Disclaimer: I don't own anything Portal & Portal 2 related.
Chapter 1: I was dead, Now I am Chell?!
Don't ask me why because I don't even know myself. All I know is that I died. I wasn't anyone special. Just an unfortunate victim of a car crash. Long story short: I died a quick death... and then I just had to get myself reincarnated. But of course it wasn't a normal reincarnation. I guess you could say that I was reborn as a ghost. That doesn't really make sense does it? When I first woke up, it felt like I was seeing things from someone else's eyes. I couldn't move or speak. Or rather, when I did, I wasn't expecting a reply.
"Hello? Is anyone there?" I thought.
"Who are you?" Came a thought in response. I was shocked that someone actually answered.
"I don't know." I answered. My answer was vague, but not entirely untrue. I didn't know who or what I was now that I had died and been reborn (?).
"I'm... Chell. Why are you in my mind." The calm Voice responded. If I could make an expression, I would have had shock written all over my face.
"Chell, huh. I don't suppose we're in Aperture by any chance?" I asked jokingly.
"Yes." Chell responded.
"Wait! Seriously?! Augh. That is just my luck. I get reborn as a sort of conscience of a- actually, nevermind." I said cutting myself off from saying anything offensive. I felt her confusion.
"So. I've just woken up and all, but where are we in terms of chambers? Oh, but I guess I should introduce myself. It wouldn't do for her to be strangers. Call me Angie." I thought to her.
"Nice to meet you, Angie. I'm in Chamber 19." She thought back.
"Wait! You do know that the cake is a lie, right? The Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System will try and kill you. By incinerator. Just trust me on this one. After all, I am you (sort of), and if you can't trust yourself, then who can you trust?" I explained quickly.
"How do you know all this? She asked. I felt her suspicion.
"Let's just say that I've seen it all before. While I was still a 'ghost' to this facility." I thought darkly.
"Alright. If you are right, I'll trust you (don't break my trust)" She thought to me.
"Understood." I replied.
Time Skip: post GLaDOS fight.
We were being dragged back into the facility by something.
"Don't worry, we'll have another shot at escape soon enough." I tried to reassure Chell. She sighed but didn't say anything.
Time Skip: 55 days later
I woke up alone. Curious, I tried to call out to Chell.
"Chell? How are you doing? Are you hanging in there? Please answer me." I thought. Only silence greeted me. Oh, dear. I really hoped that she was just sleeping in or something. I gave a mental tug at the "controls" to her body. Her fingers twitched. I began to slowly try and move the body more and found myself able to move physically for the first time in ages.
Curious, I check my pockets and the nightstand next to the bed for anything that might be of use to me. I found a pen and paper in the top drawer. I quickly stuff the small pad and pen into one of my pockets. It might come in handy later.
Announcer: Good Morning. You have been in suspension for -50- days. In compliance with state and federal regulations, all testing candidates in aperture...-
I started to tune out the voice as I looked around at my surroundings more carefully.
"Oh, you have got to be kidding me. This is... Aperture. I'm in Aperture Science Laboratories. This has got to be some sick joke by the Gods." I hissed. I was so wrapped up in my musings as I tried to remember everything that happens in Portal 2 that I barely registered that the Announcer had just told me to look up. I caught the tail end of the recorded bit and looked up obediently still trying to figure out what I could change.
"Good. You will hear a buzzer. When you hear the buzzer, look down at the floor." *Bzzt* I looked down at the floor. I continued to follow the instructions and stared at the art. I snickered quietly as I did so. I always found that part of the "exercise" to be hilarious. The narrator's voice told me to go back to sleep. I have to admit that I was quite curious as to how Chell in the game always seemed to fall asleep so quickly. I laid down on the bed and pulled the covers up.
"Good night, Aperture. See you in another 12 years." I muttered as I drifted off to sleep.
"Good morning. You have been in suspension for nine nine nine... nine nine ni-This courtesy call is to inform you that all test subjects should evacuate immediately..." the audio cut out. I sat up and rubbed my eyes blearily.
"Hello? Anyone in there? Helloo?" Came the sound of a very familiar British sounding voice. I slowly got out of bed and strapped on my Aperture Science Long Fall Boots carefully walking around and jumping up and down to make sure that they were on securely. Finishing my own self-assessment, I walked towards the door. I opened the door and a round spherical robot with a bright blue optic screamed at me.
"Ah! Oh. My. God. You look terrib- umm... good. Looking good, actually." He quickly corrected. I quirked an eyebrow at him in amusement.
"Are you okay? Are you- Don't answer that. I'm absolutely sure you are fine. Plenty of time for you to recover. Just take it slow." He continued. I walked over to my bed and stood next to it waiting for the announcer voice.
"Please prepare for emergency evacuation." The Announcer called right on cue.
"Stay calm! 'Prepare'- That's all they're saying. 'Prepare.' It's alright. Don't move. I'm gonna get us out of here. Oh. You might want to hang onto something. Word of advice, up to you." Wheatley said as he rolled towards the center of the room. The ceiling lamp moved aside as the panels slid open. I just sat down in the middle of the bed and clung to the mattress. The sound of an engine starting up and the room shook. I just continued to hug the mattress.
"You alright down there? Can you hear me? Hello?" Wheatley's voice yelled from up in the ceiling. The rumbling stopped and the panels in the ceiling opened up again. Wheatley lowered down back into my view.
"Most subjects do experience some cognitive deterioration after a few months in suspension. Now, you've been under for quite a lot longer, and it's not out of the question that you might have a very minor case of serious brain damage." He said nodding slightly. I simply tilted my head.
"But don't be alarmed, alright? Although, if you do feel alarm, try to hold onto that feeling because that is the proper reaction to being told that you have brain damage. Do you understand what I'm saying? At all? Does any of this make any sense? Just tell me 'yes'." He asks as he stares at me. I am still internally debating with myself about whether I should act exactly like Chell and play mute or just answer and move on with things. I decide to meet him halfway and nod sharply.
"Um. So, can you speak?" He asks. I glance to the side and consider my options. I nod, but hold up a finger in a 'wait a sec' gesture. I reach into my pocket that I stored the pen and paper. Flipping the page of the pad, I scribbled down a note and showed it to him.
"Yes. I can speak, I think. I've just preferred not to." - Chell.
"Oh, so your name is 'Chell'? Okay, then. It is great to meet you Chell. My name is Wheatley. It is good to know that you are not brain damaged, hopefully. But it would be easier if you would speak." Wheatley says after reading the note. I give a light sigh and decide 'to hell with it'.
"A-apple." I try to say. It comes out as a whisper. I try to speak louder, but it comes out a bit scratchy sounding. Huh. Maybe not speaking for several years might not have left me completely untouched. I guess I would have to try and get used to speaking again. I scribbled another note on the paper and show it to him just seconds before the alarm started going off.
"Been a while since I last spoke. Easier if I don't. Too, quiet. Difficult. Understand?" - Chell.
"Ah, I see. Alright then, let's get you out of here. Just hold tight." He says nodding. The panels in the ceiling open up again and Wheatley disappears behind them as they close.
"All reactor core safeguards are now non-functional. Please prepare for reactor core meltdown." The announcer's voice says. I quickly return to my spot on the bed and hold on for dear life. The walls are breaking and I am terrified of Wheatley's 'driving skills'.
"Alright, I wasn't going to mention this to you, but I am in pretty hot water here. How're you doing down there? You still holding on?" He shouts over the loud noise. I don't bother trying to respond. He continues speaking.
"The reserve power ran out, so of course the whole relaxation center stops waking up the bloody test subjects- Hold on, this is a bit tricky- And of course nobody tells me about anything. Nooo. Why should they tell me anything? Why should I be kept informed about the life functions of the ten thousand bloody test subjects I'm supposed to be in charge of?" He rants. I just sigh. Not my fault that- oh, wait. I guess it kind of was my fault since 'I' murdered Her. Oops. I wonder if I should mention that to him. I recall that when he went all crazy in the game, it was something that he mentioned as one of the things Chell never told him. I resolved that if I make it out of this part alive, I would tell him. I heard him ask if I could see if we had enough room. Definitely not. I can't inform him of this since I would not be heard over the din. I choose to just hug the bed really tightly and curl myself into as small of a target as possible praying that the falling debris won't hit/kill me. I cling tighter as the room bangs into an obstacle probably knocking off another section of the room.
"And whose fault do you think it's going to be when the management comes down here and finds ten thousand flipping vegetables?- *CLANG* Aggh, see, now I hit that one..." He continues.
"You hit the last one, too, you dork," I hiss through my teeth, not that he heard me at all.
"Okay, listen. We should get our stories straight, alright? If anyone asks - and no one's going to ask, don't worry - but if anyone asks, tell them that as far as you know: everyone looked pretty much alive, as far as you know..." He continued to yell over the noise.
"I'll tell 'em whatever you want if you can get me out of here in one piece!" I said in my mind.
"Okay, almost there. On the other side of this wall is one of the old testing tracks. There's a piece of equipment down there that we're gonna need to get out of here." He calls out. I sort of tune out the rest of what he says. I hear the words 'docking station' and I peak down over the edge of the bed. The unit is swaying slightly and I catch a glimpse of where the docking station actually is - below. I pretty much understand what I need to do once Wheatley eventually *cough* violently *cough* parks the unit in the wall.
*Slam*
"Good news, that is not a docking station. So that's one mystery solved. I'm going to attempt a manual override on this wall. Could get a bit technical. Hold on!" He shouts down. I haven't left my position on the bed. I am holding on.
*Slam*
"Almost there! Remember: you're looking for a device that makes holes! Not bullet holes, but- well you'll figure it out. Really do hold on this time!" He yells. He backs us up one last time and I brace myself against the bed. I think it was anchored to the floor. Probably just so no test subjects could rearrange the furniture.
*Slam* *Crash*
"Whew. There we go. Now I'll be honest, you are probably in no fit state to run this particular type of cognitive gauntlet... Just do your best, and I'll meet you up ahead." He calls down. I slowly remove myself from the bed and carefully make my way out of the room. I take a deep breath and jump through the glass into Chamber 0.
To be continued...
Next Chapter: Chapter 2 Begin Testing