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Tenna had just finished another eye-catching TV segment, amazing his fans and exhausting his co-workers. Monster’s clapping faded away as Tenna and his crew all exited the stage and relaxed in the Green Room.
Tenna fell onto the couch, whipping away his sweat with a handkerchief, and then stuffed it back into his pocket. “Amazing show tonight, right folks?”
Everyone reluctantly agreed—Tenna was their boss so anything he says goes.
Nobody stayed with Tenna, however. Lanino and Elnina left holding each other, the pippins sagged away, every shadowguy disappeared, even the damn watercooler shuffled out of the Green Room. Tenna knew where they were going. They were all going to their rooms to relax and sleep, which was logical.
However, Tenna had no clue where these rooms really were. Every night when his team left, he would search all over his studios for anyone. And every night he was alone, somehow.
Tenna’s cheery attitude became dull. He sat in silence for a few minutes, hoping someone would rush back in, but nobody came. Tenna sighed.
He pushed himself off the couch and left the Green Room. He passed through many halls and stages, all empty and lightless. Every TV screen was off, every light was growing dim. Tenna used the light from his own screen to navigate his world.
He entered the gaming room and turned on its screen. He plugged in his controller and plopped on the couch. He wasn’t tired enough to sleep, so he might as well just play a few games before bed.
The game screen booted up and Tenna began playing The Legend of Tenna. Unfortunately it was the only game he had. Tenna had considered creating a new video game. It would help with bringing in a new audience and higher ratings, but video games took years to develop and Tenna still wasn’t used to its technologies.
A strange scratching sound came from under the couch. Tenna leaped up.
“WHAT is THAT?!” He screamed and ran from the couch. More scratching and movement was heard from under. Tenna was prepared to throw the controller at whatever was below there.
A small black creature scurried out. It was fuzzy with long rabbit-like ears. Its wide jaws smiled at Tenna. Then the creature sprinted towards him.
Tenna screamed again, expected to be mauled by the beast. Instead, the creature snuggled against his leg. Tenna’s fears paused. He gazed down at the animal.
“Ahah- WELL! You’re not much of a scary little critter, aren’t ya?” Tenna bent over to pet it, and the creature leaned into his touch. It made a small adorable purring noise that Tenna couldn’t resist.
He lifted the creature up with both hands to cradle in his arms. “What were you even doing in here in the first place, little buddy? Are you lost? Alone like me?”
The creature did not verbally respond to his comments. It only snuggled into Tenna’s chest, purring loudly like a cat. “EXCELLENT!!! You must be looking for an owner too! But hmph, what should I call you?”
The creature nibbled at his tie. “OH! I’ll call you Eram! It’s a lovely name for a lovely creature such as yourself! Now, how about we head off to sleep? We have a long show-day tomorrow! Maybe I should do a segment on pet-keeping?”
Tenna left the game room with Eram, spouting random ideas for tomorrow’s special TV segment.
⋆☆✮☆⋆
Eram was big news among the TV staff the next day. Tenna wouldn’t stop talking about it. Tenna had even already made Eram a bright red collar that matched his suit.
What Tenna didn’t know is that Eram was a two-faced creature. To Tenna, Eram was a sweet, lovable, cat-like creature that demanded nothing but cuddles 24/7. To everyone else, Eram was a demonic being that bit anyone that was too near. Somehow, its bites seemed to leave burn marks on its victims.
Break time had strolled in, and Lanino decided he should break the news to Tenna, with Elnina at his side of course.
“Um, Tenna?” Lanino began. “I think we need to talk about Eram…” Tenna had his back to Lanino. When Tenna turned, Eram was purring in his arms. The man looked as happy as could be.
“What is it, Lanino?” Tenna responded. Lanino hesitated. He feared that if he said anything negative about Eram with it near, Eram might attack Lanino. He already felt like the demon was staring daggers into Lanino, which was strange considering Eram didn’t even have eyes.
“Ummm…” Lanino quickly glanced at Elnina. He began to sweat.“I…”
“We were wondering if you wanted to do a future TV segment on Wild Animals! We’ve heard it’s become really popular with children, and maybe Kris and Asriel would love it!” Elnina quickly saved Lanino.
“OH!” Tenna beamed. “ABSOULTELY! What an amazing idea Elnina and Lanino! We’ll get right to work on the script and scenes! Yes, amazing work!”
Tenna bolted away hysterically.
“Great save, dear.” Lanino sighed out a breath of relief.
“Let’s get away from that…creature now. It’s giving me goosebumps!”
⋆☆✮☆⋆
After another long day in the world of TV business, the cast all left to their rooms as the lights died down. However, one light remained strong.
Ramb sat in the booth, cleaning a small whiskey glass. Tenna was delighted to see that today someone stuck around. Holding Eram, Tenna went to have a chat with Ramb.
“Hello Ramb! What are you still doing around here? Miss the show already?” Tenna teased him. Ramb gave a soft chuckle and slid over a glass of whiskey to Tenna, as well as pouring himself one.
“Just thought it’d be nice to share a drink with my business partner, luv.”
Tenna quickly drank through one whole glass. “Wow, you know my favorite too!”
Ramb smiled and poured him another glass. “Where did you find Eram at?”
“Oh! That cute thing? I found him in the game room!” Tenna petted the top of Eram’s head. The creature purred. Ramb took a small sip of his drink.
“The old one or the new?”
“The new one of course? I’d never go into the old one, gosh! That game isn’t suitable for air, plus we don’t even have a boss-character yet! The thing is barely finished! …More please?” Tenna lifted his glass to Ramb who then filled it.
Tenna took a strong sip from his drink. “You know, Eram really has me thinking about some new TV segments we could try to reel in the viewers back…to get the Dreemurrs’ attention back. I don’t need that mailman anymore! Eram is way better than that fraud ever was.”
Tenna smiled for a moment, resting a hand on the now-sleeping Eram. Then his face scrunched and brows furrowed.
“Ramb, pour me some more, would you?”
Tenna quickly became black-out drunk, sloppily asleep on top of the booth. Ramb set aside his barely sipped drink and left from behind the counter. He tore Eram from the sleeping Tenna. Eram woke up.
“Shadow Mantle.” Ramb said sternly. Eram growled.
Leaving Tenna, Ramb took Eram into the S-Rank room, and then into the old gaming room. Eram did not bite or force its way out of Ramb’s grasp.
“The Knight did say you were a tricky fella, but I didn’t think you’d be so disobedient.”
Eram laughed in Ramb’s grasp.
“Your duty is to fight Kris when they arrive in this dark world…mainly since, I cannot myself…”
Ramb held Eram up to the game screen. Like magic, Eram’s essence was absorbed into the game, where it would then appear pixelated. The video game Eram smiled at him.
“Don’t look at me like that… It’s not like I want to hurt Kris. I just… want to play with them one last time. But in this dark world, I’m becoming too weak. I don’t think I can make it much longer…I couldn’t even withstand the power of a shadow crystal…”
“None of that matters now. I can feel it— Kris will be here soon. At least I can feel special one last time before I’m gone.”
Ramb took one last look at Eram. “I won’t die for nothing.”
⋆☆✮☆⋆
The next morning, Tenna was frantically searching for Eram all around the TV World. Huge delays in schedules made the entire cast chaotic. Ramb sat at his booth, drowning out the chaos. Tenna cried and yelled for the others to search for Eram.
“Tenna, luv.” Ramb called.
“WHAT?” Tenna was angry, yet crying.
“There’s a possibility that Eram was taken out of our world through the Light World… If that’s the case, then it may never come back.”
“DON’T SAY THAT! HE’LL… he’ll come back… I swear…” Tenna’s size became small, his antenna’s drooping down. “He wouldn’t leave me… he’s not like that mailman…”
“I know, luv. I was taken from my world once too.”
“Eram was supposed to be different. A new start for TV!”
“Maybe he’s better off where he is now. The best we can do is move on.”
“Yeah… I suppose.” Tenna slumped further down. Tenna walked off to chat with the cast.
Ramb shined a whiskey glass, standing still behind the booth. His body felt like stone.