ENA’s day had been as uneventful as ever; the usual routine of drawing, painting, and being served by her countless maids and attendants. Yet, for some reason, something about today felt different. Maybe it was the way this painting was coming out, or the sharp ache in her wrist pleading for rest, or perhaps the desirable, alluring pull of the paintbrush’s magic.
She couldn’t quite tell. Beyond that, everything was the same old monotony. Art was the only thing that gave her days any spark, but even that spark was fading. The painting was nearly finished, her inspiration was thinning, and she could already feel the weight of an oncoming art block building up.
She almost didn’t want to finish this painting. The impending boredom of it being done could only lead her to ruin it by trying to overdo it…or by dooming her to at least a few days of boredom. Groaning, she let herself fall back onto her red couch, sinking into its satin blankets. “Uuuugh…Nothing to do, nothing ever gets better!” She wailed, a hand running down her face and misplacing her frames.
Her voice echoed faintly through the wide, echoing chamber of her studio, a space that felt far too large for just one restless artist. The canvases hung in gilded frames and still glistening with half-dried paint, stared back at her like silent critics. ENA adjusted her crooked glasses with a frustrated huff, rolling onto her side as a nearby maid peeked in, hesitant.
“Miss ENA, are you quite alright?”
“I’m bored, Naina!” she moaned, flinging one arm dramatically toward the ceiling. “Utterly, catastrophically bored! The colors don’t talk to me anymore, they just sit there!”
The maid blinked, clearly unsure how to respond to that. “I understand. I’m sorry, Miss.” When she turned around to leave, ENA sighed again, sinking deeper into the cushions until she was practically swallowed by the couch’s red folds.
“yeah, sure…” ENA growled under her breath, tossing the wet brush away. “Sure you understand, Naina. Everybody ALWAYS pretends they understand!” The artist whined, curling herself into the blankets. “You understand nothing!”
The room went quiet except for the soft, pitiful plop of paintwater dripping off the table. ENA stared at the ceiling — at the little cracks that looked like continents she’d never visit — and let out the longest sigh in history.
“Nothing good ever happens to me!” she muttered to nobody. “Not one miraculous event, not even a slightly interesting inconvenience! I don’t get visited by cosmic entities, or struck by inspiration! No, oh no, I just sit here! Waiting for excitement to knock on my door and say, ‘Hello ENA, are you ready to stop being a boring blob of existence?’”
She rolled onto her side, dramatically.
“Even my meltdowns are starting to repeat themselves. Same colors, same noises, same pitiful spirals. I’m reruns of my own misery!”
The blanket muffled her next complaint, turning her voice small and echoey.
“Maybe I'm just filler.”
Her eyes flicked toward the brush she’d thrown; it had landed in a perfect little puddle of green. The color shimmered faintly.
“...Or maybe,” she said, sitting up slowly. “the universe is bored of me too.”
with a pause, She stared at the tinted water, a bubble forming…that then popped, as if it was mocking her and her boredom.
“Great. Even paintwater is having more fun than I am.”
…
Suddenly, the puddle rippled. Once… then again.
ENA sat up, eyes narrowing. “Huh?”
A loud crash echoed from somewhere behind her, glass shattering, wood splintering. She jerked around, startled. “Hello?! Naina??” she called out, her voice rising as more crashes followed, mingling with the panicked shouts of her servants.
“What in the…what’s happening?!”
Bolting out of her studio, ENA shouted over the commotion. “What the HELL is going on?!”
“MISS ENA! WATCH OUT!!” one maid cried.
ENA ducked instinctively, just as something whipped through the air above her, fast enough to stir the dust.
Something…or someone?
“AH!” ENA yelped, whipping her head to the side…
and froze.
A tall figure loomed there, humanoid in shape but unmistakably feral in its movements. It crouched low, eyes narrowed, nose wrinkled, a guttural growl rumbling from its throat. Then, in a flash, its gaze sharpened,
and it hissed, a sound so sharp it sliced through the air.
The servants froze, caught between fear and confusion. None of them dared to move.
“I–Intruder…” ENA breathed, locking eyes with the creature.
It bared its teeth, a reminder that it could snap the artist in half if it was threatened…then bolted, crashing through furniture and scattering debris in its wake.
“IT’S GETTING AWAY! GET IT!” ENA barked, pointing a clawed hand toward the fleeing shape.
Her servants immediately obeyed, dashing after the intruder as it darted through the mansion’s corridors with uncanny speed, its movements a blur of instinct and chaos. ENA followed suit, as much as her heels could carry her.
Crossing through the doorway from the alley, ENA stepped into the grand lounge of her mansion, only to spot the creature clinging to the wall. Its claws dug into the surface, legs tense as it crouched against the ceiling. From above, it hissed and growled down at the servants below.
But ENA noticed almost immediately that…
it wasn’t angry. It was terrified.
Her expression shifted, confusion mixing with concern.
“W–What did you do to make it so frightened?” she demanded, turning sharply toward Naina.
“I’m not entirely sure…someone might have tried to shoo it away or hit it with a broom…” Naina innocently replied.
“...Well, now we have to deal with this.” ENA muttered, the sharp click of her heels echoing through the tense silence hanging between the creature and her servants. “Guess I did ask for a less boring day…”
She gazed up at the entity, careful not to meet its eyes this time. That alone seemed enough to make it feel threatened; so with a startled hiss, it leapt away, vanishing into the vast corridors of the manor.
ENA exhaled sharply and turned to her staff, pinching the bridge of her nose.
“Look…I’m not exactly thrilled about having an uninvited guest running loose in my home. But please, don’t make this worse for me. Let it be, for now. I’ll handle it later.”
One of the servants hesitated. “B-but…how will you, Miss?”
“The old-fashioned way.” ENA replied flatly, her golden paintbrush already in hand, glinting under the dim lights.
“O-oh…right.”
“Alright, that will be all for now. Dismissed.” ENA concluded, clapping her hands twice. Her servants, clearly exhausted from the chaos, bowed and scattered at once, finally allowed a moment of rest.
A long, drawn-out sigh slipped from her lips as she turned away. The mansion was quiet again…eerily so. Her footsteps echoed softly down one of the endless corridors, the faint golden reflections of her own art flickering on the walls as she passed.
She rubbed her temples, muttering under her breath, “An intruder, a wrecked studio, and my pride slightly bruised…lovely.” Her stomach grumbled in reply, earning a dry laugh from herself. “Ah, of course. Add hunger to the list.”
Rounding a corner, she pushed open the door to the kitchen…only to freeze in place.
The room looked like a tornado had hosted a dinner party. Pots and plates lay shattered on the floor, flour coated the counters like snowfall, and half-eaten crystals and turrón confetti were scattered across the tiles. The refrigerator door hung open, humming pitifully.
And right in the middle of the devastation…was it.
The same creature, wild-eyed and jittery, was hunched over the counter, scarfing down whatever it could get its claws on. It didn’t even notice her at first, too absorbed in tearing apart a bunch of spaghetti code with alarming enthusiasm.
ENA’s eye twitched. She crossed her arms, inhaled deeply through her nose, and muttered with forced calm…
“…This is going to be a huge test of my patience.”
ENA strode over to the refrigerator, her eyes scanning the wreckage until they landed on the lone survivor: a solitary piece of turrón. Snatching it up, she slipped out of the kitchen, mentally noting to have the cleaning staff handle the mess once the…guest had finished its feast.
She sank her teeth into the sweet treat as she walked, muttering under her breath with a wry edge. “At least this never gets old…”
After a few hours, there was peace and quiet…oddly enough. Aside from the muffled cleaning in the kitchen, ENA had strangely returned to her daily boredom, as if nothing had really happened. It was weird - did that entity leave? Did she really not even have to raise a finger for the problem to have disappeared?
That would be impossible…So, to prove a point to herself, ENA decided to go have a look around her mansion. The many alleyways were adorned with paintings, they stared, moved, tried to escape…but they couldn’t escape a genie’s power, stolen by the very artist strolling by her picturesque prison.
Eventually, her search led her to one of the many bedroom doors, left slightly ajar. Curiosity piqued, she peeked inside…and of course, it was, indeed, far too good to be true.
There, sprawled across one of her luxurious beds, was the entity that had broken into her house earlier. Its claws sank and pulled into the soft blankets, while its jaw clamped down on a pillow. A low, rumbling sound emanated from it…not one of anger or aggression, but something closer to…contentment.
“You gotta be kidding me…” ENA muttered, her shoulders sagging in frustration.
Her voice, however, did not go unnoticed. The intruder’s head snapped up, and with a sudden surge of movement, it began crawling off the bed. Step by step, it advanced toward her, looming taller with every motion until it practically towered over the artist.
“W-whoa…easy…easy…” ENA whispered, holding her hands up defensively. “Just… easy…”
The entity let out a low, strange sound and inched closer. ENA had no idea what it intended, but she knew she wasn’t going to like it.
Without warning, it lunged, gripping her torso and abdomen, pressing her floating limbs tightly against her body to hold her still.
“W-WAIT! HEY!” she shouted, thrashing, but it didn’t release her. “H-HEY! LET ME GO!”
Instead, it only tightened its hold and began retreating into the bedroom. With a powerful swish of its tail, the door slammed shut, and ENA yelped in surprise, unsure if the slam had been intentional or accidental.
“Ugh! LET ME GO, I SAID!!” she yelled, struggling, but the creature remained unyielding.
ENA was utterly powerless now. In her panic, she had dropped the paintbrush she cherished so dearly, leaving it abandoned somewhere out in the alleyway. Retrieving it anytime soon was out of the question, because the creature had wrapped its arms around her, pulling her back onto the bed, practically enveloping her in its large form.
She groaned, tilting her head to watch as it slowly grew drowsy, its thrashing finally subsiding, until it drifted off to sleep. All that feasting and rampaging would exhaust anyone…especially something as large and unpredictable as this.
ENA whimpered softly, aching to free herself, to wriggle out from under its weight…but she couldn’t. One wrong move might wake it, and only Runas knew what might happen then.
Was this even real? Her perfectly ordered world, now shattered; her prized possessions, ruined; her composure, slipping away. The edges of her sanity felt dangerously thin.
Tears threatened to spill, but a small, fragile thought flickered in her mind: maybe…just maybe…if she could fall asleep, she could wake up from this nightmare. It wouldn’t be easy, but she could at least try.
It was crazy, it was a crazed thought. But she’d try. And try she did, her eyes lidding shut to attempt an escape that was at least mental. She did not want to be there, mentally.
Eventually, her attempts would prove fruitful…
…And when ENA woke up, she found herself shrouded in what seemed to be darkness. She felt warm, comfortable…she almost didn’t want to move, in fear that she’d somehow zip out of whatever position she was, and never feel anything like this again. This…this felt nice. Was she under her blankets? On the couch, in her studio? She didn’t know…but this felt too good for her to move and find out.
Unfortunately…a rumbling purr would tell her otherwise. The warmth was suddenly stolen by a shiver going through each and every part of her body.
She wriggled, trying to escape the creature’s hold, only to realize she was still in the same bed with it. Her movement stirred the entity, and when its gaze met hers, its expression twisted into a wide, saber-toothed grin. ENA could feel her face draining of color, slowly fading several shades paler.
“Can your paintings do that too…?” it asked, its voice low and rough, a clawed finger gesturing toward her face.
“Y-You can talk?!” ENA blurted, scrambling backward–only for her clawed hand to slip into the empty void beside the bed. With a startled yelp, she toppled backward, tumbling ungracefully onto her carpeted floor.
The creature let out a laugh; low, rough, but oh so amused. “Of course I can talk. What, you think I’d waste my words on those bozos you’ve got working for you? They nearly beat the daylight out of me! You, though…” Its grin widened. “You’ve actually been nice to me.”
“More like tolerated you.” ENA muttered, brushing dust off her skirt as she stood. Her arms crossed sharply. “What exactly made you think sneaking into someone’s house uninvited was a good idea?”
“Well…” The creature tilted its head, an almost playful glint in its eyes. “Can’t say it was a bad idea. I ate, I found a nice bed, and I even got a teddy bear.” It leaned in and tapped her nose lightly with a claw as it said the last part. “Still think that’s such a terrible plan?”
ENA flushed, her voice rising in flustered indignation. “Well, it was a bad idea from my end! You have no respect for the homeowner!”
“Heh heh heh…” The creature’s laugh was low and teasing. “But you have respect for your guests. I like that. Aren’t you just the sweetest?”
With a chuckle, it slid off the bed, its tail sweeping out to nudge ENA backward. “I’d say that you’re also quite the rude one, though–you haven’t even asked for my name!”
“Oof-” ENA stumbled back upon being hit by the entity’s tail. “Ugh, what IS your name then?”
“Oh, I’m glad you asked!” It bowed with mock flatter. “My name’s…well, call me Colexi. Your name must be just ENA.”
“I- yes, it-”
“Yeah, you lasses are always called that.” Colexi dismissively waved her hand.
“I-”
ENA was cut off once more by Colexi inching close to her face. “But you,” she purred, voice low. “you’re a fun one. Between the one who’d cry over a dead fly and another who can make anything sound like a deal, you’re…different. I’ve met someone like you before, one with a similar spark.”
Its eyes glinted with quiet amusement. “You’d probably get along…” She said, pacing around the room with a careful step…only to spot a few splotches of paint on the carpet, and the broken handle of a brush. “...Nevermind.”
“Well, what do you do for fun?” Colexi asked, turning back toward ENA with that same unwavering smile.
“Uh… I draw?” ENA replied hesitantly. For once, her voice dipped into a lower, more masculine tone.
Colexi tilted her head. “That doesn’t sound like fun to you.”
“I…well, I look for my muse.” ENA admitted, her eyes darting away as a faint hint of color brushed her cheeks.
“A muse, huh?” Colexi crouched down, curiosity flickering in her eyes. “That does sound interesting. And who exactly do you want your muse to be?”
“W–well…” ENA fidgeted, her gaze dropping to the floor. “It’s…another ENA. One you’ve met before–the, uh, salesperson.”
Colexi’s grin widened. “Oh, her. What makes that one so special to you?”
ENA’s eyes softened. “She’s…radiant.” she said quietly, her voice taking on a dreamy lilt. “Like…a sunrise wearing a business suit. Always talking, always selling…but there’s something about the way she shines when she’s caught up in her own words. She’s so confident, so sure of herself…like she could sell you the air you’re breathing and make you thank her for it. And, the way she’s so…honest, but brutal sometimes, when something finally makes her boil over…it’s…”
Colexi chuckled. “You’re such a cornball.”
“I-I know…” ENA sighed, a tiny, embarrassed smile tugging at her lips. “But it’s true.”
“I…could get her to meet up with you.” Colexi nonchalantly said, scratching one of her ears, its silver earring promptly fixed shortly after.
“Wait…really?” ENA perked up, bewildered by what Colexi just said.
“Yes, really.” Colexi said with a firm nod, lifting a finger to ENA’s face. “But under one condition.”
“Y-yes, anything…” ENA stammered, clasping her hands together, excitement barely contained.
“You’ll let me live here.” Colexi’s tone softened, but her eyes stayed sharp. “I’m not after your wealth or your shiny furniture, none of that means anything to me. All I care about is food and a place to sleep. Your servants will treat me with even the most basic respect. Do that, and the saleswoman you so desire will be right at your doorstep.” She extended her hand, waiting expectantly. “Do we have a deal?”
“...”
ENA hesitated, her mind churning. She wouldn’t even be home all the time…and if that was truly all Colexi wanted, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. Shelter in exchange for her muse, that sounded simple enough.
Still, a nagging thought crept in. Could she really trust her? After all, Colexi had broken in, raided her pantry, and, well…practically kidnapped her in her own house.
ENA’s eyes flicked between Colexi’s outstretched hand and her grin that was just a little too confident. Finally, she let out a sigh.
“Fine. You can stay.” she muttered, reluctantly taking the creature’s hand. “But only if you promise not to destroy anything else…or kidnap me again.”
Colexi’s grin widened, her claws curling around ENA’s hand in a surprisingly gentle shake. “Oh, I promise…no more chaos. Unless it’s the fun kind.”
“That’s not reassuring.” ENA said flatly, tugging her hand back.
Colexi laughed, flicking her tail with a pleased swish. “Relax, little artist. You’ll hardly notice I’m here.”
“I doubt that…” ENA sighed, already regretting her decision.
Colexi tilted her head, the corners of her mouth curling. “Oh, don’t worry. I’ll make myself very noticeable…just not in the way you’re thinking.”
ENA blinked. “...That’s even less reassuring.”
Colexi only laughed again, stretching like a cat who had just found its favorite new home. “You’re a fun one. You and I will get along just fine.”
It had been a few weeks of Colexi earning her stay in the mansion, now. It certainly felt less…lonely. ENA’s artistic spark had returned, and Colexi was simply doing her own thing; most of her day was wasted sleeping on beds and couches, or by keeping ENA company during meals with her presence. For once, ENA didn’t feel like she was confined to the mansion’s spaces to be considered normal; she had a rather absurdist view of the world, of these doors that can lead you to certain damnation if you so happen to choose the wrong path, where you’ll be left behind if you don’t find a way out in time.
Despite having the ability to travel doors safely, despite having cracked that code…ENA felt like all the power she had in her hands was too much, yet too little to let her achieve her goals. She’s gone from door to door, corner to corner, looking for that saleswoman, yet no one she met was able to help her. The ones who willingly withheld information were captured, used as decoration for her luxurious home as punishment. It was way worse than being locked behind a door for sure, and she knew that.
Nevertheless, ENA was putting the final touches on her latest painting when Colexi’s large hand came to rest atop the easel. Peeking around the edge of the canvas, she grinned at the artist. “‘Sup.”
“Ah-!” ENA jumped, startled, then sighed with relief. “Oh, it’s just you, Colexi…Uh, I dunno.” She glanced back at her work. “Just…painting, I guess.”
“…Are you feeling down again?” Colexi asked softly, stepping out from behind the easel before dropping onto the satin-covered couch with an easy grace.
“I…” ENA let out a breath. “Yeah, I can’t really say I’m all that cheerful today…” she admitted, her gaze drifting toward an empty pedestal. “Still no muse…”
“Oh, right! That’s what I was supposed to do today!” Colexi exclaimed and jumped off the couch, reaching over to ruffle ENA’s hair. “You’re the best reminder, you know that? Looks like I’ve got my work cut out for me.”
“Ah?” ENA adjusted her glasses. “Really?”
“Yep! I’d better get going if I want to keep my promise. Try not to miss me too much~” Colexi teased, sauntering toward the door.
“…” ENA couldn’t help but laugh quietly, her hands trembling with sudden excitement as they clenched into small fists.
The Mansion was…a little creepy when it was so silent. Colexi would encounter the eventual servant, but they wouldn’t pay much mind to her, aside from stepping aside to get out of the way. All the paintings staring at her didn’t make her feel the usual sense of attention she’d usually enjoy - no, they almost asked for her help, in the best way they could.
She remembered an instance where ENA showed her a specific room, filled with paintings of…doors. She mentioned that they acted as portals to, well…other doors.
Colexi thought about it; ENA didn’t really tell her how they worked. Maybe she could just…step in them? Well, she was gonna find out soon enough. Turning around the corner, she stepped inside the dimly lit room that ENA showed her.
Many paintings with strokes of blue hues were displayed before the entity. One of them, so happened to be the Bed Door. Colexi remembered this door; and she remembered exactly where it was going to lead her.
That thought easily pulled a grin onto her face. Approaching the painting, her step was careful, hand tapping at the canvas, half-expecting to have a stain of paint on her palm…but instead, she felt an odd sensation. Did she phase through the painting a little?
“Certainly isn’t the weirdest thing I’ve seen…” Colexi muttered, her eyes flicking toward the doorframe behind her. The faint scent of turpentine and oil paint still clung to her hair. “I should change forms.”
She drew in a deep breath, feeling the familiar weight of her current form settle across her shoulders like a too-heavy coat. The air around her began to hum faintly; low at first, then building to a soft, vibrating tension. Her hands trembled as she shifted into a more familiar form, one that could easily blend in, and go unnoticed: the form of an ENA.
“Alright…” she whispered to herself, closing her eyes.
The outlines of her body blurred, edges sharpening into polygonal limbs. Her face changed, now divided in two colors. Time seemed to have gone still as her form shifted- height adjusting, voice softening, until Colexi stood there reborn, her expression serene but focused.
She flexed her hands experimentally, watching faint traces of energy drift off her fingertips like sparks.
“That’s better.” she murmured with a small, satisfied smile. “If I’m going to nab an ENA, I’ll need to look like one.”
“So…” Her gaze returned to the painting. “Do I just…jump in there?” She asked herself out loud, pressing a hand against the canvas and watching as it phased right through, along with the rest of her. “Oh!-“
Tumbling forward with a yelp, Colexi found herself in a familiar place. Only this time…the slot machines seemed to be working. There’s been some renovations going on.
Colexi needed a decoy. So, she hid in the garage alleyway to give herself some time to think. She now looks like an ENA, and ENAs are very well known to be disliked by others…she could use that to her advantage.
But how? Maybe she could fake being in need of help, or…that interview…the one she had with that lady, Coral Glasses…
No, she was in a different form. Back to thinking.
“What if…mmh…I guess that could work.” Colexi muttered to herself, getting back up straight to go find the saleswoman. It took a little bit of walking around, but eventually, she spotted the unmistakable green hat and red overalls right at the stairs below the hub.
She took a deep breath before she started her façade, calling out to the salesperson. “ENA!”
Immediately, she turned around. Colexi continued with her acting, running toward her almost desperately, putting on her best desperate face. “I need help! Please, from one ENA to another…”
“…What seems to be the problem?” ENA crossed her arms, waiting for a response.
“My door’s citizens are in danger…” Colexi cried. “Our Genie, he wants to lay waste to his own world. We need help. I’ve seen your rounds through the doors. I’ll pay you handsomely for this…”
“Huh…” ENA tapped her chin, mulling the thought over. “Sounds like your whole account’s going south. If the profit margin’s right…” She let a grin spread, then pulled her hat’s visor down with practiced confidence. “…I can take on an extra shift. Consider it an overtime close.”
Colexi’s smile curved, carefully practiced. She hid her satisfaction behind a soft, grateful, “Thank you…”
“Of course.” ENA strode a few steps past her, turned away from her, already moving through the logistics in her head. “I’ll need to scope the operation, line up supplies, and, most importantly, brief Froggy and Coral. Can’t leave the team under-resourced.”
“There won’t be any need for that…” Colexi’s voice changed, cooling mid-sentence.
“Huh? Why?” ENA turned, the question hanging in the air like a missed deadline.
Colexi let the mask drop, the performance was over. Behind ENA, a familiar face materialized; one that had once come through the hub. “…Wait, you’re…”
“…Because you will never see them again.”
Before ENA could file a rebuttal, Colexi lunged, seizing her. The saleswoman yelped, surprise and indignation bursting out in a single, shocked, “HEY!”
The commotion set off alarms in the hub, literally and figuratively, and ENA’s coworkers hurried downstairs to investigate.
Froggy yelped, recognition snapping into place. “Colexi? What are you doing here?!” he demanded.
Colexi didn’t answer. She simply hauled ENA toward the door, dragging her like a reclaimed asset.
Coral Glasses, however, was the one who charged in to stop her, surprisingly enough. She lunged for ENA’s legs, fingers scrabbling for release. “LET ENA GO, Colexi! What’s gotten into you?!”
“ENA’s tenure with your company is terminated.” Colexi said icily. “She’s being…reassigned.”
“And who authorized that?!” Coral shouted, straining to wrench ENA free. But every step Colexi took pulled Coral farther from the threshold; Froggy attempted to help, but even he slipped as he was dragged along, helpless against the pull.
“Guys…” ENA looked at them, pain flashing across her face. She turned her gaze away, then straightened. With a swift, practiced motion, she reeled a knee back and kicked Coral and Froggy away, an abrupt, efficient maneuver that bought them distance.
By the time they scrambled to their feet, ENA was gone, swept through the door with Colexi, her last silhouette disappearing as the portal sealed behind them.
ENA’s eyes fluttered open to find herself surrounded by canvases. Shades of blue washed over every surface, brushstrokes forming into the shape of doors. It didn’t take long for her to realize what she was seeing: each painting was a portal. Colexi had used one of them to bring her here.
Whoever awaited her on the other side clearly understood how to navigate this world…and that thought alone made her chest tighten.
“W-Where are you taking me…?” she managed, her voice hoarse. The grip on her body was unrelenting, every step sending a dull ache through her shoulders.
“To your new boss.” Colexi replied, her tone as cold and even as glass. She continued down the corridor at an unhurried pace, her calmness almost cruel in contrast to ENA’s helplessness.
As they passed, servants turned to stare, whispering among themselves. In less than a day, Colexi had achieved what their master had been struggling to accomplish for months. And now, she was bringing home the prize.
Opening the doors to the studio with one hand, Colexi announced her return. “I’m back.”
and when the other ENA saw the saleswoman in Colexi’s arms…she gasped. “You…you actually did it…”
“Pshh, yeah. You wanted me to.” Colexi chuckled, releasing the businesswoman by hurling her forward and into the floor, earning a pained whine from her.
ENA grabbed the other up, getting her back onto her feet, and admired her features. “Oh, isn’t she beautiful, Colexi?” She cooed, running a hand into her raven hair. “Her hair is so silky…so pretty…”
ENA was visibly uncomfortable, her red half flushed as she looked away, but the artist quickly cupped her chin and made her look back at her.
“And these arms…so strong…” She let go of ENA’s chin to run her finger along the sharp edges of her white arm, interlacing her fingers with the saleswoman’s. “I knew she’d be the perfect muse…”
“Muse…?” ENA looked at her own reflection through the other’s glasses, she couldn’t hide the concern on her face.
“Yes, muse…” The artist pulled her forward, forcing ENA to walk with her. “You’re the perfect muse for me.”
Colexi seemed amused by all this. She saw this as a shady corporate puppet getting punished. So, she sat back onto the couch, enjoying the show.
ENA seized the teal ribbon that usually adorned her arms and used it to bind the other’s wrists behind her back. The saleslady didn’t resist…not anymore. Exhaustion had drained the last of her fight, leaving only the quiet instinct to follow where she was led.
She was guided to a golden pedestal and forced to kneel. The fabric beneath her shimmered faintly in the light, catching the single tear that slipped from her cheek and vanished into the cushion below.
Coral…Froggy…
Their names echoed in her mind like voices fading down a long hallway. She’d only wanted to help Colexi; to lend a hand, close the deal, make things right. But somewhere between the promise and the portal, she’d been sold out.
“Colexi…” ENA purred, brush poised and already wet with paint. “Would you mind posing her for me?”
“…Sure.” Colexi rose, approaching the other ENA with slow, deliberate steps. “How do you want her positioned?”
“Mm…have her sit down. Arms raised behind her head.” ENA said, her gaze flicking between canvas and captive, already sketching the outlines of the scene.
“Alright.” Colexi knelt beside the restrained figure, gripping one leg and sliding it out from under her, then the other. “Sit. There you go, quickly now.”
It was mechanical, like arranging a mannequin. The captive ENA didn’t resist; the spark was gone. She moved only as directed, settling into the pose with her eyes half-lidded and her face blank, impossible to read.
“Perfect. Hold it right there.” ENA murmured, a smile curling at the edge of her voice. “Thanks, Colexi.”
“No problem.” Colexi returned to her seat, folding her arms as she watched. The real performance, she thought, was only beginning.
Only a few days of stay, and ENA had started to become more and more miserable. More than she already was, more than she already hid. This twisted artist and her friend didn’t show any sign of wanting to let her go.
ENA was greatly loved by her captor, admired, adored. She’d been fed regularly and given a bed where to sleep. She wasn’t being starved or deprived of any of her needs, yet…she felt like a bird in a cage. This mansion was too ordinary, too mundane…ENA missed the outside world.
The artist wouldn’t just use ENA as her muse; sometimes she’d want affection from her. She’d cuddle her, keep her close, make her feel warm…
…and ENA accepted it. Because if she closed her eyes, she could pretend that she was back home, with Coral being the one cuddling her.
She wished she could feel her warmth, her strands of hair against her cheek when they kissed, the way she’d hold her when she’d fall asleep…
The thoughts would become too many sometimes…and ENA would spiral into crying fits. And nothing her captor did or thought of doing would console her.
Today was one of those days. While the artist was painting away at her newest work, ENA wasn’t able to hold the pose after a few hours; all she could think of was how much she wanted to go home.
And so, she broke composure, starting to cry under the massive mental pressure, her hands hiding her face. The other ENA, the artist, looked away from her canvas, noticing that her muse had started one of her fits again. She sighed, and set the paintbrush and palette aside. “ENA…” She started.
“I want to go home…” Her feminine voice trembled, as she wiped away her tears with her gloved hand.
“But this is your home now…” The artist offered a smile, reaching out a hand to caress ENA’s cheek…
That sentence made something snap inside the saleswoman.
She slapped ENA’s hand away. “It’s NOT!” she yelled. “And stop touching me! I don’t want your stupid little touches! I don’t want to stay here and waste any more time I could spend doing my JOB!”
“But I am your new bo-“
“YOU ARE NO BOSS OF MINE.” ENA pointed a trembling claw toward the artist. “My boss is out there and needs someone to deal with him. And that someone was supposed to be ME!”
She stepped off of the pedestal, walking closer and closer to the other, making her back away with each step. “But YOU decided to ruin everything. And for what? FOR WHAT. Your little obsession with me, that’s what!”
“I…Y-you’re supposed to obey! ENAs are supposed to obey their tasks!” The artist retorted, confused.
“Then obey this simple order for me,” ENA grabbed the other’s arms tightly. “Let me BE. I do not want to be your muse, I do not want to work for you, and I certainly do not want to stay here.”
“W-Why won’t you just LISTEN?!” The other asked, exasperated.
“AND WHY WON’T YOU JUST DIE?!-“
The saleswoman was cut off by brute force crashing her down into the ground, pinning her. “ACK!-“
“…I think you just crossed a line here.” It was Colexi. She had heard the commotion coming from the studio. “Put on your best business smile and say sorry.”
“Y-you crossed several lines with me!-“ The force of Colexi’s leg onto ENA’s body only got stronger as she gave the wrong answer.
“Apologize to her.” Colexi growled, baring her teeth at the saleslady.
“N…no-” ENA’s response did not satisfy Colexi, who used a clawed hand to pin her head against the floor. The saleslady felt her face being crushed, desperately trying to free herself, but she was tied. They never took the binds off.
Colexi’s tone was cold against ENA; her mere words were enough to make her shiver. “You know what happens when you dig your heels in, don’t you? The more you struggle, the more this goes on. Apologize.”
ENA’s confidence finally faltered. “I-I’m sorry-I’m sorry, ENA, I’m-“ the saleswoman was released, her spark dying back down to submission. Nothing she’d do could get her out of this.
“…” The artist gently helped ENA back up, cupping her chin to look her in the eye. For a second, ENA saw the kindness that Coral would use with her in the artist’s eyes…
…but the artist could only see an abyss in ENA’s.
“…I’m hurting you, aren’t I?” She asked, caressing at the other’s red side.
ENA melted into her touch, nodding slowly. She couldn’t help it, her body hurt too much.
And so the artist hugged her close, sat back onto her couch and let ENA stay, her weak voice slowly faltering. “I…I wish to clock out, now…” She murmured a few other words before she inevitably passed out from her exhaustion and damage. “Coral…She’s…”
“…Coral?” The other ENA looked up at Colexi. “Who’s Coral?”
“Coral Glasses,” The entity began, arms crossed against her chest. “She’s this ENA’s co-worker…and girlfriend.”
“Girlfriend…?” ENA looked down at the saleswoman, feeling a twinge of nervousness. “S…she has a girlfriend…?”
“You make it sound like you want her to be your girlfriend.” Colexi grinned, her tail swishing behind her.
“I-I mean…yeah, I do…” ENA seemed upset for a bit…but as soon as an idea sparked in her head, a smile played on her face. “…If she has a girlfriend, then I guess that…she could pay us a visit.”
Realizing what ENA was hinting at, Colexi’s grin could reach the corners of her face. “I like the sound of that.”
Returning to the Hub after a few days of ENA being captured, felt…strange. The atmosphere seemed to be more and more monochrome, greyscaled and unsaturated. Colexi grinned; seems like Froggy and Coral were in turmoil about all this…
And Colexi knew that Coral would be there. Her girlfriend being captive won’t pay the bills after all.
Her quiet steps slowly reached the top of the hub; the usual visitors were gone, too scared to return in fear of being captured, the sky seemed darker…
But Coral and Froggy were there. Coral couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw Colexi return.
“YOU!” Coral shouted, attempting to run toward the entity before Froggy grabbed her by the waist to stop her. “Where’s ENA?! Where did you take her?!”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?~” Colexi leaned down to be face-to-face with the woman. “Perhaps I could take you to her.”
“I’m not going anywhere!” Coral shouted, desperately trying to pry herself out of Froggy’s grasp. “YOU should bring her back!”
“Heheheh…” Colexi laughed, a wicked harsh sound. “I don’t think that’s going to happen anytime soon. If you want your little girlfriend back…you’ll have to earn her back.”
“…” Coral furrowed her brows. “Oh, yeah? I do, don’t I?”
“Yes.” The entity squinted her eyes, her response flat.
“…I’ll do it.”
“WHAT?!” Froggy’s grip got even stronger. “Glasses, are you out of your mind?!”
“Without ENA, yes. I’m taking her back…” She glared at Colexi. “…whatever it takes.”
“Ha! This is why I LIKE you!” Colexi turned around, looking back at Coral with a double grin. “As much as I can like a corporate puppet, that is. So shy, so nervous and so fragile…but when it’s about that ENA…you turn as tough as stone.”
She hopped back down the stairs, laughing to herself as she did.
“…Let go, Froggy.” Coral sighed, looking down at her co-worker.
“N-nooo! Y-You can’t just leave me here!” Froggy pleaded, his snot-trickled face plastered against Coral’s hip.
“Froggy, come on! Just…let…me…go!” Coral struggled, popping herself out of his grip with a bit of wriggling. “I’ll be back…I promise.”
“But…how can you know that so surely?” Froggy frowned, his hands close to his chest in concern.
Coral turned her head to glance back at him. “I’ve been planning. Don’t worry, we’re getting our ENA back. Stay in contact.”
…She actually didn’t know if she was even going to come back. Wherever she’ll be…she just wants to see ENA again. Coral has actually been planning…she just wasn’t sure if it was going to work.
It had to work. She’s been in far more dire situations, having to deal with the death of a genie and needing to find a new one was like looking for a needle in a ball of hay. Looking for ENA…was going to be significantly easier.
With heart and wires pounding in her chest, Coral made her way downstairs, her gaze meeting Colexi’s sharp eyes for a second. She didn’t fight it, instead she went willingly, with the entity following behind.
…
...ENA had been slowly regaining consciousness. She felt tired, couldn’t move her body of an inch. That red couch engulfed her in its satin, with the artist watching over her.
Her eyes stung with tears threatening to spill forth. She was never going to leave, was she? She was never going to see Coral again. She was…
“ENA!”
That voice made the saleswoman spring up, eyes wide. She knew that voice. “Coral??”
Coral ran up to her, her arms curling tight around her in a hug. “Oh, ENA…You’re okay…”
“HEY!” A shrill voice made Coral jump.
“Ah!- w-wh…?”
It was another ENA. One half of her face was pitch black…the other a greyed-out shade of pink. “Get OFF of MY muse.” She ordered, one of her lenses cracking as if they were pressured by her mere voice.
“And who are-“ Coral tried to speak, but she was shoved away. “-Hey!”
“I’m the one that makes the rules here.” She glared. “You are going to sit down and watch.”
“I don’t care who makes the rules here! She’s my gir-…c-coworker!” Coral retorted, catching herself at the last second.
“She’s your GIRLFRIEND huh?!” the artist yelled.
“I-“ Coral felt her face get warmer. “Yes! Yes she is! And you have no say in this!”
“I’M THE OWNER OF THIS PLACE!” ENA shrieked. “SHE IS NO GIRLFRIEND OF YOURS HERE. She’s MINE!” She shrieked, stomping her heel. “MINE, MINE, MINE, MINE!”
“ENA.”
A voice cut through the silence. Its bluntness made the artist return to her usual self near-immediately. “…Y-yes, Colexi?”
“This isn’t fun to watch.” She crossed her arms.
“…Right. Tie her up.”
“Now we’re talking.” Colexi grabbed Coral by the arms, tearing one of the curtain ribbons off to bind her hands.
The saleswoman had been watching this with horror. This fully convinced her that she needed to get out, and fast. She tried to undo her own binds, pulling her arms apart, prying at the knot with her claws…and she felt it coming a little loose.
She continued, buying time from the distraction to get herself loosened more. Her arms were getting strained, but it didn’t matter, she needed to get these binds off.
The other ENA gave Coral a smug grin. “Good. Now I’ll make you watch…” She cupped the saleslady’s chin, leaning down closer. “…how she becomes mine.”
Moments before the noblewoman could plant a kiss onto ENA’s lips, one of her arms finally came loose…
…and she used it to deck the artist straight in the face, flinging her into the ground. Her glasses were bounced clean off her face, landing right next to her.
Colexi gasped, letting Coral go and failing to tie her. This gave Coral a moment to run; She snatched up a bottle of turpentine from the easel, and grabbed ENA before Colexi could get to her, opening the studio doors with a kick and running through the corridors.
“I’ve been waiting days to do that.” ENA’s voice growled before switching. “So, what’s today’s schedule to get us out of this situation?” she asked, finally able to run after a few days.
“Get back to the portal paintings!” Coral replied, moving as quickly as she could, hearing Colexi’s steps right behind the two.
The mansion was vast, and Coral was getting lost. Not even ENA remembered where they were supposed to go. But Colexi…she knew the mansion like her pockets.
After what felt like hours (but was most likely just minutes), Coral and ENA thought they’d finally lost Colexi. Their footsteps echoed through the endless corridors, hearts pounding as they sprinted toward the exit…
Only to find her already there, blocking the doorway.
Colexi lunged forward, a blur of movement. But Coral was quicker.
“Get down, ENA!” she shouted, diving low and slipping between the entity’s legs. ENA followed, both scrambling past before Colexi could recover.
Snarling, Colexi spun around to give chase…only to slam her head squarely against the doorframe with a loud crack. “Ow- ugh!” She staggered, rubbing her forehead and trying to shake off the dizziness.
By the time her vision cleared, Coral was already armed; turpentine bottle in hand, hurling it at the Bed Door painting. The glass shattered on impact, splattering the surface with oily liquid that quickly began to eat through the image.
“Let’s go!” Coral grabbed ENA’s hand, and together they leapt through the dissolving portal, just before it warped beyond repair.
Colexi rushed after them, but the portal had already gone dead. She slammed into the solid wall instead, the echo of the impact filling the room.
“Ugh! They got away!” she snarled, fists clenching as paint flakes drifted down around her.
Tumbling out of the portal, ENA and Coral hit the tiled floor of the hub in a tangled roll before finally coming to a stop. The portal sealed shut behind them, leaving only the quiet hum of the room.
Both lay there for a moment, breathless, hearts still racing from the chase…but safe.
“Hah…heh…we actually did it…” Coral said between laughs, relief melting into a grin. “Welcome back, ENA.”
ENA let out a shaky chuckle of her own. “I’ve never been this happy to clock back in.” she said, smiling despite the exhaustion.
“ENA! Glasses!!” Froggy’s voice echoed through the hub as he sprinted toward them. He dropped to his knees beside the two, eyes wide with relief as he took in their tired, paint-streaked faces.
“I can’t believe it, you’re back! I thought you’d never make it out of there!”
Coral managed a weary smile. “Heh…well, we almost didn’t.”
ENA stuffed her hands in her shorts and exhaled. “Let’s just say it wasn’t the smoothest business trip.”
Froggy laughed shakily, half-crying, half-grinning. “You’re unbelievable, both of you.”
Coral leaned back against the wall, the tension finally leaving her shoulders. “Next time I gotta save you, I’m filing for overtime pay.” She elbowed ENA, the three of them bursting into laughter.
They were safe, and together again.