Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A polygonal body slumped againts a wall, once stiff, now the invisible joints relaxed, like the rigor mortis of a corpse finally losening enough to allow the muscles to relax, ENA was alive, but she still felt somewhat dead.
Her eyes blinked, adjuting her vision, blinked again, everything was pixelated, as it should, clear, crisp, sharp.

Taking a moment to get used to her new old body, ENA yawned, her face shifting into her white side as her joints complained the movements, groans from both sides until her feet finally allowed her to stand, even if they slightly trembled.

She took a second to take in her surroundings, The red sky and equally red sea, the legs dancing in the water, almost like they were greeting her, wlecoming her to her new old life, she did not smile at this, even if she found some sort of comfort knowing they at least aknowledged her precense.

Walking a bit to release the tension and still on the lookout for Froggy, her foot met something quite sharp and quite fragile, bits and pieces of porcelain, a piggy bank, broken and bleeding gold.

Kane was their name, and they were still broken.
Despite not being a coworker, just another tourist trying to reach the [Bathroom] it felt wrong to simply leave them here, so she kneeled on their remains, gold coins, awfully cold and heavier than what she expected now rested on her hat placed on the ground.
Her hands moved carefully but withgout hesitation, firmly grasping the bits and pieces of the piggy bank and joining it after analysing where tehy belong, the still bleeding gold made them stick, so there was no place for mistakes.

Once it was done ENA deposited all the coins back into the bank, one by one, maybe it was her imagination, but they felt a bit warmer now.

Rising to her full height still holding onto the little porcelain pig, she loked around, lookign for a place to deposit the still sleeping Kane, it would be awful if they were to break by someone not looking where they were heading.

No place seemed fine by her subjective metrics, maybe she could hold onto them in the meantime? Maybe Kane wouldn't take it in the correct way.

As this new old ENA was considering her option, something else seemed to capture her attention, someone else...

Taski Maiden was moving at terminal velocity towards her, moving away from a very tired looking Coral Glasses.

Ignoring the possible danger she found herself in, ENA raised her Claw Hand and greeted the CEO of Organizing Events (or something)

"Aha! It seems we find each other again, have you reconsidered my Divesment Opport-!"

Before the mounts even left her mouth, a pait of yellow and black arms took hold of her neck and her lips were captured by the Maiden, ending with and over exagerated "MUAH!!1!!! *v*" before she jumped off from her and made her way towards the underside of the island where the receptionist guarded some doors.

As the Maiden departed ENA thought she could hear a very distant:

"MUAJAJAJAJA, I GOT THE JOB BABEH! ◝(ᵔᗜᵔ)◜"

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She never quite figured how long she stood there until the piggy bank slipped from her hands and crashed into the ground, snapping her from the stun effect, fortunately nothing broke.

Now with Kane safely stored in her pocket, she made her way towards Coral Glasses, still conflicted, occupied and very much tired, with wave after wave of fax papers falling to the ground if not catched promptly.

"Excuse me, miss Coral?" Her white side said, equally wide eyed as her red compatriot, but still able to formulate words.

"Hmm? Oh! ENA, you're back, Mr Froggy asked me to tell you to go and talk with him once your... situation was over, are you feeling better?"

"Uhh, well, I- I mean, the... The Maiden..."
Why was her mouth working so strangely today? Why can't Red take over? she's the one who had an easier time with words.

"Thats right! the candidate you sent my way, i must confess i had my... reservations about her, but once I managed to explain her job in the inaguration she seemed more than capable of handling it, thanks for your job"

If she noticed the public display of affection that took place barely 5 meters away from her, she didn't show it, had anyone even noticed it? was it all a strange digital hallucination?
She took way too much time to answer, this was noticed by the Suited womanb in front of her

"Is... everything alright ENA?"

Was it? Neither side had an answer, Red was still quiet

"Yes! just need to- Need to take a walk, worry not"

Coral adjusted her glasses, her shoulders slumping a bit as some papers were discarted and thrown carelessly on the ground.

"If you say so, Froggy must be near the docks, talk to him once you're feeling better"

ENA was already making her way towards the beach before Coral had time to finish, forcing her to raise a bit her voice to make sure ENA listened.

"Will do, thanks" answered her mithless voice, it would be quite rude not to answer a fellow worker.

ENA walked towards the sea, and she will continue walking until another obstacle finds its place in her path.

Chapter Text

Her feet moved mechanically, like they had a mind on their own, until they touched the cold and murky waters, tainted red, legs swimming not too close, a cautious distance, carefully watching if ENA was foolish enough to try and swim in Their Turf, despite the very clear lack of eyes, ready to take the plunge and drag her into the deep.

They didn't looked that friendly anymore.

ENA could heard the sounds of a heated conversation just a few meters away, her head turned towards her left, over extending the motion so White could see more clearly where the ruckus was originating from.

Froggy and The (self titled) Great Dratulaaa!!! were having a civil screaming match on top of the docks, his cowoker seemed a bit healthier, getting rid of the smoke must have helped his condition.

The suited man seemed to notice her in the distance.

"Ah, ENA! there you are! Come over here!"
Froggy called to her, and her feet obeyed the coomand like a robot, like a mindless ENA would and should.

Still walking by the seaside, her body suddenly met the obstacle of the Dock being a raised platform over the shore, it reached a little bit over her waist, but ENA, unstopable as ever, no-clipped through the wooden pillars and was suddenly standing a few steps away from the screaming duo, startling them both.

"I... See you're up and walking again, your little trip must have left you a bit disoriented, eh?... ENA?"

Her eyes were focused on the distance in front of her, not on the frog in front of them, she was looking through him.

"I... Yeah, I'm fine, I just... The Maiden"

Froggy rolled his eyes before facepalming and walking a bit around the dock.

"Ah, that explains it all. I met with her once she stepped out of the door, she was rambling incoherent nothings about how different this place was, urmanium splashes and a very rude employee, finally, no thanks to Dratula, I managed to learn she is the candidate Ms Coral Glasses was looking for, sent directly by you no less. Talking with her gave a headache, so once she was another's entity problem i moved here... Still, this nutjob followed"

He turned to send a bitter look towards the Vampir, who was feeding the legs swimming in the water with frozen peas from his pockets, ignoring the two entities standing right besides him.

Froggy then looked at ENA, she still looked somewhat shaken up, stiff (more than usual) and her gaze had fallen, a look of deep thought adorning half her visage.

"Hey, ENA?"
He waited until he was sure the polygon was paying attention.

"Why don't you take a coffe break? You already got rid of this smoke, we don't have any more tasks until further notice, go home and we'll talk tomorrow, okay?"

Without further words Froggy departed, probably to his own home, dissmising her.

Ena turned towards the horizon, where her current Target's gut was awaiting her, she walked to the enge of the dock and sat besides the Vampir, watching the legs play and feed off the peas, but still on the lookout for a tasty ENA to snack on, if the opportunity presented itself.

"Viscious sea rats"
White commented under her breath, as pretty as they seemed, they were still omnivores and wild animals, getting mad at them wasn't rational, but she couldn't help it.

"Is that vvhats on your mind today?"
Dratula commented, now fidgeting with the buttons of his impecable coat.

ENA wasn't expecting an answer, much less a question, she remained silent, how was she supposed to explain what had just happened?

"Is this about zhat Maiden you mentioned earlier"

White frowned, Red stood still

"My, aren't you a sharp tool?"
There was an edge to her voice, but somehow it wasn't aimed at him specifically.

Her clawed hand rose and carefully tyraved over her red side, a warms sensation still remained there

"Did she cast a spell on you?"

"Huh?!"
Ena's head swiveled so hard it almost made a full rotation, her pupils small on her eyes, entirely focused on Dratula, frozen in a thinker's pose,

"You seems avvfully quiet compared to out first meeting, I'm just guessing she must have done something, for you to act this vvay"

He was rather perceptive, more than one might suspect given his bombastic tendencies.

"Pffff, well, she... she did something alright"

"Ah, maybe she's a vampire too! And cursed you become her thrall!"

All hope was lost on his cause.

"Yeah, sure, lets go witha that"
With a bored expression, ENA crossed her legs and rested her face on her left hand.
There was still something bothering her about all of this, like she was forgetting something...

"Bah! that frog ass was right, I should probably go home and rest"
And wait until Red was cooperative again.

Ena raised from the wooden dock, carefully and slow to avoid any accidents with the legs, as she made her way towards The Bed Door where her hosue was located, she heard the voice of Dratula echoing in the distance, alongside some thunderclaps and music.

"If you turn out to be cursed come to me right away! There is still hope to cure you!"

"Wathever, thanks!"
She shouted back at the waving Vampir.

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Truth to be told, she didn't wanted to go back home just yet, but the trek back here managed to ease her mind just a bit, walking all the way back home might help with clearing it further.

Or it would have been if Coral wasn't coming her way with clear intentions of further small talk.

"I assume you've already talked with Mr Froggy"

"Ah, yeah, yes, he just told me to await for further instructions, nothing relevant"

"Thats great, I can't affort much breaks between my jobs. In any case, i wanted to tell you, the "Taski Maiden" got the O.K. to organize the inauguration, so we will be seeing more of her in the future"

Great.

"...Great"
Her stomach was doing things, she couldn't tell what it was, but it fell wrong.

"I must also say, I hope she doesn't cause any trouble on the day of the inauguration, she seemed rather... comfortable with invading other entities personal space"

...WaitWhat!?¡¿

"H-huh?"
All the progress her little walk managed to achieve went down the drain (like the b0ss soon enough).
Had she actually seen the little scene? she noticed but decided not to mention it earlier? WHY?
Or... what if the Maiden had also kissed Her!?

For some reason, that last possibility made a pit form on her stomach.

"I made it very clear that handshakes were not part on the job description, but she insisted until I gave up, I just hope my hands werent too clammy"
The suited woman looked away, scratching her face as it sweated profusely, the red stripes of her coral waving nervously"

Oh... That was all, Taski just wanted to settle things properly with a handshake, probably collect her genious germs... Why had she kissed her, then?

"Do- Do you know where she went?"
The question left her lips before her mind had a moment to process it, it sounded somewhat masuline, tho.

"Probably to her home, altough I can't tell you where that is, her whole curriculum is a mess of scribbles, the only legible words are her name and favourite color, despite the fact that it wasn't a question. Thats also why I had to wait for the O.K. Her, being a special case, that demanded an alternative contracting method."

Well, that was it, then. Until they meet again right here, ENA had no other way of contacting the Maiden, and only Runas knew how long that would take.

A beeping noise pierced the air.

"Oh! It seems its time for me to go home, you should probably go and rest too, Ena"
With a hasty bow, Coral Glasses departed from the scene, leaving Ena... leaving White, alone.

With blocky steps, she went to talk with the recepcionist and to her home, she needed the walk more than ever.

Chapter Text

ENA's intercation with the receptionist was barely registered by the entity, limiting herself to some classist remarks and the wish for the bicolored girl to not cross that door soon.

The way to her house was engraved inside her mind since forever at this point, without the worry of getting missing, ENA walked aimlessly until her feet ached.

Returning home, she ate pixelated cereals and sat in the kitchen ruminating until she had to force herself to turn off the curtains and close the lights, tucking herlsef in bed and wait... And wait...

And Wait...

And Wait...

And Wait...

White groaned as she bent forward to cradle her poor aching head between her hands, there was a severe lack of everything, and it was driving her crazy.

How was she supposed to feel right now? why she wasn't feeling it? It felt like the sheer ammount of emotions that swirled over her head somehow blocked each other.

She didn't wanted to think about her day so far, but the silence was equally unbearable.

Almost as unbearable as thinking Maiden could have kissed Coral too.

...

With that particular insight piercing the dense canopy of her mind, ENA slumped back into bed, the single blanket she had was now discarted, her hat swingin' on the bedpost to her left, her arms at either side, not quite reaching the edge of the bed; she had paid good money to get a queen size matters after all.

She could feel it more clearly now, a very warm feeling making her red side blush brigther than the sky, a certain static to it, where a soft texture met her blocky façade, a sharp, pale finger traced a line where the ghost of a sensation remained.

"W-What just happened?"
Red asked

"Well, look who decided to grace us with her presence!"
White retorted, not amused in the slightest.

"Meanie?... Wha-"
"I told you not to call me that"
Icy cold voice interrupted before the red side proceded.

"My apologies... What are we doing back home?"

"I! Took us back here... Thanks for at least not blocking the function of the legs"
It was hard to express her anger with just one side of her body, and kinda uncomfortable to cross her arms when one was not available, bust still she tried, with all her might.

"I... Im not sure what came over me, I'm sorry"
"You don't have to apologize for everything, you know? I just want to vent a little, be mad at you in calm.

Before Red could apologize for her unnecesary ammount of apologies a pale hand covered her mouth.

A few seconds passed, it was clear they both knew what needed to be said, but neither one wanted to take the first step.

"At least you managed to get something clear?"
"... I beg your pardon?"
White was shifting between looking at the void of her window or the glowing jellyfish trapped in the lightbulb.

"About earlier, im still stumped about... what the Maiden did"
"You mean... the Kiss?"
Red shifted to the side, fidgeting with one corner of her discarted blanket, the tassels proving a bit of comnfort.

"Yeah, I'm a bit lost, and your sudden dissapearance didn't helped at all, what happened after she kissed you?"

"I don't have a proper answer just yet, I guess it took me by surprise, and something in our systems must... have.. Don't you mean when she kissed Us?"}
Red bent forwards again, now sitting on the bed.

"Nope, You were doing the talking, mouth was on Your side, hense, she kissed You"
White's voice was neutral, way too neutral.

"Would you have liked... if she kissed you instead?"

Silence.

"Would you?"

Maybe Dratula was right, maybe she had castel a spell on her.