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esp_dragonv2) wrote2020-12-06 11:54 pm
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Imposter [Part 4]
Fandom: Noblesse
Summary: Frankenstein wants to talk to Muzaka about something.
Contains: Frankenstein/Muzaka
Notes: Among Us AU! :D
Rating: G
Genre: Sci-fi
Word count: 1,124
Total word count: 4,026
Status: Work in progress
Frankenstein looked around, double-checking where they were and walked close enough for the door sensors to open. The heat of the boiler room hit them like an almost physical force and Frankenstein paused, just regaining their breath. How did Muzaka work in here with his space suit on? The clank of the machines was also loud here, almost deafening compared to the silence of the space suit and-
"Yo, Frankenstein."
...Ah, that was how Muzaka managed in this heat.
Muzaka had striped down, taking off his space suit. Underneath was a vest and trousers, showing off his muscles and scars alike, his skin slick with sweat.
"What's up?" Muzaka said, wiping his brow with the back of his hand. "You wanna go outside so we can hear each other?" he said, grinning as he walked over.
"Isn't that going to be too cold for you?" Frankenstein said, concerned. Going from one extreme to another wasn't good.
"It's not that cold," Muzaka said, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around his neck as he patted his face with it. "But if it's worryin' you that much, we can head to O2 if ya want. It's warmer there than the corridor."
"Yes, I would prefer that," Frankenstein said, heading for the door.
They exhaled when it opened, the cooler air already refreshing after the few minutes in the boiler room - how long did Muzaka spend in there? They eyed Muzaka from the corner of their eyes as they walked to O2.
Muzaka seemed all right. While his skin was flushed, his balance was still coordinated and he wasn't stumbling either.
Muzaka caught them watching and grinned, wrapping an arm around their shoulders with a laugh. "You worried about me? I'm good, doc."
"That is what I'm meant to be doing here," Frankenstein said, catching the wave of oil and musk coming from Muzaka.
When they entered the O2 area, Frankenstein was hit with the sense of green it almost made them dizzy. Muzaka tightened his arm on Frankenstein's shoulders, guiding them to the giant tree that was the centrepiece of the room.
They eased down to sit at the tree's base and Frankenstein leaned back against it, tilting their head back. The ceiling was fully lit, each panel shining as if it was being shone on by a sun and not generated by power.
"You haven't been here before?" Muzaka said with a chuckle, leaning back next to them, close enough their shoulders brushed. "I'm thinkin' of seeing if I can dig into the ceiling so I can make the weather change."
"No," Frankenstein said faintly, "I'm normally in the medbay or the labs." They'd been too busy studying how to pass as human, learning from the researchers and scientists around them, than to explore the bases they'd been created and stationed at. They would have needed permission for that anyway and the Union wanted an eye on their imposters at all times.
"Then come here as often as ya want and check it out, heh."
"I think I will." Frankenstein had never seen this much green before, even if it seemed like it was mostly just...grass, was it? And the tree. Even so, the smell of them and the dirt under them was overpowering.
"So what were you comin' over to see me for?" Muzaka said, continuing to dry himself off.
Ah, right, of course.
Frankenstein exhaled, still trying to process what was around them. "I was just curious about your votes," they said.
"Yeah?"
Hm. "I noticed that you always skip yours." Two meetings had been called so far and Muzaka had skipped both of them. Two wasn't a pattern, but it was the beginning of one.
"Oh, that?" Muzaka shrugged. "I don't think there's any imposters among us, so I'm not votin' against anyone."
Frankenstein snapped their head to him, staring, and dammit, was that reaction too strange? Or maybe it was normal, all things considered. They were sure humans would have reacted with surprise at that. "Why don't you think there's an imposter?" It was always better to imply a different number of imposters than there actually was.
"'Cause it's the Union," Muzaka said, setting the towel around the back of his neck again. "They say whatever to get people to do what they want."
"People have died," Frankenstein pointed out, trying to puzzle over Muzaka's way of thinking. "That means there's an imposter here."
"Is there?" Muzaka shot back with no hesitation. "Or are people jumpy at that, and then killing each other 'cause they think someone else is an imposter." He huffed, crossing his arms. "What does it matter anyway? There's no difference between us and imposters."
Ah... There was a clear difference between humans and imposters. "Imposters are made in the lab...?"
"Eh." Muzaka shrugged again. "So're some humans as well. An' it's not like the Union haven't messed about with our code either; made in the lab, or modified after, we're just their agents."
Interesting. Put it like that, then yes, modified humans and imposters were the same.
"We're all stuck on this base as it is," Muzaka continued, "because the Union put us here, so we're in this together, not against." He paused, not saying anything, his head tilted back to gaze up at the artificial sky. "Why should we follow what they say an' try ta an imposter? They're not here to reinforce that, and they're not above lying to manipulate people's behaviours. This is all just a test for them."
Those were dangerous words, ones that, if reported, could get Muzaka killed for rebelling. Yet Muzaka felt safe enough with them to speak freely.
"I-"
A klaxon, a red light flashing in the corner.
[Warning: Seismic stabilisers malfunctioning]
They both froze and as they shot to their feet, the warning sounded again.
They could continue their conversation once they'd dealt with the current situation.
* * *
Em was washing his hands in the sink, humming under his breath, when Frankenstein returned to the laboratory. Frankenstein saw the water ran pink for a second before it cleared and they waited for the door to close behind them before speaking.
"Was the stabilisers your doing?" The Union had made the base to be repaired, but for something to fall apart so suddenly when it had been working perfectly the day before was very incompetent, even for the Union.
"Yeah." Em smirked, drying his hands. "It distracts everyone."
Including themself, as they scrambled to fix it. Frankenstein suppressed a sigh - they hadn't managed to continue their conversation with Muzaka afterwards, other things needing to be done.
Well, it would give them time to think over what Muzaka had said.
Summary: Frankenstein wants to talk to Muzaka about something.
Contains: Frankenstein/Muzaka
Notes: Among Us AU! :D
Rating: G
Genre: Sci-fi
Word count: 1,124
Total word count: 4,026
Status: Work in progress
Frankenstein looked around, double-checking where they were and walked close enough for the door sensors to open. The heat of the boiler room hit them like an almost physical force and Frankenstein paused, just regaining their breath. How did Muzaka work in here with his space suit on? The clank of the machines was also loud here, almost deafening compared to the silence of the space suit and-
"Yo, Frankenstein."
...Ah, that was how Muzaka managed in this heat.
Muzaka had striped down, taking off his space suit. Underneath was a vest and trousers, showing off his muscles and scars alike, his skin slick with sweat.
"What's up?" Muzaka said, wiping his brow with the back of his hand. "You wanna go outside so we can hear each other?" he said, grinning as he walked over.
"Isn't that going to be too cold for you?" Frankenstein said, concerned. Going from one extreme to another wasn't good.
"It's not that cold," Muzaka said, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around his neck as he patted his face with it. "But if it's worryin' you that much, we can head to O2 if ya want. It's warmer there than the corridor."
"Yes, I would prefer that," Frankenstein said, heading for the door.
They exhaled when it opened, the cooler air already refreshing after the few minutes in the boiler room - how long did Muzaka spend in there? They eyed Muzaka from the corner of their eyes as they walked to O2.
Muzaka seemed all right. While his skin was flushed, his balance was still coordinated and he wasn't stumbling either.
Muzaka caught them watching and grinned, wrapping an arm around their shoulders with a laugh. "You worried about me? I'm good, doc."
"That is what I'm meant to be doing here," Frankenstein said, catching the wave of oil and musk coming from Muzaka.
When they entered the O2 area, Frankenstein was hit with the sense of green it almost made them dizzy. Muzaka tightened his arm on Frankenstein's shoulders, guiding them to the giant tree that was the centrepiece of the room.
They eased down to sit at the tree's base and Frankenstein leaned back against it, tilting their head back. The ceiling was fully lit, each panel shining as if it was being shone on by a sun and not generated by power.
"You haven't been here before?" Muzaka said with a chuckle, leaning back next to them, close enough their shoulders brushed. "I'm thinkin' of seeing if I can dig into the ceiling so I can make the weather change."
"No," Frankenstein said faintly, "I'm normally in the medbay or the labs." They'd been too busy studying how to pass as human, learning from the researchers and scientists around them, than to explore the bases they'd been created and stationed at. They would have needed permission for that anyway and the Union wanted an eye on their imposters at all times.
"Then come here as often as ya want and check it out, heh."
"I think I will." Frankenstein had never seen this much green before, even if it seemed like it was mostly just...grass, was it? And the tree. Even so, the smell of them and the dirt under them was overpowering.
"So what were you comin' over to see me for?" Muzaka said, continuing to dry himself off.
Ah, right, of course.
Frankenstein exhaled, still trying to process what was around them. "I was just curious about your votes," they said.
"Yeah?"
Hm. "I noticed that you always skip yours." Two meetings had been called so far and Muzaka had skipped both of them. Two wasn't a pattern, but it was the beginning of one.
"Oh, that?" Muzaka shrugged. "I don't think there's any imposters among us, so I'm not votin' against anyone."
Frankenstein snapped their head to him, staring, and dammit, was that reaction too strange? Or maybe it was normal, all things considered. They were sure humans would have reacted with surprise at that. "Why don't you think there's an imposter?" It was always better to imply a different number of imposters than there actually was.
"'Cause it's the Union," Muzaka said, setting the towel around the back of his neck again. "They say whatever to get people to do what they want."
"People have died," Frankenstein pointed out, trying to puzzle over Muzaka's way of thinking. "That means there's an imposter here."
"Is there?" Muzaka shot back with no hesitation. "Or are people jumpy at that, and then killing each other 'cause they think someone else is an imposter." He huffed, crossing his arms. "What does it matter anyway? There's no difference between us and imposters."
Ah... There was a clear difference between humans and imposters. "Imposters are made in the lab...?"
"Eh." Muzaka shrugged again. "So're some humans as well. An' it's not like the Union haven't messed about with our code either; made in the lab, or modified after, we're just their agents."
Interesting. Put it like that, then yes, modified humans and imposters were the same.
"We're all stuck on this base as it is," Muzaka continued, "because the Union put us here, so we're in this together, not against." He paused, not saying anything, his head tilted back to gaze up at the artificial sky. "Why should we follow what they say an' try ta an imposter? They're not here to reinforce that, and they're not above lying to manipulate people's behaviours. This is all just a test for them."
Those were dangerous words, ones that, if reported, could get Muzaka killed for rebelling. Yet Muzaka felt safe enough with them to speak freely.
"I-"
A klaxon, a red light flashing in the corner.
[Warning: Seismic stabilisers malfunctioning]
They both froze and as they shot to their feet, the warning sounded again.
They could continue their conversation once they'd dealt with the current situation.
Em was washing his hands in the sink, humming under his breath, when Frankenstein returned to the laboratory. Frankenstein saw the water ran pink for a second before it cleared and they waited for the door to close behind them before speaking.
"Was the stabilisers your doing?" The Union had made the base to be repaired, but for something to fall apart so suddenly when it had been working perfectly the day before was very incompetent, even for the Union.
"Yeah." Em smirked, drying his hands. "It distracts everyone."
Including themself, as they scrambled to fix it. Frankenstein suppressed a sigh - they hadn't managed to continue their conversation with Muzaka afterwards, other things needing to be done.
Well, it would give them time to think over what Muzaka had said.