The small spaceship was on its way to the Polus.
Lava, Squee, Charlie, Navy, Pop, Rice, Choco and Nori anxiously sat there and barely spoke a word.
"Quite weird, huh?" Pop eventually said to break the everlasting silence, "a mission without Arnie, our leader."
"I honestly think the same" Charlie said. "I know it has occurred before, but still."
"That's right" Squee said to Charlie. "It was just me, Yikk, Billy, Vienna and her kids except for Nika. It was a short mission, but we did have many tasks."
"That could've made it easier for the impostor to make a good move" Navy said, "but we know Yikk, right?"
"Yeah, they're a pacifier, also known as a person that would never want to harm anyone."
"You mean they're a pacifist?"
"Same difference."
"Not quite." The father tickled the dumb blonde underneath their armpits, only making them giggle slightly.
"We're with quite the number of crewmates at this point, aren't we?" Rice asked. "Then I kind of wonder why Mack didn't give us many tasks?"
"Same, really" Nori added. "The Polus is huge, and thus it makes tasks a tad harder to find."
"I do hope that my tasks are located near one another" Pop said, "as I only just started doing a mission again today. Does feel good on the other hand, though, because being sick is a tad boring."
"I honestly hope the same as Pop" Lava said. "I don't just want to aimlessly wander around the area just because my tasks are too far away from one another."
"We'll see about that" Choco said.
"You could indeed use some more steps to get all of that chocolate away from you."
The chocoholic and his matesprit bonked the snob on her head.
"Ouch! What the heck, man?! I just spoke the truth!"
"Yeah, and you could definitely use a hundred chocolate bars yourself. You honestly look like a very unhealthy hourglass!"
"Oh, shut up about my-"
The red crewmate was soon silenced by having a large gingerbread biscuit shoved into her mouth.
"Fine, have ith youh way, but don't efpeft me thoo eath vofe all day."
The new couple of matesprits simply chuckled.
And before everyone knew it, the ship had finally landed on its base, its door slowly opened up, and everyone's pagers went off.
The twins were seemingly very excited to be the impostors this time, but didn't want to let that go too noticed.
"We'll play pranks on them" Rice whispered.
"I'll just do it the serious way" Nori whispered back.
"We'll have to co-operate as much as possible."
"Alright, but with mixed methods of ours, alright?"
"That's a deal."
The first task was quite simple: inserting the keys into the dropship. The two remaining tasks were very different for everyone.
Pop had her lucky day today: her two remaining tasks were the closest to the dropship, and she smiled widely at that fact.
"Let me guess" Navy said, "judging from your smile, you apparently foreshadowed the distance of your tasks?"
"Guilty!" the girly girl chuckled. "I never experienced indirect foreshadowings before, but I love it!"
"That's very good. Now, if you're looking for me, I'll be at the specimen room and the laboratory soon."
"Part two of one of my next tasks takes place there, so we may see one another there soon."
"Daddy?" Nika asked. "If the telescope in the laboratory is a task, can I help you with it? As well as with the sorting samples in the specimen room?"
"Sorting samples is indeed one of the tasks I have in the specimen room, but the other is inspecting the test tube samples in the laboratory, which takes a little longer, but nonetheless, you could still help me with that." The father ruffled his daughter's hair.
"Aw, thanks! This is going to be fun!"
On the right side of the office, Choco just finished his task of scanning his boarding pass, while Charlie swiped her ID card next to him.
"What's your next task, Char?" the chocoholic asked.
"Opening all of the waterways" the tomboy replied, "what about you?"
"Doing a scan at the medical bay. If you'd like, you can watch me so that others know that I'm clear."
"Uh… sure, I guess? I actually, uh…" The cyan crewmate suddenly spoke quite fast. "…dun-wanna-be-distracted-from-my-tasks-too-much…!" She restlessly fidgeted with the tips of her gloves.
"Sorry, what was that?"
"I mean, I'll go with you, so I can clear you to the others!"
"Is it because you're afraid to get too distracted by me to do the rest of your tasks?"
"G-guilty!"
"That's alright. If you don't want to, you don't have to, okay?"
"I'll personally clear you, I promise!"
"Alright, then follow suit."
The two chuckling matesprits headed towards the medical bay for Choco's next and last task.
Meanwhile, back at the living building, Billy, Yikk, Arnie, Vienna, Neri and Yuri remained.
"Feels different to have a day off, huh?" Arnie said.
Billy and Yikk nodded in agreement.
"What is there to do on days like this, other than chores?" the Latinx asked. "Like, do any crewmates every briefly get off of the living area to go into town or anything?"
"They do, but they'll have to ask their managers for permission at first. Why, are you planning to do that anytime soon on your next day off?"
"I think so? I've never seen much of Redmond except for some news montages of that on TV in the past."
"Yeah" Yikk said, "I'm awso quite cuwious about what the city wooks wike, an' what kinda cafes and such it has!" They petted Digit over their head, who made soft beeping noises in approval. "In fact, I've nevah been to Wedmond befowe, since my Mum an' Dad nevah took me and my sibwings on howiday to the US…"
"I've been there for a few times" Vienna said, "and it's quite good. Navy and I visited a ton of restaurants there on several dates, and we both enjoyed them equally."
"That onwy be good to heawe."
Digit beeped in a high pitch and curiously looked their owner in the eyes, as if asking: "And what about me?"
"Oh, Digit, of couwse you can tag awong when Biwwy and I go to the city! But you should be wawy, though, as thewe be a ton of peeps wahking awound that don't pay attention. An' fo' all I cawe, you can be in my backpack, wike a cat oh small dog."
"So you want to go with me?" Billy asked in an excited tone.
"Why not? Aftah all, you be my best fwiend!"
"Aw, Yikk, that's very sweet of you! Thank you so much!" The yellow crewmate hugged their best friend tightly and kissed their cheek quite hard. "Are you good at navigating?"
"Not quite, honestwy. If you'd wike, you can wead the way."
"That's alright." Billy briefly turned to Vienna. "So can you help me with the recommended routes?"
"With pleasure" the mother replied, as she briefly handed Yuri to Arnie to grab her iPad.
"Oh, and Yikk, go do something else in the meantime. I want to surprise you."
The childish youngster giggled cutely in response.
"I bet you're already dying to see how spectacular the city looks?" The fourth-to-youngest crewmate ruffled their best friend's bangs and kissed their temple.
"Then, I bettah pwepawe a suhpwise fo' you, too. You cannot wook eithah." Yikk got up from the sofa, got a piece of paper and a few coloured markers from a nearby drawer and sat down at the dining table. "Now, what to white…?"
Vienna and Billy were silently looking for recommended spots in Redmond on Google Maps, and Arnie minded Neri and Yuri in the meantime.
"Now, Neri" the former private said, "you shouldn't spill the beans on any of this either, otherwise, you'll spoil the surprise, and that's not fun."
"Oh" Neri replied, "I've never been to Redmond anyway, and I cannot read yet either. I bet Nika is a lot worse at this since she can actually read! As for Yuri, they're not even able to speak yet, so they're most likely the best at keeping secrets."
A few laughs about the smart statement came from the crewmates on the sofa, through which Yuri babbled loudly but enthusiastically.
"It indeed is for the best that you can keep every single secret in the world for now…!" Arnie bopped the theyby's small nose and dabbed some saliva off of their chin with their bandanna.
Bobby curiously aimed his eye at the situation, but was still a tad hesitant of Yuri, even if they've lived at the same home for quite some time now.
"Ooh…!" Billy whispered upon seeing a nice-looking city district that Vienna often visited.
"I'm not sure if this is the best place to visit for a first time in Redmond" the purple crewmate whispered in the yellow crewmate's ear, "but it's always worth a try, isn't it?"
The Latinx nodded and smiled in agreement.
In the meantime, Yikk had made up a little poem for their best friend, and gently wrote it down in a fancy yet unusual handwriting similar to how Jade Harley occasionally wrote letters and notes in Homestuck.
Roses are red, some boats have a sail
Dearest Billy, will you be my moirail? -Yikk
A few additional details later, the note was done, folded, and put into Billy's letterbox at the front door.
I honestly wonder how they'll react, the lime crewmate thought.
Digit had seen the thing happen, and cocked their head in question.
"Shh, don't tell anyone I did this. It's a secwet, just wike how Biwwy is pwanning the city twip to somewhewe I've nevah been befowe…"
The tiny robot nodded in agreement and was rewarded with a good pet on their head before they and their owner headed back to the main room.
"Ah, good timing" Vienna said. "We were just done with the plans, and how did your in-between session go?"
"Good, thanks."
"Can I see the final result?"
"Nope. It be a secwet."
"Fair enough."
"Vi, can we borrow your iPad for a little while?" Billy asked as they patted on the empty spot on the sofa next to them while looking at Yikk, indirectly asking them to have a seat.
"For watching shows? Of course, but be wary of what you're planning to watch." The purple crewmate handed her iPad to the yellow crewmate, who immediately started up Netflix.
"So, what do you wanna watch?"
Yikk had a seat next to Billy and thought for a little bit.
"I dunno. You should choose."
"Alrighty." The Latinx scrolled through the many available shows and movies until they finally found one that seemed perfect for both them and their best friend. "I think you're gonna love this."
"We'll see about that."
Back on the Polus, an emergency meeting took place because Pop found Navy's unconscious body and Nika being upset about it.
Earlier during this mission, Choco and Charlie had also been knocked unconscious in the midst of their tasks in the specimen room, and their spirits were only glad that it happened like this, so they didn't have to be separated from one another.
"I found Navy at the security room" the girly girl said, "and he hung all over the keyboard. As funny as it sounds, it's still true."
"Anyone suspicious?" Squee asked.
"Where were you lot at?"
"Well, in the other office section" Nori replied with a straight face. "Rice and I were just done swiping our cards and about to scan our boarding passes when you suddenly found Navy."
"Yes, that's right" Rice added with a nod.
"Nika, did you see or hear anyone run from your father?" Pop put a hand onto Nika's shoulder.
"Well" the kindergartner replied, "to be honest, not quite. The impostor must be a ninja of sorts…"
"A ninja, you say?" The pink crewmate turned to Lava. "Say, arch-nemesis, you've been quite quiet this whole time."
The twins and Squee chuckled about the snob's new nickname.
"Huh?" Lava said. "Oh. Well, I don't quite care."
"Sounds suspicious" Squee said. "Well, guess Lava's one of the fake noodles this time."
"Yeah" Nori said, "Lava is kind of sus."
The red crewmate's face turned red out of rage, and she trembled as she used her pager to vote Squee out.
"How dare you say such a thing?!"
"Hey, don't just yell where Nika is!" Pop retorted as she covered Nika's ears. "After all, if most of the others say so, it's true, isn't it?!"
"Whatever, arch-nemesis!"
The twins and Squee silently voted Lava out, and Nika briefly borrowed Pop's pager to do the same.
Once all of the votes were confirmed, the two real impostors sent the fake impostor to the nearest decontamination room to thoroughly clean it.
"You two are so going to pay for this soon! And if not in money, then be sure to make up a different way to pay me!"
"Whatever, Valentina" both of the twins stoically said as they closed the door and headed outside. "Yeah! We did it!" They exchanged a high-five before heading to the security room to take Navy's unconscious body to the medical bay.
"They may've been the impostors this time" Navy's spirit said, "but at least they're still kind enough to help us unconscious crewmates out."
Charlie and Choco's spirits, who were also there, nodded and hummed in agreement.
"So" Pop said once the twins' deed had been done, "I give you two a few options. You're either going to do those 'impostor tasks', or you're going to help me out here at the medical bay."
"We're going to help you here, Pop" Nori replied. "We come in peace."
"If I had to choose" Rice said, "I'll definitely help you out, too, Pop. I'd rather be fanning some oxygen back into our pals there than scrubbing thick layers of explicit content out of the toilets over there."
"Very well. Now, what about arch-nemesis? Where is she?" The girly girl chuckled a little about the not-so-innocent statement she made again.
"Oh, she's scrubbing the decontamination chambers. Serves her right after yelling at both the rest of us and a harmless girl."
"Sure does."
The older twin started by holding a washcloth underneath the faucet and gently placing it on Charlie's bruised cheek to ease the throbbing. Next up, he did the same for Choco's knee after having disinfected the scrape there and applying a large band-aid on it.
The younger twin tended to Navy and Nika.
"I'm only glad you decided to apologise like this" Nika said.
"So am I, why wouldn't I? After all, I kind of deserve this, too, after promising to pull pranks but eventually not even doing so."
"Why would you want to play pranks on the crewmates?"
"Last mission, bro and I saw Yikk and Squee do the same when we were spirits and they were impostors. Guess they're a tad better than us."
"Oh, don't just say that. You two will eventually get better at playing pranks on the crewmates, as practise makes perfect."
"Yeah, that's right."
"Me, I'm not the best at playing pranks when Dad is an impostor. Neri is a lot better at it when Mum is an impostor, by distracting a crewmate by tapping their hand so they'll look that way, too."
"Ooh, that's a good one…! For when there are two impostors, too."
"Hmm, I never looked at that tactic this way before. Very clever indeed. I should tell Mum and Dad about it soon, imagine if they'd both be the impostors."
"That never really happened before, huh?" Rice got up to fetch Nika a cup of water to drink.
"It indeed didn't." The small dark blue 'crewmate' accepted the cup. "Thank you."
A little later, Choco, Charlie and Navy regained consciousness.
Both of the twins were a little shocked at the fact that they were all smiling at the both of them.
"Wait?" the two impostors asked in unison. "You're not mad at us?!"
"Of course not" Choco chuckled. "We're only glad that you came in peace to help us unconscious crewmates out. It never happened before, and I honestly think it should."
"Yeah" Charlie added. "Ow, my jaws." She pushed the wet washcloth a little more against her sore cheek. "Could I have some ice cold water or something to drink?"
Nori did as the tomboy requested and was thanked for it to the fullest.
Soon, Lava got out of the decontamination chamber near the medical bay and laboratory, and didn't say anything to anyone there as she simply headed outside to have a smoke to relieve herself emotionally.
At the same time, Squee entered the room and had a seat on the floor.
"There" they said, "all done with tasks." They focused their gaze on the twins. "Wait a second, are you two even helping them out?! You're fake noodles, not crewmates!"
"Squee, settle down" Pop said, as she put both her hands on both the dumb blonde's shoulders. "They come in peace, and… didn't quite like the 'impostor tasks'."
"Alright, but keep a close eye on them in case they do lash out again."
"Oh no, I'm sure that won't happen. Now, why won't you settle down here with a nice cup of orange juice?"
The word orange juice made Squee smile within the blink of an eye, and they got up to head for the fridge and grab their favourite drink.
"Oh, the others are so not going to believe this when we come back and tell them" Rice said, "especially not Arnie."
"I think Vienna would only smile and approve in response" Navy chuckled, "as caring as she is."
"Hey, you know who else would especially not believe this? Mack. I don't think he ever experienced someone telling him that at least one impostor actually helped take care of unconscious crewmates."
"Indeed" Nori said, "he doesn't look like it either, but he'd most likely laugh at us first until we keep on persuading him that it has really happened."
"We should indeed persuade him" Charlie chuckled, "since Navy, Choco and I saw this as spirits, too. Yeowch."
"Be careful when speaking, sweetums" Choco said with a smile, which was answered with another smile.
