Happy Mother’s Day! Inspired by an ask, ENA brought Junior back, and turns out she got along best with Coral Glassses! Both love her in their own way, and she’ll grow up to love them just as much!
I REALLY want to know your perspective on what Coral Glasses and Ena would be like as parents. Will the human board be considered as part of the family too, like an older sibling? And would Froggy and Dratula be sorta like uncles for Junior? I'm also curious of Froggy's thoughts of his coworkers having a kid, would he be concerned about it taking away work hours, maybe surprised?
(I'm so sorry for asking too many questions. I just really like the way you headcanon them and I'm very inspired!😭😭)
ENA and Coral as Parents, (+ Humbo, and everyone else's thoughts)!
First and foremost, Never be afraid to ask me anything! I love getting them the more the merrier. Second I am super flattered you enjoy the way I write the characters and are very inspired! I always aim to inspire.
Second, Here’s a little doodle I did! I was super inspired by your ask, so here’s everyone inspired by my answers!
To understand how ENA and Coral would be as parents, is to understand how children work in the world of ENA. Because the only children we see are Watchers, I am going to assume that aging isn't really a thing, nor is procreation save for separate instances like maybe entities spawning together with a pre-set dynamic (the witches for instance). That being said, the concept of being a parent is going to vary per character, and since Junior is an aging entity (until maturity), she has presented a unique situation that the characters had to adjust to.
Buckle up it's a long one, and we are just scratching the surface.
ENA
Without spoiling Junior's conception, Junior was ENA's child before Coral's, and (Until further notice) is the only other "ENA" they have contact with, thus ENA had a subconscious desire to protect something like herself (especially with the world around her).
ENA cares deeply about Junior first and foremost, but to say she is mother material is a stretch. She was not prepared for (both emotionally and literally) a child, but it was something that would provide an enriching experience.
She's very fast paced, I can see her doing the whole "as soon as Junior could walk she was already trying to teach her about the ins and outs of business"
They get along, but Junior is the type to see herself as an extension of ENA (similarly to how children do not see themselves separately from their parents), and ENA ISN'T the type to put that together and try to fix unless it is a serious problem.
Because Junior was an aging entity, Junior had to experience growing up. ENA, like others, didn't have that and that caused a problem the two still are trying to overcome. How do you handle something you never were, nor can you become?
With ENA's (in-game problem TBD) I can see her being protective of Junior, similarly to how Marlin was with Nemo (Finding Nemo). Walk with me here, not in the same way where she hovers, but in the way where her issues from the past would dictate decisions she makes when parenting that aren't for the best.
I can see her as restrictive, but not overtly. She doesn't bring out meanie immediately, she carefully uses Salesperson to sneak in lessons that keep Junior (in her eyes) safe.
You'll notice that there's a bit of restraint when writing ENA as a mother, and it's because it's hard to imagine someone as complex as her adjusting to something as complex as this. It isn't something as simple as, giving her a child to look after, it's a mirror being held up to her, it's like confronting herself. Seeing a version of herself that she has chosen to care for and guide. She would feel alone, even with extra hands, because there's just something there stopping her from fully understanding the process. She loves Junior, but ENA is a person of self preservation. Junior presents a challenge to her, she makes her question her own caliber in emotional maturity.
Summary: ENA is a decent mother, but she is the protector. She's a mother who *SEES* herself in her daughter. And it think that's crucial for portraying her as such. ENA is a work oriented person, taking care of something isn't what she's trying to do when there's so much else to worry about.
Coral Glasses
Canonically speaking, Coral and ENA are parents together, but I still think that they aren't 100% a couple in the context of Junior' storyline. But I would be lying if I said Junior didn't bring them closer.
Coral Glasses gets along better with Junior than ENA does. There isn't this obligation to follow along with her and what she does. I won't spoil here, but she made an unmistakable impact on Junior the first time they meet.
Coral is usually the first person Junior is drawn to out of ENA's entourage, she's darting straight to her when she shows up to them.
She wants to be like her, even if she sees herself as apart of ENA by default. Coral finds that flattering, but sometimes feels there's this pressure to perform. She has to set a good example after all!
Coral didn't have strong feelings about her job, she wanted one, needed money, and had a life to fix, but as she grew closer with those around her, in particularly ENA, she found herself envisioning her future with a few more entities by her side. It wasn't until Junior, did she realize she grew accustomed to her environment, and thought maybe she didn't want to pursue work elsewhere... Maybe here was just fine.
Of course Coral is a woman of uncertainty, so she wasn't confident in her skills as a parent. In fact, if we are talking canon, she would be hesitant to even call herself Junior's mother, because she wouldn't see herself as worthy of such a heavy title. But to Junior, deep down that's her Eomma, in AUs where they are a legit family, she does call her that. (trust me this is deeper than it looks)
When it comes to discipline, Coral does NOT want to be the one to crack the whip, but sometimes she can just tell which situations warrant Meanie, and which will lead to Junior going home in tears, so she steps in in her own way. By that I mean help Junior find an way to explain to ENA what happened and perhaps shift SOME of the blame off of the kid.
Maybe Coral glasses has a shifty side to herself, hands in pockets? Money troubles? Constantly sweaty? she's lied a couple times in her life, she can lie a couple more if it means Junior doesn't get in too much trouble. Even if she's very "get in and get out", she loves Junior and hates noisiness, conflict is best avoided.
Summary: Junie (Coral's nickname), is her baby, that's her baby, she cares about her deeply despite the constraints of being in character. Junior latched onto her and didn't let go, and Coral's ambivalent nature carried her further into parenthood than expected, now she's in it for the long run. She has a knack for getting herself into things doesn't she?
Humanboard
Ah yes Junior's Uncle-Babysitter-Rebound-Guardian-Godbrother-Best-friend-Companion-Family-Heirloom A.K.A. my favorite Junior Dynamic. I will be splitting this into two categories, Humanboard canoincally, as the item, and Humanboard Headcanon-ically, basically the way I draw him.
Headcanon-ically, Fully articulated:
ENA was not prepared to handle a baby, and no, neither was Humbo, but here's the thing. I HC Humanboards have human intuition, (Lol Motherboard intuition?) despite being creations/products. Its part of the fact that they are items of servitude. He was the backbone of Junior's upbringing. While ENA was struggling with Junior, He quickly was able to recognize what different cues meant. It's less he knows everything, it's more he has the ability to pattern recognize. He did this with ENA too, he also can tell when something is up.
I think that Humbo would be the default caretaker, in the Outworld, when ENA needed(?) rest, he would be the one watching Junior if she wasn't asleep alongside her. As she grew up, it was their primary place to hang out and have fun.
She calls him "Humbo", or "Hubo" (froggy's nickname for Humanboard).
Definitely her shoulder to cry on. He's close to an older brother figure, but my friend and I like to call him "Young uncle".
ENA finds their friendship endearing, but never thought to consider him family until Junior brought it up. Does she now? On her end, it's unprofessional, and there's a bit of a distance there, As I mentioned he's seen ENA at her most vulnerable and can sense it... So... She's not super comfortable with that yet. But she respects how much Junior cares about him.
Part of me thinks he does stupid things with her, but knowing what he's meant to be I think it's more fitting he accidentally enables Junior's mishaps.
Junior definitely sees Humanboard more as a best friend when she gets older, as she can handle herself better and isn't running to him in tears and arms out. But he doesn't hesitate to bring her down below his level and humble her if she gets too big for her britches.
Canonically, The Item:
To ENA The Humanboard is simply a tool, (and on a good day, a companion), to get from place to place in record speed. But to Junior, he's like a stuffed animal you had your entire life. One that's seen your happiest smile, and your loneliest cry. Sure they are "just a toy" but to you they're a life staple, to you they are family.
Junior didn't have much to relate to growing up, entities were pretty stagnant in terms of appearance, so this idea that Junior could grow and change was something isolated to her. But the Humanboard, despite being (age-wise) fully matured, gave Junior something to identify with. His change in height mirrored her own, and it was the closest thing, she had to something like herself.
In ENA fashion, Junior personifies something that can't reciprocate the same feelings back to her. She cares deeply for the head, and was the first to recognize the lack of grunting when she would use him. ENA chalks it up to her being lightweight, But Junior thinks otherwise.
Summary: Suffice to say, Humbo was such a presence in Junior's life, you ask her what he is and she says "My best friend" articulated or not. If he's sapient, he feels an obligation to protect and look after her, even when he stands just up to her chin.
Froggy and Dratula
This will be combined as I have mainly the three above developed most!
When ENA first brought Junior back, Froggy was the most uncertain, he had never seen a baby before, no one has, maybe baby animals? But not humanoid ones! He couldn't even tell you where watchers came from!
All he knew was this thing was small, needy, and loud, the worst possible candidate for an intern. She was better off getting another Humanboard to do heavy lifting.
Froggy was the person who planted seeds that made ENA doubt her decision to keep Junior when things were rough. She is a worker, and that's who he and everyone else knows her as. To balance a child and a job, especially alone, is a feat that she wasn't certain she would be cut out for. Froggy thought this for sure, and at some point ENA agreed with him. But with the help of Coral and/or Humbo, she was able to be pulled out of her slump.
Froggy was surprised to see ENA insist she brings Junior with her on her journey's. And he (hesitantly) offered for her to leave her with them upon learning how dangerous an upcoming mission was.
Froggy is funny, he thinks Junior was too much for ENA, yet he didn't realize how difficult caring for a child was when HE was doing it.
Dratula to me gives fun uncle who lets you do crazy shit because where he came from that was normal. I'm not saying he's the type of guy to let Junior have a little sip of a lil smth before shes 21 (human AU this fits best in), but hey, i wouldn't be surprised if he took her downstairs to the slot machines because he wanted to see how lucky she was... Him and Kane totally did this.
Dratula's personality was a lot for her to get used to, it took her a bit given how theatrical and vocal he was, but by the time she had aged into being a toddler, he went from a mood killer, to a mood maker.
She enjoys riding on his shoulders, he's so tall! She can't with froggy, he's not a really physical guy, he can balance her on his shoulder, but his headpiece was just too big and there isn't enough space.
Froggy's mannerisms make her laugh, the way he talks, his energy, it always resonated with her. He's the kinda guy to talk to her like she's an adult even when she's really little, and didn't fully see her as an independent thing until she was able to speak full coherent sentences.
More like, oh that's ENA's very important thing... That isn't able to do much, that she insists on bringing on missions... That I slightly worry for incase it gets hurt.
I think sometimes she goes to them for advice, but not super personal emotional advice, they probably have a lot of stories from their past to tell in her eyes. She probably says "My mothers old coworkers" and froggy gets all "Old? Hang on now don't lump me in with him!"
Summary: They are high Cortisol uncles, she likes Froggy and Dratula, more when she's older. Froggy is more funny, Dratula is more overwhelming, but as she ages, it evens out.
I have a question about your Junior AU! Did Coral and ENA just decide to have Junior one day? Was was their relationship like before junior?
It’s Mother’s Day, I posted the drawing for this ask separately! It’s right before this post. I hope this answers ur question!!
Did Coral and ENA decide to have Junior?
Short Answer: Junior was born from the Skyorb after ENA wished for enrichment from a genie. It’s after she takes her own adventure following the canon plot (so it’s a very open ended yet canon compliant story). It’s explained in the Jr guide more further, Just check her tag #ena Junior ! However, Junior grew attached to Coral and began to adapt traits from her, effectively making her her second mom. So they never decided to "have" her as a couple would with a baby, she was made for them though.
HOWEVER... To entertain the idea of her being born “normally” (as in they decide to have a baby together, not by means of their strange world), I like to think that It would be more of ENA’s decision, definitely after a lot of thinking and planning, not smth she saw herself doing at all. Honestly I don’t really see ENA wanting a child OUTRIGHT, because Juniors situation is very specific and comes from a subconscious desire manifested as a person. Wanting something for herself that represents a part of herself that she has either A. lost or B.wants to protect. ENA, from what I presume, lives forever and lives lonely, meaning that the rest of her life post canon, even if she has her coworkers, will still be spent as the only "ENA" (TO BE CHANGED IF NEW INFO ARISES). So I suppose them wanting a child would mean ENA finding it in herself to love Coral enough to want to see the two of them produce something that would make her feel fulfilled, all the while allowing herself to make a mark on a world that otherwise wouldn't have wanted her to. It's a character arc thing idk where im going with this. Junior's situation cannot simply be translated as easily into two ppl wanting a child as ENA's world and writing style doesn't 100% overlap with reality.
ENA and Coral Glasses' Relationship Prior to Junior:
Taking from my other CoralENA thoughts, I think it was closer than coworkers, but not explicitly together, I'm working more canon compliant for this so I don't think they were super together! I do however, think that Coral at that point would have known enough about ENA and have gotten close enough to her to be concerned for her and while she may not be the first to make a move when she's upset, she is the one ENA can confide in the most and probably make her feel the best!
After Junior came around, their relationship really grew closer, It's hard not to when to literally anyone else it's even more obvious they are a couple.
GIRL WGAT IS THE BABY’S NAMEE TELLLL I LOVE YOUR FANKID THEYRE SO CUTESIE RAGGHGGGGHHHHHHHHGH😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
OMG THANK YOU SO MUCHH!! im so happy you do! Her name is Junior! Since you mentioned (other ask) you saw her name...
How about I tell you why she's named Junior!
I like the whole "ENA is a species"/"there's multiple ENA(of the same name)" I think it would be funny if an ENA had a baby, she would name her Jr, as a way to imply she is of her mother('s name).
BUT there's a double meaning. Junior, is also a reference to the term "Junior position" which is another way of saying "entry-level". So down to her name it is a reference to ENA: The Worker, especially a newer/younger worker ENA.
