Fallen Future: Book 1, After the Skeld Departs

Chapter 0 - Prologue

"I've cut the lights so we can talk without being interrupted. It should take them a while to fix it," the shapeshifter said in its usual monotone voice as it walked into security.

It was dimly lit since the lights were out and the monitors were glowing with pale blue light, but since impostors had excellent night vision it didn't matter how much light there was. In each corner of the room, there was a large snake plant in a blue ceramic pot, the leaves were always such a vibrant green that Luna was surprised they were even real, MIRA's best botanist -Sira- came down here once a week to work on the plants with her "magic plant touch", or so she called it.

"And what exactly do we have to talk about?" Luna asked, entering security behind the shapeshifter, "You know I'm not going to kill crewmates voluntarily, so don't think you can try to convince me otherwise." Luna said, trying to hide her growing irritation.

The shapeshifter scoffed, "You know it's not natural for a type three impostor to behave like a stupid crewmate..." It put its hands on its hips and thought for a second "Go find a lone crewmate and kill them, though I guess you already did that when you killed half your family." It mocked, clearly not caring that it was a sensitive topic for Luna.

"Do you have absolutely zero sympathy at all? You know that's a sensitive topic for me, and yet you bring it up anyway! OUT OF NOWHERE!" Luna snapped, clearly angry that it had mentioned the incident. "OH WAIT! You don't even know what sympathy is, you heartless parasite!" She spat out the word 'parasite' as though it was a vile rotting fruit that she had accidentally taken a bite of.

The shapeshifter was quiet for a moment before it replied "...Anyways, you'll never be a real impostor if you keep acting this way, and I wouldn't want to get thrown over the balcony because someone couldn't keep her mouth shut" it replied harshly, completely avoiding what Luna had said just a few moments ago.

A red visor materialized behind Luna and she looked to her left "Can you leave me the hell alone for more than ten minutes?" she hissed, annoyed.

The parasitic impostor raised an eyebrow, confused "You're not talking to me anymore, are you?" it crossed its hands and sighed "Oh, is it Shade again?" It asked with a small chuckle.

Shade looked towards the shapeshifter and made themselves visible to the both of them, their expression as unamused as it always was "I wouldn't talk that way, Luna. You know [REDACTED] is right... it always is," they said matter-of-factly, "and you've always been much too soft for your own good." Shade hissed threateningly, floating behind her.

"I am not soft," Luna growled, clenching her fist "At least I haven't been banished to an island to rot away and die. I would rather be alive and doing tasks than be ejected for murdering crewmates, thank you very much" she spat at the ghost.

The shapeshifter laughed and put a hand on its hip, tilting its head like a cat, "And what exactly are you trying to prove? That you've lived longer?"

Shade let out a low growl and hovered over to float in front of Luna, their spectral tail clipping in and out of the floor "Would you like to say that again?" They hissed, clearly not in the mood for an insult battle.

Luna opened her mouth to speak, "I can say whatever the hell I want, your dead, you can't force me to do shit." Shade hissed and hovered closer to Luna, making her back up against the desk behind her, "I- I didn't mean it like th- that, Shade please n- not now, I'm sorry!" she stuttered, realizing what she said wasn't true at all.

"She's scared for once! How cute! Too bad you won't be yourself for a bit." Shade taunted sarcastically before flying up behind Luna, grabbing her head with their claws, and disappearing into the cold air of Security. a moment later Lunas' halo and visor grew darker than normal and her halo made a loud cracking sound before shattering in one spot, the little fragments of it hovered in place without falling to the green carpet below.