Here, under the false stars ݁₊ ⊹

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Another Elden ring au piece that I did a lil bit ago but keep forgetting to post

First: I said so much about how work consumes Ena's life, meanwhile the very first line of the game is Froggy telling Ena to get back to work. like. Yeah. Can't get much clearer than that 😭😭 [MINECRAFT CAVE SOUND]

Second: This flavor text at the very beginning of the game is so short and simple but also Haunts Me. (if you don't remember, this is what it says if you try to interact with the door to the casino Before it opens during the first cutscene!)

Mostly because I feel like it's interesting that Ena's deprecating her Own Business (the casino for whatever reason is closed for like, a few minutes, and now it no longer qualifies as a "good business"? ...Girl?) and also because it's another example of how she's so conditioned to an ideal of Work above All Else. GIRL YOU CANNOT BE DOING 24/7 HOURS YOU CAN'T!!!!! THAT DOESN'T MEAN A BUSINESS IS GOOD!!!!! ENA YOU CAN'T BE DOING THAT!!!!!!!!!!

Also, this line is so iconic i can't believe i forgot it, but. Can we just acknowledge how she describes her shitty fucking job as a "Lifestyle" and her "Destiny".

And the worst part is like. Yeah, what more CAN she do indeed? She has absolutely 0 power to change her situation and nobody out there gives a shit about her. Ena.... KILL YOUR BOSS AND YOU WILL BE REINCARNATED AS A LOTUS FLOWER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And third, i talked about how what Ena's actual job is is pretty unclear and how I think that contributes to the theme of work consuming her life, and I still agree with that 100%, but I also forgot the very overt nods to her being a scammer 😭 (THANK you so much @aroace-elgyem)

And, no yeah—it definitely seems like she's Actually some MLM-esque schemer conman, but given the fact that she Still does literally whatever the fuck people ask of her, I'd argue her job is defined much more by giving herself to whatever everybody else wants more than it is her sales tactics.

and also both of them have like, the Correct moral outlook on the situations that the protagonist struggles with. karkat and flynn are signposts towards what should be done.