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Without Wheatley's worrisome voice cutting through everything I do to chime in something fearful, scientific or bossy every five seconds it felt strangely eerie. Almost like when was earlier testing with GLaDOS, basically completely alone until I completed a level and GLaDOS added a few insulting statements. None of them actually were very hurtful, because it either ranged between insulting my physique or lack of guardians so it got very tedious after a while.
I was pretty sure that GLaDOS could be a little more creative with her insults or whatever she decides to jab at me, yet she chose some very odd ones to settle with and stuck with them the entirety of my testing. I was lucky Wheatley had arrived to rescue me from it, even if he did the completely wrong approach and used a silly accent she could hear anyway.
Noticing in my daze of thoughts my hand had begun to tighten instinctively around my portal gun, I loosened my grip so imprints of the handle didn't dig into my skin and continued to cross through the depths of the vast Aperture Labs, portal gun in hand as usual, it felt natural at this point. Both being alone and having a portal gun gripped in my hands.
But I hoped I could reunite with Wheatley soon anyway, I'd imagine he was either laying on the ground right now or still sliding throughout the tubes.
As I continued my journey, shooting portals and diving through them eventually I dove into a dark grey room, landing neatly on my feet and brushing a bead of sweat from my forehead, I searched the surroundings internally calculating where I could place my portals next.
Readjusting my portal gun in my hands as I pivoted around the room in a full circle my eyes suddenly caught on a singular door with a peeled yellow sign and capitalized bold writing.
"GLaDOS EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN AND CAKE DISPENSARY, KEEP UNLOCKED!"
My suspicions rose immediately, why was there a random door in the middle of this room with conveniently things that could solve all of my problems behind it? It seemed a little too coincidental? A GLaDOS shutdown and cake? It was a steal of a deal, but too good to be true.
My eyes couldn't help but linger on the "CAKE DISPENSARY", I hadn't ate in quite some hours and the climax around me had really just worsened my hunger, not to mention, it's cake. Could anyone really give up cake? I couldn't imagine anyone ever saying no to it, ever. And I mean, what could really go wrong? GLaDOS understands I'm not dumb enough to fall for a trick like this anyway, so she wouldn't go through the trouble of setting it up.
The prospect of cake was becoming too tempting to resist so I quickly went forward and twisted the door handle before I could change my mind. As the door latch let out a weak squeak and I suddenly realized how light the door knob is in my hands and how the walls behind the door seemed to be radiating with mechanical noise, the realization that I was a complete idiot settled in too.
The faux cardboard door clattered to the floor and the walls tiles popped out to peer at me for a brief second before folding back in.
"I honestly, truly didn't think you'd fall for that."
GLaDOs classically smug voice rang around me as the tiles began to twist together and fold towards me, enclosing me in the walls.
"In fact, I devised a much more elaborate trap further ahead, for when you got through the easy one." GLaDOS informed me, sounding amused with my own stupidity.
I wanted to argue with her and protest that I definitely wouldn't have fallen for it if she didn't bring cake into the picture but me staying quiet and remaining mute was half the reason why GLaDOs got so frustrated with me so much so I remained silent.
GLaDOs continued to jab at me smugly, finding it justifiably funny that I'd fallen for it so easily but I was too busy staring at the folding tiles to listen, strategies of possible escape methods rushed through my mind but I knew they'd be useless in the end and stood there until the floor slid out from underneath me and I slammed down onto my feet into the glass cage below, staggering forward a little, probably from the rush of events and confusion.
The transparent cage began to slide forward and I half heartedly shot a portal at the glass, of course it didn't work but it was worth a shot nevertheless.
"Well it was nice catching up, let's get to business," GLaDOS said.
The cage came to a screeching halt as the doors in front of me cranked open and it continued forward.
The robotic white android skin and trimmed silvery locks of GLaDOS was easy to categorize as she turned to stare at me with her signature glowing yellow eyes and the most triumphant smile I think I've ever seen in my entire life, which wasn't saying much nor was a big accomplishment for GLaDOS, considering I couldn't even remember that much of my life past Aperture Labs.
"I hope you brought something stronger than a portal gun this time," GLaDOS snarked, "otherwise, I'm afraid you're about to become the immediate past president of the Being Alive club. Ha ha."
If I wasn't glaring at her before then I definitely was now.
The cage neared GLaDOS, coming to a complete stop just in front of her and all of her cockiness faded simultaneously from her face in a uncanny like manner, her expression quickly cascading back into one of complete dullness and bored humour.
"Seriously, though. Goodbye."
A big metal arm laid down turrets in front of the glass and I couldn't help but smile a little uncontrollably, GLaDOS spotted this and eyed me a little suspiciously but continued to allow the turrets to be placed in every direction of me before the hand retracted and I was left with GLaDOS.
It didn't work of course. Handiwork of me and Wheatley. Fire engulfed one of the turrets at first before the turret exploded, then the next, then the one after that, cracks ran along the glass but I made a point not to flinch and even enfolded my arms behind my back to show I wasn't frightened (a practice Wheatley commonly used, although his terrified expression usually allowed anyone to identify what emotion he was anyway), barely repressing a grin.
The turrets continued this before they had all exploded, cracks and now fragile glass was in all directions of me.
GLaDOS didn't even look angry, just maybe a tiny bit annoyed.
"Oh. You were busy back there." GLaDOS said.
For a moment we just stared at each other, the mechanics sticking her to the ceiling making the quietest burrrrrrrrrrrr noises you had to strain to hear and the extra mechanical arms sticking from her shoulders curling and uncurling as she gazed me at me thoughtfully with a haughty air around her.
"Well," she finally said, "I suppose we could just sit and glare at each other in this room until one of us drops dead... but I have a better idea."
I heard the familiar sound of the neurotoxin tube sliding towards me slowly and had to cover my snort with a hollow cough.
"It's your old friend," GLaDOS informed me, "deadly neurotoxin. If I were you, I'd take a deep breath and hold it."
The tube shattered through the top bit of the cage, glass fragments clattering lazily to the floor below as suddenly Wheatley's voice of struggle and agitation echoed throughout the room.
I turned to watch Wheatley stumble down the tubes, doing somersaults and slamming aggressively against the sides as he made his way down the tube and finally came crashing into my cage and rolling straight into the glass, the sheer impact caused the already cracked glass to fall around us like releasing a cascading to the floor.
I took this an opportunity to jump out of the cage and rush towards Wheatley whom was already wobbly staggering upwards. He was obviously dizzy and very frazzled from rolling in the tubes for hours so I grabbed his wrist and helped hold him steady, picking glass from his hair and brushing it from his shoulders while he readjusted his lab coat and shot me a very nervous smile.
"Hello!" he said in a tone that was a little too merry for the situation we were in.
"I hate you so much." GLaDOS told me snippily.
Guiding Wheatley around the room to avoid GLaDOS and potentially whatever she was planning suddenly the announcers voice began to speak in an urgent tone.
"Central Core is eight percent corrupt." it warned.
I internally wondered why the announcer was just saying this now. From what I've seen, GLaDOS had always acted pretty evil and corrupted-like, I wasn't at all surprised from this but I was definitely surprised to be hearing this now when it was pretty obvious earlier on.
GLaDOS looked up, raising her mechanical eyebrows and smiling maliciously and just a little thoughtfully as she folded her arms across her chest and tilted her head upwards in a vain matter.
"That's funny," GLaDOS said, even though it truly wasn't, "I don't feel corrupt," she shrugged, "in fact, I feel pretty good."
"Alternate Core detected."
Suddenly all of that wicked air from GLaDOS vanished as her robotic pupils dilated with anxiety and frustration, she swivelled around to stare at us, eyes settling angrily on Wheatley. I suddenly realized what this meant, Wheatley was the alternate core. He must have noticed this too because he looked excited now.
"Oh!" Wheatley exclaimed. "That's me they're talking about!"
"To initiate a core transfer, please deposit substitute core in receptacle."
I didn't even have to hear it twice, I was around dodging around GLaDOS (who looked quite bewildered at the change of events), and heading towards the panel, practically dragging Wheatley behind me, watching the panel and its chair rise from the floor.
"Core transfer?" GLaDOS hissed, "Oh, you are kidding me."
I had a feeling that if she wasn't connected to her wires she'd come charging at us right now and complete rip out Wheatley's wiring on the spot.
"Do what it says!" Wheatley said as we neared the panel, "Plug me in!"
"Do not plug that little idiot into my mainframe!" GLaDOS ordered me, her hands were already in fists as she stood at a angered stance and watched us, suddenly I got what the saying if looks could kill meant.
"No, you should plug that little idiot into the mainframe," Wheatley suggested me.
"Don't you dare plug him in!" GLaDOS demanded, pacing urgently now, her expression looked a little more nervous and ominous now but I wasn't going to listen to her at all.
I took Wheatley to the panel and sat him down on the chair next to it, unfurling the plug in his side and injecting it into the panel, electrical sparks flying up at the contact.
"Substitute core accepted."
The chair suddenly locked Wheatley down, metal clamps chaining his wrists and ankles to the chair, he couldn't look self-satisfied about it as he watched GLaDOS gawk at us angrily.
"Substitute core, are you ready to start the procedure?"
"Yes!" Wheatley said immediately.
His enthusiasm made me grin.
"Corrupted core, are you ready to start the procedure?"
GLaDOS snapped her head in the direction of the speakers, shaking her head vigorously.
"No!" she flared.
"Ohhhhh, yes she is." Wheatley said, leaning backwards in the chair, although it certainly didn't look very comfortable so it was probably just to spite GLaDOS.
"Nononononono!" GLaDOS fulminated.
Something about her desperation made me swallow hard and a pit pry open in my stomach but as she turned towards me and shot me a furious glare it faded away immediately.
"Stalemate Detected. Transfer procedure cannot continue."
"Yes!" she exclaimed.
Wheatley naturally began to panic.
"Pullmeoutpullmeoutpullmeoutpullmeoutpullmeoutpullmeout!"
I headed towards him, not like I thought he was in the most urgent predicament, I just didn't want him to hyperventilate too much.
"...Unless a stalemate associate is present to press the stalemate resolution button." the announcer added.
"Leave me in, leave me in!" Wheatley yelped, making my hands spring backwards, "Go press it!"
GLaDOS turned to me again, looking quite stern now.
"Don't. Do. It." she said forebodingly.
"Yes! Do do it!" Wheatley chimed it.
GLaDOS turned her furious stare towards him as I began to take myself up the stairs towards the button, portal gun already ready for any use up ahead.
"Don't press that button!" GLaDOS snapped. "You don't know what you are doing!"
GLaDOS continued to angrily plead her case while Wheatley continued to tell me all the things he liked about me in a tone that suggested I hurry up. I'd learned to tune out their two voices at this point, so I charged up the stairs towards the button, but of course, didn't get very far. The tiles popped up and slammed against me, flinging me backwards.
I bended my knees and landed onto my feet, sliding backwards as my shoes made a screeching noise of protest.
I tried again, there was nothing that the portal gun in my hand couldn't fix. So I charged up the stairs again and shot a portal behind the button then shooting one beneath my feet, landing behind the button and making a jump for it, springing across the tiles with my arm extended and my fingers outstretched.
The tiles from the floor popped up again but this time they didn't fling me but instead just blocked the button as GLaDOS pleaded for my attention and demanded I listen to her.
But like I said, there was nothing that the portal gun couldn't fix so while the tiles were preoccupied coming around one side, I shot a portal on the wall opposite then another, running through it and reaching the button.
GLaDOS noticed this and tried to interject, words sliding from her mouth but I slammed my palm down on the button anyway, I was done with this nonsense and I was certainly done with GLaDOS. The moment my hand made contact she let out a startled yelp, mouth opening and closing in complete shock before the electrocution begun. It ran throughout her body and caused her to go limp, but still very much awake, I could tell from how she'd not broken eye contact with me the entire time.
The shocked look in her eyes ran over me like a shudder. But the remembrance of how she was going to kill me earlier, completely washed it away, or at least halfway washed it away because for some reason the pit in my stomach was now growing, like it was being dug out the more and more GLaDOs gawked at me, especially like that. I couldn't help but hope at the least that the procedure would be pretty painless.
The same question seemed to dawn on Wheatley as the chair he was in began to lower.
"Wait, what if this hurts?" Wheatley asked, looking very worried again. "What if this REALLY hurts? Ohhhhh, I didn't think of that."
GLaDOS seemed to want to dedicate her last moments towards tormenting Wheatley.
"Oh, it will," GLaDOS said, her head drooping Wheatley's way, "trust me, it will."
"Are you-Are you just saying that?" Wheatley demanded. "Or is this really going to hurt? You're just saying that aren't you? No... you're not, it is going to hurt isn't it?"
GLaDOS shrugged and left it at that, looking proud of herself even though she was just electrocuted and was about to be torn from her mechanics.
Eventually the floor had completely enveloped Wheatley and closed up again, a metal pit opening at GLaDOS feet at the same time. Although Wheatley was completely gone now you could still hear his voice, still worrying about the pain, alternating between accusing of GLaDOS of being a liar then asking her if it really does hurt.
"Exactly how painful are we talkin-AAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHHH."
Wheatley's yells seemed to make GLaDOS fearful and she took a wavering step away from the pit only for her own metal arms to extend forward, seemingly overriding her coding for the core transfer procedure, grabbing her wrists and slamming her to her knees so she was forced to kneel over the pit.
More metal hands began to extend from the pit itself, some connected to razors or saws, going into motion as they rose further and further. One hand grabbed GLaDOS hair and forced her to stare down into her demise at the mechanics and weaponry rose towards her at a worrying pace. I thought she might close her eyes or something so she didn't have to watch but for some reason her eyes were wide open, pupils darting around and even looking towards me for help.
I wanted to turn away but couldn't bring myself to do it.
"Get your hands off of me!" GLaDOS shrieked, "No! Stop! NO! NO! NO! NO!"
The arms reached her and began to tear away, as GLaDOS screeched and struggled, they began to saw her away from her wires and mechanics in brutal fashion. Removing her legs and tossing them aside like nothing more than trash, then her torso and back, which discarded her arms as well until finally it ripped off her head and flung it to the floor. She hadn't stopped screaming the entire procedure until now, as soon as her head made contact with the floor she looked disbelieving, shocked she'd lost the upper hand so quickly.
Then the pit extended upwards, shielding me from the rest of the procedure, averting my eyes from GLaDOS' as I waited for the procedure to be over, Wheatley didn't scream and his procedure was thankfully extremely quick because soon enough the pit fell away, enclosed back into the floor again, revealing Wheatley.
He was connected to GLaDOs old wires now, practically hovering from the pure hugeness of them, her old mechanical arms were connected to him now too. His new appearance was startlingly but it made me smile to know that now with Wheatley in charge I could be out of here within seconds.
"WOOOOOOOW! Would you look at this!" Wheatley exclaimed, "Not too bad, eh? Giant robot, massive! It's not just me right? I am bloody massive aren't I?"
I nodded in confirmation of this, because he was. His wires extended all the way to the ceiling now in a big chunk and his robotic arms were closing and unclosing as he stared at me with a giant grin. I grinned back.
"Oh! Right! The escape lift! I'll call it now!"
My spirits lifted. Home, finally. Wherever home was anyway.
"Look how small you are down there! Very tiny and insignificant!"
I decided to not take the insignificant comment to heart because he's definitely said worse to me, as I climbed into the lift, watching the glass close around me giddily.
"I knew it would be cool being in charge of everything, but wow! This is cool! And check this out! I'm a bloody genius now! не могу поверить Я должен доказательство читать сейчас! I don't even know what I just said! But I can find out!"
I raised my eyebrows at him expectantly, motioning to the enclosed lift around me.
"Oh! Sorry! The lift! Sorry! I keep forgetting!"
With that the lift began to rise and I could not longer repress my smile of pure heartfelt joy, even through Wheatley's rambling cut through every thought I had. He was ascending with me now, the wires and motors lifting him with me as he spoke, even with him in a casual standing position he was hovering, making excitable hand gestures as we went.
"This body is amazing, seriously! I can't get over how small you are! But I'm huge!"
Wheatley begun to laugh and I could feel a grim feeling rising, but why? I was finally leaving why did I feel so grim? Was it because I was just leaving GLaDOS dismembered remains to rot, I mean the thought of her just laying there, unable to move as rust gathered was certainly sickening but there seemed to be more layers to this feeling, or is it because for some reason Wheatley won't stop laughing...
But before I could pinpoint it I realized that Wheatley's laugh was gradually getting more and more maniacal... psychotic... evil? The realization snapped into place as his laughter began to trail off. Oh great.
"Actually..." Wheatley said, his gaze darkening, "why do we have to leave right now?"
My heart practically fell to my feet, the lift beginning to lower as the shock of his deception began to settle.
"Do you have any idea how good this feels?" Wheatley said, still smiling.
The lift reached the floor around and I couldn't help a lump in my throat from rising. So close, yet so far. Maybe trusting robots wasn't my best bet.
Once Wheatley reached the ground, he folded his arms behind his back and a grin spread widely cross his face.
"I did this! Tiny little Wheatley did this!" he proclaimed.
"You didn't do anything... she did all the work."
Startled by the voice of GLaDOS still speaking, I turned towards the source of it and realized GLaDOS head was watching Wheatley, eye narrowed into slits and a deepened frown of frustration on her face, although her voice sounded hoarse she still kept a defiant face going. She seemed just as upset by his betrayal as I was. Maybe it was just the fact that he was in her mechanics though.
"She was the intelligent and brave one, she did all of your dirty work," GLaDOS scoffed, "she was the beauty, brawn and brain. And what were you? The cautious dumb sidekick?"
Red rose to my face and I opened my mouth slightly but closed it again, scolding myself internally for being flattered.
"Oh, really. That's what the two of you think, is it?" Wheatley sneered. "Well, maybe it's time I did something then!"
The pit reopened and a hand came out, grasping GLaDOS head by the hair and dragging her towards it.
"...What are you doing?" GLaDOS exclaimed. "NO! NO!"
The glass was fragile, maybe if I pounded on it hard enough it'd break, perhaps I should go after her, even if its a bad choice to go rescue the robotic woman who tried to murder me with gas and turrets and diving into a pit is a bad idea. I went forward anyway, placing a hand against the glass and trying to pry it open.
Wheatley whirled back towards me causing me to lurch my hand back but to remain still overall.
"And don't think that I'm not onto you too lady, you know what you are? Selfish." I was so stunned by this accusation that I couldn't even reply. "I've done nothing but sacrifice to get us here, what have you sacrificed? Nothing! Zero! All you've done is boss me around."
Wheatley approached the glass leaning towards it with narrowed eyes and a smirk.
"Well now who's the boss? Who's the boss? It's me."
A dinging sounded and the pit suddenly opened up and Wheatley kneeled down briefly to remove something from it before extending it to me to look at.
"See that? That, is a potato battery. It's a toy for children."
I looked up at Wheatley, already understanding, the sickened feeling in my stomach gaping even wider.
"Now she lives in it." Wheatley concluded smugly.
"I know you..." GLaDOS voice sounded wearily from the potato.
"Sorry, uhhhh, what?" Wheatley demanded, bringing the potato closer to him to glare at it.
"The engineers tried everything to make me behave, to slow me down. Once they even attached an Intelligence dampening sphere on me, it clung to my head like a tumour, creating an endless stream of bad ideas." GLaDOS elaborated eerily.
I think me and Wheatley both knew who the sphere she was talking about was but she continued anyway.
"It was your voice."
"No, no, you're lying." Wheatley snapped, eyes twitching and an anguished frown forming on his face.
"Yes, you're the tumour," GLaDOS hissed. "You aren't just a regular moron, you were designed to be a moron."
I could tell from the moment these words hit Wheatley's ears it had struck a nerve, his face immediately contorted into anger, I took a few steps back because I was pretty sure I knew how this was going to end.
"I AM NOT. A. MORON!"
He slammed potato GLaDOS against the glass, his newfound strength causing cracks to ripple across his surface, must've been a pretty newly ripe potato because it didn't break and he brought it back to his face to glare at it. I hoped a little that GLaDOS would stop speaking, but Wheatley and GLaDOS both had something in common.
They didn't know when to keep their mouths shut.
"YES YOU ARE! THEY'RE THE MORON THEY BUILT TO MAKE ME AN IDIOT!"
With that Wheatley slammed her back into the glass, the front completely shattered and I threw my hands up to relieve the blow, shards snipping past my skin and potato GLaDOS falling onto the lifts floor.
"WELL HOW ABOUT NOW?" Wheatley yelled. "NOW WHO'S A MORON?"
He began to use his robotic arms to slam down on the top of the lift and I fell into a crouching position, wanting to yell at him to quit being a moron and pop out of that dumb cursed machine, of course, I said nothing and he continued to punch us downwards.
"COULD A MORON PUNCH. YOU. INTO. THIS. PIT?"
We slid further and further downwards, the lift making disturbing groaning noises as we drifted further and further, glass shattering in all directions the more he pounded into the roof. I realized that now the floor seemed to be crackling under the pressure warningly.
"HUH? Could a moron do that?!" he demanded angrily.
The floor made one last crackling noise before giving up underneath us and I was swallowed into the darkness below.