frown. She came within centimeters of breaking character before she was able to recover, regarding him with a terse smile. "Hello."

"Hi, hi, hi," Loki sang. "My, my, aren't we the popular one. I have to say, I'm very impressed."

"I owe it all to the love and support of Starlights like you, Mr…?"

"Oh, I'm no Starlight." Loki disregarded her open-ended question. "But I might become one if I can learn more about you…"

"I-Is… that so?"

"Mm-hmm… perhaps we can spend some time together later, hmm? Have a nice chat."

Luna balked, forcing back the scowl that threatened to surface. "Lok — lovely." Luna immediately caught herself, halting her slip. "That sounds… lovely."

"Until then…" Loki startled her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and posing into the camera with a sly grin. Having successfully flustered and left her lost for words, the god of fire collected his photograph and sauntered toward the doorway. His eyes scanned over the image, taking in every detail. Luna certainly was quite a sight to see, and he would be lying if he said she hadn't had any effect on him. She was oddly fascinating to him… Almost magnetically so.

The idea that he could be attracted to a doll was nothing short of preposterous, yet he couldn't shake the feeling. Looking over his shoulder one last time, he was startled to find that she was looking back at him a look of similar unease on her face. He couldn't place his finger on it. But there was something about her… what was it? Shaking his head, he followed after his friends, making a note to bother Nari about her later.

'That's the last of the gods… thank heavens.' Luna could almost feel the tension leaving her shoulders as Loki disappeared from the room. With a grateful exhale, she resigned herself to the rest of her sign. The worst was finally over.

That was what she thought until a loud bang made her jump nearly a foot in the air. Turning her attention, she saw Thoth standing before her, a toy mummy slammed against the desk. She wasn't sure what to do or say to him, he looked livid. "Hello —"

"Sign it." That was all he said pointing at the mummy expectantly. Her eyes slowly drifted between the toy and the god gesturing to it before letting out an inward sigh. She couldn't see a world in which Thoth of all people would be a fan of Luna, let alone go to the trouble of collecting an autograph. He was clearly there as a proxy. She obliged, addressing the signature to Anubis, before handing it back to him. Thoth snatched it out of her hand before storming off, leaving her glaring after him.

Nearly four hours later, Luna let out a quiet sigh of relief as the last wave of fans made their way through. At some point during the process, Dionysus managed to sneak his way back in for a photograph. Security attempted to stop him, but she allowed it on account of not receiving one earlier. Finally, the fan sign was over, leaving her to retreat with the help of security quickly and discreetly to the safety of her dorm room.

. . .

"Well, that was… something."

The sisters spoke quietly in Nari's bedroom, relaxing after the taxing event. Yui watched her sister emerge from the bathroom after removing the last of her make up. "Nari… I really appreciate you doing this. It means the world to me."

"Your support means the world to me, Yui. I won't deny it was quite the… experience. But for you, I would do it all again."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I wasn't expecting the gods to show up. Nor for them to be so… invested."

"You're telling me. Balder called me a Hulder."

"What the heck is a Hulder?"

"It's a forest nymph of sorts. Sort of a Norse version of a siren…" Nari paused after answering, a look of confusion crossing her features. "And I'm not sure why I know that."

"Anyway, at least now you can get some rest."

"Hardly. I have to prepare for the concert now. There's tons of work to do, especially if I'm going to honor Dio's request."

"Oh, I've been meaning to bring that up, actually. What did he ask you for?"

"He said he wanted a song in his honor. Probably thinking back to a conversation we had…"

"You're going to write him a whole song? In a few days?"

"Absolutely not," Nari laughed. "But… I'm sure I can honor him in a different way. I'll take another look in the mythology section. I'm sure I'll get some ideas. There's gotta be a story about him or something in one of them…"

Yui snapped her fingers in realization. "Actually, there is one…"

. . .

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

Thanks again for reading! Still going strong on the project. I have a lot of chapters written, so there may be more uploads if I can remember to proof them. :)