You're gonna test, and I'm gonna watch.

[testgasm]

Who: Weetabix. YOU.
What: TIME EATING
When: Who even knows.
Where: APERTURE WHEATLEY LABS
Warnings: Weird time shenanigans. Inappropriate noises.

You walk through the door and find yourself in a room.



You appear to be alone. The room is empty save the door you came from and a door that is obviously the exit--though neither will open. A large, red button sits in the middle of the chamber, surrounded by several cube...things.

There is an oversized TV monitor bolted to the wall but it appears to be off.

In front of you is a pedestal that holds two things--a strange device and a pair of boots. The gun-like apparatus has two triggers, but firing either at any of the walls does nothing. More fiddling, however, and you might realize that the gun can be used for picking things up--and perhaps even used to put things on other things (HINT HINT).

The floor and walls shake gently around you, tremors of some far-off disturbance. You might want to put those boots on, and find a way out of here while you're at it.

Comments

[did_well_enough]

It takes a little bit, but GLaDOS' body on the floor finally shifts as she groggily wakes up. However, her eyes shot open immediately once she sees where she is. In fact, that may be a small smile, as she realizes she's back at Aperture.

Wait...she can't smile as a robot...

And that's when it hits her, she's still in her humanoid body. Not only that, but...there's Frakenturrets here...and that familiar monitor-

"Oh you have got to be kidding me."

Hear that? That's the sound of GLaDOS realizing she's gone...back in time somehow.

With Wheatley in charge.

...well at least she wasn't a potato.

[testgasm]

Everything in the room remains quiet, save for the chirping of the Frankenturret and the occasional tremor. The doors, of course, refuse to open.

You know what you must do.

[testsubject1]

So, it wasn't long before Chell found GLaDOS.

She merely frowned at her, saying a million things about this situation without saying anything at all. Let's get this thing over with and defeat Wheatley. Again.

[did_well_enough]

GLaDOS looked at her before returning her frown with one of her own. She walked over to pedestal, put the on boots and grabbed one of the portal guns. Once she checked to see if it worked, she frowned.

"Well, you know what to do. Unless you want me to do the honors?" and she gestured to the weighted button.

[testsubject1]

Chell, fortunately, already had the boots on, since she had come to the Academy wearing them. But the Portal gun was something she had admittedly missed. It was what enabled her to defeat both GLaDOS and Wheatley, and without it she would have failed.

So, she grabbed the other gun and picked up one of the pathetic Frankenturrets with it. Personally, she would have preferred GLaDOS be the one who had to do this, so she could know what it's like to test, but Chell could barely trust her. Might as well get this over with before the chamber explodes. Again.

So, she placed the turret on the button and watched the door open.

[testgasm]

"Haha, yes!"

AND THERE HE WAS, on the giant monitor screen, gazing down into the room and managing to look surprised (if giant robot eyeballs could look surprised) at the sight of a human GLadOS. But really, who was he to deny a shot to TEST AGAIN.

"Isn't this just like old times, eh? It's like the universe has given us another chance to do it right."

[did_well_enough]

That lineface? Yeah, that's still there.

"Right. And since we are..."doing it right", I assume you've fixed the reactor?"

[testgasm]

"Obviously," he answered, though whether or not he'd taken care of the reactor core, or just shut down the announcement system was something he wasn't going to say.

"Got it all taken care of, this time. It's just you two. And me. And all these test chambers. Should be fun, right? Hey, you'll even get to test this time! Never done that before, have you?"

[testsubject1]

Yeah, Chell had a feeling that the reactor wasn't fixed at all. While she didn't know how these things worked, she knew enough about Wheatley to know that he probably had no idea how to run this facility.

She echoes GLaDOS in giving the large screen a lineface. Of course, she says nothing, but her expression conveys it all.

It was rather sad that she was partnering up with her captor yet again, even agreeing with her sentiments. But, it wasn't like she had any other choice. She was being forced to relive this horrible scenario and had to get out again.

[did_well_enough]

GLaDOS massages her temples. She doesn't believe a word of what he's saying and just wants her damn facility back. Speaking of which...she doesn't even know why she's here, how she got here, or anything. It's annoying. On top of THAT, how is she going to take back her body in this humanoid state? Will the connections work?

...these thoughts and more flood the mind of the AI, before she dismisses them all for a later date. Right now, she needed to get through this as quickly as possible. She'd think on her feet. And...besides, now she'd get to see how loyal Chell was.

"Alright fine. We'll go along with your little game." for now. "But don't try anything." that's her job.

[testgasm]

The thought of testing Her, giving Her a taste of Her own medicine is perhaps the most exciting aspect of this whole strange time-warp thing.

He opens the door, allowing GLaDOS and Chell to traverse the catwalks to the next test chamber.

"You know how it all works, so I don't need to bother explaining it to you. But I'm thinking, now that you've actually got legs for testing that we could, ah. Do this ...cooperatively. Sort of shake things up a bit, so we're not doing the same test chambers from...before."

[testsubject1]

Of course they wouldn't be the same ones from before. Why would Chell ever be so optimistic to think that?

The tests from before were annoying enough. One screw-up and she could be dead. One part of her felt a certain smugness that GLaDOS would have to go through what she had to go through before. Serves her right. If only Wheatley could do the same thing. That would be even more satisfying, especially to watch him plummet down the bottomless pits to his gruesome demise.

Chell walked forward into the catwalks, carefully treading the corridors to avoid falling to her death. Just like old times. Dreaded, horrible old times that she wished never happened again. The only way to win was to take Wheatley out once more, and she would do it, regaining her freedom.

[did_well_enough]

GLaDOS nodded. "Right, the Cooperative Testing Initiative." yes, she wanted to test it...but not like this. Not like she has a choice, though. As such, she doesn't bother speaking further after that. Instead, She merely frowns and follows Chell past the catwalks. As she walks, she doesn't say anything, just scowls.

However, that changes one they make it into the elevator. "These next tests we'll be facing are like nothing you've experienced before. I designed them in order to be done by two test subjects. Ergo, you and I must work together. Again."

She paused, before sighing. "However, that's not what you should be worried about. If you recall, I can't help you with tests. As in, if you're stuck on something, I can't give you the answer...directly at least. So don't mess up. Otherwise we're both dead."

[testsubject1]

Chell frowned at GLaDOS when she heard this. A test designed for two people. No, she hadn't done anything like that before. She hadn't even interacted with other humans for so long, so a test designed for two had never even crossed her mind.

She knew that GLaDOS had designed these tests, but she didn't have to go through all of them constantly, leaping through the air and thinking on her feet. GLaDOS was obviously smart, as much as she hated to admit, being a computer and all, but knowing how things had gone in the past, Chell expected her to sit there and watch. Lovely.

She gave a scowl that indicated these feelings, hoping that GLaDOS would do her part. She had better. And if the test chamber was truly designed for two, then Chell wouldn't be able to get through on her own with the equipment she had.

So, she stepped through the door, ready to see what Wheatley had in store for them.

[testgasm]

AND LO.

"Found this one lying about! Think it's pretty great, if I'm honest. Challenging."

The test, of course, was designed so that a single linked set of portals couldn't reach the solution. They would, unfortunately, need both guns to achieve that open door at the end of the chamber.

"Looking forward to seeing how the two of you will solve it. Together. Cooperatively. Heh."

Wow, you WOULD pick the test Carbon and I got stuck on.

[did_well_enough]

Chell stepped through the door, with GLaDOS right behind her, looking around before frowning at the test chamber before them. "This is one of my tests." despite her anger that Wheatley had yet AGAIN stolen her test chambers, she at least knew how to solve this one.

GLaDOS turned to Chell. "Alright. Listen to me, because I'm only going to say this once, and only because the moron didn't bother to: these portal guns are a bit different than the ones you are used to. The main difference is a device called a "ping tool". The purpose of the ping tool is to tell your partner where to place a portal or what to observe."

And then GLaDOS shows her how to activate said tool on her own portal gun, before placing 2 markings with her ping tool to show where she wants the portals.

It's irony to the nth degree

[testsubject1]

Great. This is different. Chell had done so many of the solo tests, becoming confident in her abilities to use the Portal gun, but now it was a brand new thing.

Chell nods and places the portals where the other indicated, as she studies the arena. She hated to have to depend on someone else for this, because she just wanted to get this done. And out of here. But fortunately, GLaDOS probably wanted that as much as she did.

So, she figures that the portals are used with the reflecting cube to shoot a laser into its receiver. However, she'll let GLaDOS handle that cube.

I know right? Wow Whit, watching us play co-op much?

[did_well_enough]

GLaDOS does in fact handle the cube, holding it to the laser via the portals she set up. Once that's done, she watches Chell be taken by the gravity emitters. She taps her foot, waiting for her to set up the light bridge just so. Once that's all set up and Chell's left the platform, she can continue on.

[testsubject1]

Seeing that GLaDOS isn't slouching off, Chell moves to the upper area with the light bridge. She peers around the test chamber, knowing that it has a use. But what is it to be used for?

She sees the other receptor for the laser and realizes that the light bridge and the gravity emitters could be used in conjunction to aim the laser into into it. With her portal gun, she creates an opening for the light bridge to jut across the room right by the second laser receptor.

GLaDOS had designed this test, so she would know what to do. No need to ping her, she hoped.

[did_well_enough]

Once Chell is down and set up the light bridge, GLaDOS sets up the new batch of portals and sets up the cube so that it will redirect the laser onto the device and unlock the door. After that, it's a simple matter of letting the reflector cube go its way on the gravity emitter.

Once that's all well and good, GLaDOS makes her way to the elevator and folds her arms across her chest, waiting for Chell to catch up and for the lift to move.

[testsubject1]

As the cube drifts through the gravity device, Chell leaps down from the ledge and swiftly lands on her feet with no damage done, thanks to the Aperture Long Fall boots. Quickly, she scurries over to the lift before the cube reaches the laser it's supposed to reflect.

Good, that didn't take too long. GLaDOS was a decent partner indeed. Well, since she designed the tests, obviously she knew what she was doing. If she didn't, it would obviously be a gesture to annoy her.

[did_well_enough]

While GLaDOS did NOT enjoy her situation, she was at least grateful that she had a competent test subject. Chell learned quickly, had a brain about her, and was usually knew what needed to be done. Not like one of those stupid sappy types that died so easily. With them working together, the rest of the tests should be a piece of...pie.

Speaking of tests, it was only a matter of time before the cube hits its destination and the test was solved, allowing the lift to move and the door to open. Welp, time to see what Wheatley had in store next.

[testgasm]

WELL, look at that. They solved it. Against all odds, they had actually worked together.

He could see where this was going, and Wheatley didn't particularly want another attempt on his life. He'd have to nip this in the bud--all he needed was the right moment.

In the meantime, he could test them some more.

"Great. Good job. Good for you. The both of you. Next chamber, if you would."

[testsubject1]

Chell had a feeling that she would have to go through several more of these tests before she had a shot at defeating Wheatley... again. But she had done it once, and she could do it again.

As she entered the next room, she looked around again, trying to figure out what to do. She found white walls, in addition to a blue screen that neutralized portals. So, she began shooting portals around the walls, moving around to check out the situation.

There were no turrets, but there was the pool of acid, capable of dissolving her in an instant. She had been able to avoid it thus far, so it didn't concern her too much, but she worried about what would happen if GLaDOS succumbed to it. She wouldn't have a partner, then, to complete these tests, and she could be stuck, waiting for the laboratory to explode.

Eventually, Chell was able to make her way behind a blue screen, portaling up to the top where she found a white platform at an angle. Behind that was a conveniently-placed chasm where she could fall endlessly, thus building up speed if she wanted to pop into the air from the angled platform. However, she would need the help of GLaDOS, so she waited.