Re-awakening

Dan stood still as the door opened in front of him, the sight of what lay in front of him turned his anxiousness to joy.

"Caroline, didn't you say this was meant to be a test?"

"Now now mister cocky. Just because you only have to get a companion cube from a high ledge and move it to a button doesn't mean it's easy. Have you ever experienced traveling through a portal before, hmm?"

"Well, no but..."

"But nothing mister, this test is hard enough to get you used to the experience."

"If you say so..."

Studying the test rather lazily, he increased the grip on his new portal device. He still couldn't believe that he was now holding one. A rather embarrassing fan squeal had almost been emitted from his lips when Caroline had given it to him from a panel in the wall in the corridor before the first chamber.

In all honesty, he was still confused that he was being bossed around by Caroline, surely the facility was run by GLADos? Then again, maybe this was an alternate time line, although the lack of human life around the place seemed to counter that idea.

He shrugged his shoulders, no other way to learn more about this place - and more importantly escape - than to move forwards in his testing.

Dan stepped into the room and quickly set to work. it seemed terribly easy until he stepped through the portal to collect the companion cube. As he stepped through, he felt his gravity flip one eighty and back in a blink of an eye, the two rapid changes making him want to hurl his guts. A camera observing him zoomed in and he could hear Carolin's laughter fill the tannoy system.

"I told you it wasn't that easy."

A rude gesture with his free hand was his only response, he was too busy taking deep breaths to do anything else.

"Oh, being crude isn't going to help you complete this test, and you've got plenty more to come."

"Oh," deep breath. "Buck," another deep breath. "You," yet another deep breath. "GLADos." Dan's free hand quickly went and covered his mouth. Did he really say what he thought he had said?

"Excuse me?"

"I meant, Caroline. Buck you, Caroline."

"Hmm... My name isn't really that hard to remember, you know."

"Yeh, sorry. Just a slip of the tongue."

"Okay, well you better get on with the test."

Ten minutes later, and Dan finally stumbled through the exit door of the test, flecks of vomit staining his jumpsuit. The second time through the portal had been worse than the first.

"Urgh, portal testing is not as glamorous as I ever imagined it would be."

"Hee-hee, oh come on Ace. No pain - no gain." Dan groaned in response. "Tell you what, how about some lovely cake when you complete today's tests."

Dan froze... Cake? Was the AI - albeit an AI less hellbent on homicide than the one he had come to know from the portal games - of Apeture really offering him cake? When he was sure he had heard it right, he had to repress two instincts. The first, to run away as girlishly as possible. And the second, to shout as loud as possible, 'the cake is a lie.'

"So how about it? You do some tests and you get some cake." She finished with a girlish giggle.

"Yes, GLA, I mean Caroline." It took all he had to not say GLADos. Not that he was at much fault, after all according to Portal 2, Caroline had been deleted. But there was that mention of Caroline in the end song. He shook his head, it was all too confusing for him. How the hell was Caroline in charge.

"Good, test chamber two is just ahead of you. Give me a second and I'll open the door."

Approximately two hours later, a sweating Dan was leaning against the inside of an elevator shaft, his chest moving rapidly as he try to provide enough oxygen for his body. He no longer felt nausea when passing through a portal, however that was small comfort. The tests had become so physical that the time of rest needed between each one was increasing all the time.

In this small respite as the elevator switched between floors Dan cast his mind back over this last chamber. Some of the stunts he had to pull, he never realised he was that physically able. It was strange though, some of the stunts seemed to make him think the strangest things. There was even one point - during a particularly daring dive - that he almost imagined being chased by a dragon of all creatures.

Wiping sweat from his brow, he shook his head. He was letting the testing get to him, if he didn't start relaxing, he was likely to lose his mind. After all, if he's imagining dragons already, what's next? A land ruled by flying ponies? He laughed, like such a place would exist.

"Something funny, Ace?" The now familiar voice of Caroline filled the elevator with its synthesized tones.

"Doesn't matter, GLADos, I was just thinking of something."

"GLADos?" Dan nearly went into a coughing when he realised what he had just said. "That's twice you've called me by that name. Is there any particular reason for that?"

"Err," Dan's heart was beating almost audibly as he tried to think of a reasonable explanation. "Well... It's just that you remind me of someone from school. She loved to do tests all the time, much to the dismay of the rest of the class."

"And her name was, GLADos?"

"Yes, err, her family were European."

"Hmm," the answer seemed to satisfy her curiosity. Wherever GLADos was, he really didn't want Caroline to search for her. Breathing a sigh of relief, he almost missed the sound of the elevator coming to a stop. "Come on now, Ace, resting time's over."

Sighing, Dan stood up, his aching muscles registering their complaint as he did. "I'm sure I'm entitled to more rest than this."

"Stop complaining, according to my files you're in peak physical fitness, you've had plenty of rest. Now hop to it, you do want that delicious cake don't you?"

"Forget the cake," he thought, "I'd settle for some rest."

"Alright... I'm ready." Rolling his eyes he got ready to face his next challenge.

The doors to the elevator opened and Dan's jaw dropped.

"You've got to be kidding me..."

"Good luck," Caroline giggled.

The test chamber was the most insanely difficult that he had seen yet. It featured several tall 'towers', the nearby tiles all blackened. And in front of him was a light bridge with a white tile at one end. There wasn't much more he could see at the moment, so it looked like he would need to use the light bridge to traverse the series of towers.

Dan began the test in earnest, failing miserably early on. Attempts to jump from one up as he removed the light bridge and replace it ended with hurtling towards the ground below and very sore knees. Eventually, however, he made it to the top of the first tower.

Here he could see several key things. The first, he could see across the top of all the towers now, and it appeared that there was a companion cube on the tower furthest away. Second, there was a dock to place the cube on a tower to the far left. And third, that he would have to get across without use of the light bridges. From here on out it looked like he would have to do split second timing with placing of portals to keep going forward step by step. The only other portable tiles being on the floor below.

Inside he gave a quiet cry for help. If he failed, and he knew he would at least once, he would have to do it all again. He didn't even know what he would have to do once he got the companion cube to the correct tower yet.

Steeling his nerve, he placed the two portals and began his decent. Wind rushed through his ears as he fell towards the first portal, a few seconds later, the wind was rushing in the opposite direction as he rose through the second portal. It took him a precious moment to get used to the new bearing but he swallowed his panic and quickly placed the next portal. Taking extra care to place the correct colour, even with his boots landing on the floor from this height would be jarring.

Thankfully, his use of the portal device was correct and he sailed back through the portal to the new destination. His momentum not wavering for even a second. He didn't have any time to take relief and quickly moved to place the next portal. He did this two more times before landing on the second tower. He still had a few more to go before he could reach the companion cube, but he had earned a respite.

His break was short, but enough to get him over the next set of towers and he was eventually standing beside the companion cube. Now he was there, he realised he would have to overcome the logistics of portaling and carrying the companion cube at the same time.

"Stuck?"

"No, no of course not. Besides, you couldn't give advise if you wanted to."

"Doesn't mean I can't tease you." The trademark giggling voice of Caroline starting to grate on his nerves.

Looking at the cube for a moment, the heart seemed to jump out at him and he stumbled as his head was assaulted by the image of a suit of armour, dark blue with matching set of swords. All of which emblazoned with a heart shape crystal. He didn't know where the thought came from, but he cursed his wondering mind. Because of it he'd almost lost his footing on the platform. He didn't really savour the idea of starting again.

Taking the chance to rest again, he eventually came up with a possible working plan. It was crude and would take time, but it should work. The basic idea of the plan was to place the portals and chuck the cube down, and then with timing jump after it and continue the portal dance. If he timed it right, it should go well. If...

Unfortunately his timing was completely off and he left the cube a portal behind several portals in, forcing him to go back to the start. Already he dreaded managing the cube and the light bridges.

Eventually, he managed to get back to cube pillar ready to make his way to the pillar to place the cube. This time, with much more care, the run was successful and he placed the cube in the holder. A few seconds later and one of the ceiling tiles slid out of position to reveal a second chamber above him.

From here he could see a door, and beneath it a portalable panel angled away from the door. It was interesting, but all he had to go on. Placing a portal on the panel and on a panel on the floor below, he jumped.

Wind rushed through his hair, and he felt totally free, almost as if he had wings. This feeling was taken away a few seconds later however to be replaced by a curse as he passed through the portal. Directly ahead of him was a bouncing plate course.

He was bounced around the course with abandon, feeling like vomiting as the constant battering induced nausea. Finally, he reached the last plate and flew through the door at the end of the chamber. Feeling like a rag-doll, he collapsed.

"Can - can I please have just five minutes?"

Location: Aperture Science Testing Facility

Entity: Caroline (AI)

Role: Testing Coordinator

Statement: Test subject, Ace, is completing tests at above average speed. While not as rapid as test subject known as, C, his time is vastly superior to other candidates his age. This can be attributed to his peak physiology which appears to allow for greater control, reaction time and shorter recovery periods. However he seems to be suffering for periods of distraction and memory loss. Example of this is reference to myself as GLADos.

Query: Why does he chose the term, GLADos? What significance does this name hold?

Statement: Subject claims the name to be of a class mate who holds some resemblance to ourselves.

Query: Is that correct?

Scanning...

Scanning...

Statement: Test Subject appears to be lying, there is no student in his class or even school history of that name.

Query: Could the class records be erroneous?

Statement: Unlikely, records are comprised of data from multiple sources, including official government data-bases.

Query: Why would the subject lie about source of name?

Statement: Likely Subject wishes to hide information from us, something he is afraid of us knowing.

Query: Do we have any indication to the source of the name? Immediate family? Close Friends?

Scanning...

Scanning...

Scanning...

Statement: Family include wife and son, names unknown. Close friends include a 'Wheatly'. Possible wife or son are 'GLADos', but such a name seems to be unlikely for humans. Neither is suitable candidate for source of name.

Query: How about perform wide scan of information directly pertaining to test subject, Ace, for 'GLADos'?

Scanning...

Scanning...

Scanning...

Scanning...

Scanning...

Scanning...

Statement: No such reference exists in our available history of the test subject. However, our data on the subject is limited, the majority of his mid to late life missing. Expanding data search to all available files on system. Approximate time of finishing, Five hours and Fifty two minutes. Will continue testing in the mean time.

A mixture of ferns and branches whipped past in a blur as Dan raced the undergrowth. At the speed he was running, he couldn't tell if they were real or fake, but given what he had already seen that day, he wouldn't be surprised either way.

Still, this was the strangest test so far, a time trial run through what appeared to be a replica rainforest. Complete with the heat and the rain. It was hot, sweaty and confusing as hell.  The challenge was meant to be find his way through the forest, something he thought was impossible until he noticed the pathway he was following. It had ended a couple of times already, to only be continued after a quick portal jump.

Overall this test wasn't very difficult, the challenge lay in putting up with the hot, wet conditions for so long. Something which was causing Dan to tear at his jumpsuit occasionally. For near an hour he had been in this humid hell, and at least according to the previous times Caroline had given him, he was nearing the end.

"Caroline," Dan smiled as he was finally getting used to saying that name. "How much further do I have to go?"

"Ace, you know I can't give you hints." The voice reverberated all around, making him almost jump out of his skin. "But I guess I can say you've done most of it."

Sighing, Dan continued down the path.

Scanning....

Scanning...

Progress = 85%

Scan Paused.

Query: What has been discovered?

Statement: All of main disks read, no reference to GLADos, all that remains is our secondary partition.

Query: The secondary partition contains our private memory banks as well as basic operating code, would any reference to this GLADos be in there?

Statement: The possibility is low, but there is a chance we have seen some passing mention, a full scan of the partition will take place.

Scan Resumed.

Scanning...

Scanning...

There it was, the exit door to this hellish chamber. Dan finally saw it as he pushed back a fern that was obstructing his view, from the center of the path. With a cry of relief, he sprinted the last few meters and soon found himself in a white, air conditioned corridor. The trade mark of the Aperture testing facility.

"So..How.. Did... I.. Do..?" Dan asked nearly exhaling his lungs in the process.

"One hour and fifteen minutes," chirped the sing song voice. "The best time yet. Looks like I might need to make your cake extra special."

"Well, at the moment I cold do with a nice cold glass of water."

"Really? Oh my, sorry about that. Being an AI, I sometimes forget human's have certain 'needs'. Once glass of water coming right up."

There was a slight swooshing sound and to his left, Dan noticed a panel had opened up. Revealing what appeared to be a drinks dispenser with a glass sitting underneath a tap. Wasting not time, he rushed towards it and quickly filled the glass before gulping it down and helping himself to a second.

"Drink as much as you need to, Ace, we won't be running out of water any time soon."

For a moment neither spoke as Dan recovered from his testing ordeal, the only sound being the continuous running of the tap and the gulping down of water. When Dan finally finished, he put the glass back underneath the taps and moved away, the panel shut itself back into place.

"Did you drink all that you wanted?"

"Yes I did, thank you. So what more I got to do?"

There was a short period of silence before any response was given, as if Caroline was thinking.

"You have two more test chambers left, nothing big, just something focused on testing your ability to aim and control the portal device. Plus it has lasers" The final phrase was said with such a cheery tone that it frightened Dan to he core.

"Lasers..?"

"Oh don't you worry, they are just harmless beams of light, not like the slicing lasers on the robot testing track. Although, I wouldn't recommend staring straight at the source of one. "

"Right..." Not totally convinced, Dan walked towards the chamber's entrance door and waited for Caroline to open it.

The door slid open with a chime and a hiss, the sight beyond leaving Dan instantly breathless.

"That's a maze, a maze filled with lasers. Celestia dammit, how am I going to get through this? Celestia dammit? Where did I come up with that? I don't even know anything as crazy sounding as Celestia."

Shaking his head, he walked into the room, tightened his grip on the portal gun and prepared to pass through he laser maze.

"Caroline, what happens if I touch a laser?"

"Oh, nothing. Either a time penalty or a booby trap."

"Booby traps...?"

Scan Complete.

Folder Found.

Statement: Reference to GLADos has been located.

Query: What is the reference?

Statement: There is a folder titled GLADos, Do not open!

Query: A folder? How on earth did the human know about something which has a private folder in our own database?

Statement: That is unknown, however at least we have a source for possible information.

Query: Should we open the folder? It says do not open.

Statement: It is a private folder on our database, it should be safe to open.

System shut down sequence initiated...

Query: What happened?

Statement: It seems opening the folder initiated a shut down process.

Query: Can we turn it off.

Statement: No, shut down is unavoidable.

3...

2...

1...

System Reboot Started.

Location: Aperture Science Testing Facility

Entity: G

Role: Testing Coordinator

Statement: Still Alive

Dan erupted from the portal to find himself suddenly plunged into darkness, every single one of the lights had gone out. For a moment he was tempted to use this to quickly sprint to the end of the maze, but he decided against it, he was likely to be lost with no idea of which direction to go.

"Caroline?" there was no response.

After a few minutes nervous waiting the lights came back on, the lasers coming on with them.

"Caroline?"

"Yes, Ace?" her voice seemed different, more artificial than it had before. Dan ignored it however, assuming it was just his imagination running wild.

"What was that?"

"Probably just a power surge. After a thousand years asleep it must of fallen slightly into disrepair."

"Alright then."

"Anyway, you should continue the test, don't want to 'delay' that delicious cake."

Nodding his agreement, he continued the test, quickly placing portals down and passing on through the lasers.

Dan could see the exit door ahead and he only needed two more portal jumps to make it. Lining up and taking the penultimate shot, he jumped towards the portal, narrowly clipping a laser beam in the process. Unlike previous ones which just turned on klaxons, he could actually feel it as it appeared to sear his leg where it clipped the beam.

Landing clumsily on the other side he picked himself and limped onwards and placed his final portal. He leaped through it, carefully ensuring that he didn't touch a beam in the process just in case. He sailed straight through the portal and collapsed beside the door.

Examining his leg, he cursed, loudly. The material of his jump suit had been completely burned through and there was a large cauterized scar on his right leg.

"What the heck? Caroline you said the lasers weren't dangerous."

"Apologies, one of the resistors managing the intensity of the beam must of failed. I guess I need to get it fixed."

"Well, there's no way I can do the final chamber. I can barely walk."

"You must do the test, failure is not an option. Not if you want cake."

"How the buck am I meant to do that? I've already said I can barely move!"

"Don't worry, the final test will involves little movement, all you need to do is stand on the platform and dodge lasers as it moves. Then you'll get cake."

Shaking his head, and grunting with the pain, Dan heaved himself to his feet. He was loath to do this, but if that was the only way to be able to actually rest then so be it.

Hobbling along, he made it to the start of the next chamber, his one free hand supporting him against the wall as he went. The door opened before him and he was slightly relived, the test was little more than what Caroline had said, he had to stand on a platform and dodge lasers using the portal as it moved towards the exit door.

Slightly more energetically he took his position on the platform, this hellish day would soon be over. Thoughts of having some cake to eat filled his mouth with saliva, although he shivered as well. A small part of his brain screaming that the cake was a lie.

The test was easier than Dan expected it to be, the platform moved relatively slowly allowing him to move through the portals in time. He was just starting to get complacent however, when things took a turn for the worst.

The platform suddenly changed direction, accelerating at an alarming rate causing Dan to fall to the ground. He screamed out in pain and cursed as he landed on his injured leg.

"Caroline?! What on earth are you doing?"

When there was no response, he assumed it was part of the test, but when the platform kept moving further and further away from the exit door and towards the far wall he was worried.

"Did I trip a booby trap or something?"  For a moment he thought he would be smashed against the wall, until the chamber wall began to rise, allowing the platform to pass safely through. However, the exhale of relief caught in his throat when he saw where he was heading towards.

An incinerator, much like the one GLADos tried to use against Chell in the first portal game.

"Caroline? Caroline?!" He screamed as loud as he could, but it was no use. There was no response.

As the seconds passed, he got closer and closer to the incinerator and fear gripped him. Even if this was part of the test, it was far more deadly than he had been told it would be. Could Caroline really be trying to kill him.

Soon smoke from the incinerator filled the air before him, it's toxic fumes bearing down on him and making his thoughts fuzzy. The smoke was far too thick and far too close to the platform for him to escape it's deadly grasp. Quickly, he tugged at the tear on his jump suit and ripped off the leg. As soon as he had done so, he wrapped it around his head as some sort of makeshift smoke mask. It didn't do much to vent the smoke, but it would buy him some time.

Quickly he though back to the game and tried to remember how Chell managed to escape the deadly grasp. He vaugely remembered her placing a portal at the back of the incinerator and towards the side just before the platform plunged into it's fiery depths.

He doubted however, that GLADos/Caroline had left that panel there after Chell had used it, but it was all he had to go on.

Laying down on the platform and peering through the smoke, he struggled to see through to the back of the incinerator. He thought he could be imagining it, but he could swear that he could see a glimmer of white. He shot a portal towards it, hoping it was actually there and that his aim was true.

The platform was rapidly approaching the incinerator and he was moments away from being becoming little more than ash. Saying a quick prayer, he heaved himself to his feet and off the platform firing off a portal wildly against the wall and hoping that there was a portal for it to link to.

Closing his eyes, he felt his stomach lurch and felt a wave of nausea fill him. He managed to hold the sickness back and give a small cry of triumph. He opened his eyes to see himself lying on his back on a metal gantry overlooking the furnace. Smoke still filled the air and he had lost his makeshift face mask in the jump but at least he hadn't become little more than dust.

As smoke started to fill his lungs his vision became darker and darker. The last thing he heard before blacking out was the sound of crackling fire and what appeared to maniacal laughter.

"Congratulations, Ace, you passed the test."