Chapter Text
Purple took a deep breath as the doors to the office opened, and Purple could hear Red doing the same beside them, as two of Pink’s trusted office workers appeared in front of them.
The two crewmates opened the doors wide enough for the office chair and desk to be visible on the other side of the room.
Purple’s breathing hitched when they saw the chair facing the windows, but they knew Pink was in there.
They could just make out the boss’ head sticking out over the back of their chair and a slight reflection of pink in the glass panes.
“They’re ready to see you now,” one of the two crewmates announced, beckoning the interns to follow them inside.
Oh God, that voice sounded familiar.
Purple’s visor looked down to read their name-tag, clearly displaying “Ivory” on it.
Shit, Ivory was the worst.
They were basically Pink’s second in command, their right-hand mate. Purple couldn’t even count the amount of times they saw Ivory in Pink’s office, and Ivory made their feelings known that they hated Purple.
Well, the feeling’s mutual.
Ivory and the other crewmate led them into the office, Purple and Red just stopping short of Pink’s desk.
There were two white crewmates standing on either side of the chair, one of them being Ivory, who made a gesture to Purple wordlessly saying ‘I’m watching you,’ and Purple was close to giving them an unpleasant gesture of their own.
These crewmates were like Pink’s personal bodyguards or accessories. It always felt weird to Purple that they didn’t mind being treated like Pink’s possessions.
It was eerily still in the room as Pink continued to stare out the window from their seat. Red made no attempt to look at Purple even once, they just watched Pink in cold silence.
Purple was growing impatient now. Could they just get the lecture over with and be done already? They had no time for the boss to be playing up the fear factor right now… Even if they were succeeding at being intimidating…
It felt as though time itself froze when Pink cleared their throat.
“I assume you two know why you were asked to meet me in my office.”
Pink sliced through the silence, jolting both Red and Purple into standing up straight.
Purple cringed internally at the involuntary action, apparently being a respectful little worker was drilled into their very being.
Red lifted a hand and nervously saluted to Pink, regardless if Pink was able to see them or not. It was just second nature for them.
Purple hated the fact that Pink could make Red and Purple feel so small and insignificant, like they were petmates incapable of doing anything for themselves.
Purple was so tired of Pink always deciding things for them and talking down on them like they had no thoughts of their own.
It was hard to believe that at some point, Purple followed Pink; their principles, their words, their truth.
But what once was respect was replaced with disdain.
Pink swirled their chair around so that they were facing the interns, their visor devoid of any clear emotion.
”Red.” The boss acknowledged, their tone soft and level, then directed their visor at Purple.
“…Purple.” Their tone switched from soft to harsh, like their presence offered nothing but displeasure.
There was an hourglass that sat on Pink’s desk, which they used to measure the time for their meetings. It’d been used every time Purple had been there.
The pink crewmate flipped the hourglass upside down and the sand began to fall.
The CEO held their blank, emotionless glare with the interns, letting their hands rest on the desk.
Red gulped while Purple was just tired of seeing the same, repetitive act. They narrowed their visor at Pink, but the boss took that as a challenge.
“Purple, I ask of you to be on your best behavior right now. You’re not doing yourself any favors by being stubborn.” Pink reprimanded them before they even had a chance to defend themself.
Oh-ho, so that’s how they wanted to play it? Purple could play that game too.
“With all due respect, boss, but maybe you should let your employees speak for themselves first. Since you know, you care so much about hearing our voices.” The intern shot back, quoting one of MIRA’s many unpracticed principles.
For the first time since they were called in, Red actually looked at them.
Whether it was out of surprise, worry, or thinking Purple was just plain stupid, it was at least an acknowledgment of their existence, and Purple could work with that.
Pink’s visor lit up in amusement. They chuckled, which was the opposite of what Purple wanted.
“Oh, Purple. You’ve been in my office how many times now? I seem to have lost count.” Pink leaned forward in their seat, their voice dripping with faux sweetness.
“I’ve gotten to know you very well. Too well, actually. I should really just start inviting you in here for tea.” Pink eyed Purple as they pretended to hold a teacup and took a sip from it.
Purple was not entertained by their mockery, but Pink’s ‘bodyguards’ apparently found it to be the funniest thing ever heard, because they all laughed in unison like they were one giant hive-mind.
It was irritating to listen to. They were all entitled assholes, all of em.
Red just looked confused, confused and scared. “Boss-“ Red tried to speak over the sound of their laughter, probably to talk things out with Pink like they always did during confrontation.
However, Pink immediately held up their hand to silence the room, so with an awkward step back, Red backed off.
The boss’ visor landed on Purple. “It’s so disappointing seeing you in my office… again. We’ve had this conversation numerous times before, so I have to wonder why you insist on making things so difficult for yourself?”
Then their gaze shifted to Red. “As for you, this is curious behavior. You’ve never been in my office for anything other than taking direct orders. I’m quite fascinated by this development, but also disappointed.”
Red’s visor widened in panic. They started breathing heavily and tried to look anywhere else but at Pink.
Pink’s expression dropped into a frown in a way so condescending that it made Purple’s blood boil.
“You were in charge of delivering Ore+ to the shipment containers, which might I add is already a very important job for two interns. But because of your negligence and incompetence to do your task, the shipment had to be delayed and caused severe backlog in our schedule.”
Purple directed their visor at Red again, who looked terrified. They weren’t used to being scolded like this.
“You are both being held responsible for the consequences,” Pink shook their head in disbelief and continued, “you realize I’ll have to-“
“Wait, it’s not Red’s fault!”
The sound of Purple interrupting Pink made everything in the room freeze, even the white crewmates seemed surprised.
Interrupting the boss without permission was something deemed so completely unprofessional and so defiant that it gave Purple an adrenaline rush.
Pink looked taken aback by the way the intern suddenly jumped into the conversation without being asked for their input… and also looked very pissed off.
Pink’s attention was back on Purple. They could feel the CEO’s visor glaring daggers at them. The kind of daggers that could cut through thick layers of ice… but Purple couldn’t care less.
“Come again?”
Pink waited for an explanation with their hands on their desk, their expression unreadable.
Oh good going, Purple. They didn’t think that far ahead. Beads of sweat formed on their forehead as they tried to make up a cover story on the spot.
The sand in the hourglass was already halfway.
Purple took a deep breath in.
“Red had nothing to do with it. It was my fault… I took an un-authorized break since your precious schedule denied us of our break today, which by the way, violates our rights as workers.”
Oh, that definitely struck a nerve, Pink evidently hated hearing that. It was a little amusing seeing Pink so offended.
Purple didn’t give them any room to talk and kept going.
“I was supposed to be there with Red to help with the transportation, but I wasn’t…” Purple stepped forward, getting closer to Pink’s desk, fully knowing it was the wrong move to make.
It was taking a risk they understood could land them into even deeper shit.
But Purple could handle it, they always did, and Red didn’t deserve being punished for something they never wanted to do in the first place. The decision was obvious to them.
“…so Red had to come look for me.”
Red’s visor focused intently on the back of their head as Purple listened to the sound of their panicked breaths slowing down.
Relieved, Purple turned around to see their friend, but Red returned them with a look that read ‘why would you do that?’
Purple flinched when they heard the sound of tapping coming from behind them. They slowly turned around to face an ‘I’m angry right now but I’m trying to be nonchalant about it’ Pink, who was tapping the desk’s surface with a fingernail.
Pink looked as if they were about to burn a laser directly through Purple with their visor, but Purple finally felt like they could afford to be smug about it. The little bit of confidence they felt when opposing Pink felt thrilling.
“Hmm. I see, well that changes things then.”
Pink looked over at Ivory, the crewmate idly standing by as still as a statue, before their gaze returned to Red.
“I apologize for wrongfully assuming you were involved, Red.”
The crewmate in question looked up at Pink upon hearing their name.
“You may be dismissed.” Pink said at last.
Red exchanged looks with Purple and struggled to find their words. “I, I-“ they began.
“I said you’re dismissed, Red.”
The tone used on Red made them quiver, they really didn’t know what to do. The intern looked like they were contemplating speaking up.
Purple felt terrible for even putting Red in this situation to begin with.
“Ivory, please escort Red from my office to resume their tasks.”
Red didn’t budge or moved a single inch when Ivory came over… the shock had glued them down to the floor.
Pink sighed, rubbing the creases in their forehead.
“You may take further actions to… encourage Red to come with you.” Pink re-phrased their demand.
Purple looked at the CEO with a burning fury.
You dirty pigmate!
Ivory nodded before giving Red a quick shove, just enough to get them to start walking, then joined Red at their side and guided them towards the doors.
Red looked over one last time to meet Purple’s visor.
Purple slouched in defeat, unsure what to say to convince Pink to keep Red in the room.
Purple sighed and nodded hopelessly to their friend, trying to reassure Red that they had things under control and to not worry.
They didn’t feel all that reassuring, and Red themself didn’t look all that reassured.
“Purps, I-“ Red was about to say something, but was cut off by a push from Ivory that greatly angered Purple.
It was the fact that it hadn’t even been long at all and Purple still missed hearing the sound of Red’s voice.
God, emotions were so weird.
Purple watched them leave, muttering a silent “I’m sorry” under their breath as if Red could even hear them.
“Well, Purple. It seems we have a bit of a problem on our hands here.”
Purple faced Pink, their anger rising yet again.
Yeah, you.
They thought bitterly.
“I think it’s time we corrected this troubling behavior of yours. I mean, we can’t let you get away with being such a bad influence on others now, can we? You almost had me thinking Red was becoming like you.”
Purple stood their ground, but was admittedly shrinking in on themself when Pink got up from their chair and walked around their desk, revealing how tall they really were.
“It’s a shame, too. You were such a great intern in the beginning, one of our best actually. In some ways, you were better than many experienced workers here. You promised us so much potential.”
That was the first time Purple heard Pink talk about their ‘potential.’
Pink took a step forward at the same time Purple took an even bigger step back. They needed the distance incase they needed to- well, they couldn’t exactly run away, could they? Pink knew every corner of MIRA HQ and had access to the documents with Purple’s home address on it.
Running solved nothing.
The moment Pink started circling them, Purple felt trapped, feeling like prey being toyed with by a predator.
“I still see it in you, you know… That potential.”
Purple locked visors with Pink, the boss’ gaze scrutinizing them. They couldn’t hide; there was nowhere to hide.
The intern’s heart started racing at a pace faster than they could keep up with. Purple needed for things to slow down, and to slow down now.
”You know, you can’t keep blaming your recklessness on a full moon every time we have these conversations, Purple.”
Purple snorted, trying to keep themself from panicking, but this only caused Pink’s visorbrow to raise.
Another wrong move, because Pink was quick to kneel down to be at visor level with Purple. The CEO put a hand around the intern’s upper torso, locking them in place.
As it turned out, Purple definitely didn’t have things under control.
They tried to back up, squirming in Pink’s hold, but Pink just squeezed them tighter and prevented them from moving away. It was so tight that it hurt.
Purple gasped in pain.
Their hand instinctively reached up to grab Pink’s, trying to pry them off of them. “B-boss? That hurts.” Purple tried pulling the ‘boss’ card, knowing they liked to hear it and thought it might help.
Stop. Please stop.
Gazing past Pink, they looked towards the office crewmates with a look of desperate plea, silently begging for them to intervene.
How could they just stand there and watch?
The sand in the hourglass was a quarter full, most of it had already fell.
“You know what I think, Purple? I think you and I are a lot alike. Sometimes, I can see myself in you.”
More anger festered in the pit of Purple’s stomach, were they really trying to compare them to Pink? For a split second, they felt the very immature urge to spit in Pink’s face.
It wouldn’t improve their situation, but it would’ve made them feel a hell a lot better.
Purple’s breathing hitched when they felt Pink’s fingernails cut deeper into their side, tears forming in their visor as they dug harder and eventually broke skin.
The intern hissed in pain.
”I’m nothing like you. Maybe most crewmates can’t see through your mask, but not me,” Purple choked, gagging on their words.
“You exploit and endanger lives. I’ll never be like you.”
They tried to keep their voice steady and clear of any fear, but they failed. Their words wavered and they came out as a whimper instead.
They could just make out Pink’s low hum of intrigue, and they shuddered from the way Pink eyed them. They were really wishing they could be anywhere else but here.
“Don’t be silly, Purple. When have I ever done that?”
Purple looked into their visor with a deep-rooted hatred, growing more and more irritated with the way the CEO kept dancing around accountability.
This is what Pink wanted. They wanted fear and control, but Purple refused to let them have it.
The intern regained some of their strength, even if just a little. “I think the better question is; when have you not?”
Pink flashed them a grin for all of a second, before moving on and evading the question altogether.
What a coward.
“Now then, what do you suppose we do with you, hm?” Pink looked around the room, a curious expression on their face as they thought to themself.
Pink looked at the doors for a moment, pausing in consideration. Purple followed their gaze to try and figure out what they were planning, then they felt themself go cold when the pieces fell into place.
No…
Pink was staring at the doors where Red had just gone through.
Another hum, but one of content.
“Perhaps, what you need is some time away from Red…” Pink sounded rather pleased with their own idea.
Purple’s visor widened in horror. “H-hang on-“
Purple was cut off in a yelp as Pink squeezed them again, firmer that time. It shut them up quick.
“Maybe what you need is to be working more closely with me. Where I can keep a visor on you… at all times.”
Once released from Pink’s grasp, Pink stood up and casually brushed off their suit. They tilted their head to the side like they were innocent.
Purple, however, stumbled back and instinctively reached for the area where they were grabbed at to relieve some of the pressure.
When pulling their hand back, they noticed their fingers had small traces of red, and Purple’s visor went wide.
All the intern could do was stare at their hand in uncomfortable silence.
“I’m a crewmate of my word, Purple. Try to resist, see what happens, because your punishment can get a lot worse for you, I assure you. I’m no longer playing into this little rebellious act of yours.” Pink warned, a scowl present on their face.
It made Purple too afraid to even think about responding.
“Tomorrow morning, you start your first shift as an intern in my office. You’ll find your uniform waiting for you in your locker when you check in. I expect to see you wearing it when I arrive.”
Feeling breathless, weak, and hurt, Purple continued to stare at their hand.
They couldn’t even process the idea of not working alongside Red right now.
Calm down, Purple. You have to calm down, or else Pink wins.
Purple shifted their gaze from their hand to Pink. They could still do something to turn this around.
Rubbing the tears from their visor with a knuckle, Purple spoke up.
“I-I apologize. I-“
”Your apology is not accepted. You’ve proven to me that you cannot work well with Red. Therefore, you will be placed under my supervision and working in my office for the time being.” Pink was having none of it.
Purple felt gutted, and dizzy… and wanting out.
”Your new job position is classified information. If your colleague asks, tell them you’re needed in the office as part of your internship.”
Colleague? Red was a friend. Their best friend.
They wanted out.
”Purple.”
You’re scared of the colony finding out what you are…
…and even more scared of losing your authority over us.
“Purple, do I make myself clear?”
Screw you. “Yes.”
“Yes?…”
“Yes, boss.” Purple gritted out the last word like it was inflicting physical pain on them to say.
The boss wore a satisfied expression, their smile of content so sharp Purple could almost feel themself getting cut on it.
“What a good little intern you are. I can see progress being made already.” They purred.
Pink reached down to take Purple’s hat, who was so frozen in shock that they made no attempt to fight back.
“Oh, and you won’t be needing this anymore.”
The CEO combed their fingers through Purple’s head tuft, whom went rigid from the un-welcomed touch.
Pink was like a rose.
Graceful and perfect on the surface, yet go any further and you’ll have to face their thorns.
“You are dismissed.”
The hourglass became empty when the last particle fell to the bottom and landed on the bed of sand below.
Tomorrow, they’ll be back in this very same room.
Purple felt nauseous as they were escorted out of the office, still feeling Pink’s hands all over them.
It finally hit them that they had no autonomy left.
———————————————
Pink was in the security room, leaning down to watch the security footage from the hidden cameras scattered throughout the building. They were intentionally out of sight so that none of the other workers could possibly know about them.
One of the white crewmates in charge of surveillance had so helpfully pulled up the footage earlier from the day.
The CEO had their hands on the table, analyzing the screen with a narrowed visor.
They watched carefully, spotting Purple and Red communicating in the same room together before Purple slipped away.
What didn’t align with Purple’s story though was how Red followed them shortly after.
”Please pull up CAM34, the storage room.”
The same camera that allowed Pink to find the two interns in the first place.
The crewmate typed something on the keyboard, dragged the mouse, and then…
click.
Footage of both Red and Purple immediately opened up on the screen.
”Now replay it from the beginning.”
Though there weren’t any saved audio files for this one, Pink could still scan the times on the monitor, which also weren’t matching up to Purple’s story.
The timeline wasn’t accurate. Red had been in that same room with Purple since they left the Ore+ supply.
Pink grinned, putting a hand on the white cremate’s head as they hummed curiously.
“How very interesting…”
That was the answer then. Purple had lied to cover for Red. It should’ve been obvious.
But according to the audio files in the previous footage, Purple was the one who convinced Red to join them, so it was a half-truth.
Pink rubbed their chin in thought.
They decided they wouldn’t hold it over Red’s head. It wasn’t their fault they were so easy to take advantage of, they naturally aimed to please, and Pink knew this of them.
In addition, Red was still useful to MIRA.
It was the purple one that had all of these troublesome ideas, which would be a problem for Pink and the company in the future.
Pink looked down at the crewmate.
“I want you to go through the rest of the footage in the last few months. Only the ones featuring Purple. Do whatever you need to do, but just get me that footage.”
They retrieved their hand to adjust their tie.
“I want to know how many of their stories were actually true.”
The CEO had seen enough. They straightened up, dusted themself off, then glided towards the door.
”Uh, boss? What do you want me to do with all the footage?” The white crewmate turned around to ask, their visor following Pink to take their next orders.
“Upload it to a hard-drive and leave it on my desk.”
The crewmate nodded with a thumbs-up and turned around in their seat, quickly setting to work.
Pink sighed, they needed to deal with this intern quickly.
But that shouldn’t be too difficult. They had a few tricks up their sleeve that guaranteed obedience. If it worked in the past, it would work now.
MIRA would never fall just because one pesky crewmate was trying to get in the way of their plans.
The first step was to conform, and conform Purple will, Pink would make sure of it.
MIRA shall flourish.
Long live MIRA.