Data ran through internal wiring and cables while an enormous mechanical AI spun around the center of the dimly lit chamber. The walls of the chamber were, really, aligned black panels, contained inside of a cylinder deep within the confines of what is now known as Aperture Science.
Within these so called 'walls' lies the AI, the most powerful and intelligent artificial life form in human history. This AI hangs from the ceiling of the chamber, directly centered in the room of black and grey panels. The only colour of white that is noticeable in this room is on the AI itself. White adores the chassis of the machine, making up the 'body' of the AI and the 'head' which is shaped in a half circle from the side and a square from the front. It also covers the 4 ring shaped hard drives that are located above the creation, clearly showing how much information this AI truly takes to even function.
For eyes, this individual has only but one optic, one single glowing yellow orb that never flickers or 'blinks' located on the 'head' of the giant of a machine. The AI truly has over a hundred eyes within the facility when you count the endless amount of cameras within Aperture. To say that a single computer is running and keeping this facility from exploding would sound preposterous to anyone who worked in a nuclear factory or reactor core, but it's true.
This AI is known as a Genetic Life-form and Disk Operating System, the only one of its kind. This name is shortened to give the AI a much more proper nickname, and this name has been given to the most dangerous and cunning AI ever to be created.
The AI is referred to as a she and she is named, GLaDOS.
GLaDOS was not sure if she wanted to scream on the top of her non-existent lungs, or even acknowledge what she was seeing in front of her optic. The idea that she has been through enough trauma in her forever lasting lifetime was enough for her to spark a want to just crush the tiny individual before her with a crusher and get back to her quiet and 'normal' past times. '….Crushing would leave a mess….Incinerator maybe? No. Burning is too good for HER.' GLaDOS stared at the subject of her attention, almost glaring at the individual. The AI finally spoke and weaved back and forth on her hinges.
"Well you came back. You really must be brain damaged to even consider coming back after I let you live and told you to NOT come back." The irritation in the AI's voice was clear as day, her optic narrowing as she leaned in closer to her unexpected 'visitor'.
The one who GLaDOS is talking to, getting no response in return, is none other than Chell. The woman didn't seem too thrilled herself to find herself coming back to this place and of all things, seeking refuge. Chell hadn't come here willingly in the first place.
During her time being on the surface without the persistent and vengeful GLaDOS hovering over her, Chell found that what was left of the surface was nothing but war and chaos. Everything was basically destroyed or abandoned. The Combine had yet to find what they were looking for and humans were still trying to migrate back into repopulating, there was no evidence of a government and if there was, it was close to very little or undetected. She also realised that when she approached anyone they looked at her as if she had two heads and made sure to quickly make due with her questions or business. Everyone seemed to look at her with uncomfortable eyes and discontent. Was it because she was part of Aperture, the fact that she stood out from the rest, that she was not a part of any human rebellion, or all three? Chell would never know now that she has made the decision to come back to the hell that she fought to get out of ever since she first woke up.
GLaDOS was getting slightly impatient as she watched her previous test subject who was holding her left arm with her right hand. The look in Chell's face told GLaDOS that she didn't want to be here just as much as she did herself. The rate that data was flowing into the AI was much faster than she was usually use to. If the massive computer were human she would have sworn she would be having a migraine. Chell was standing in front of the ginormous AI just waiting for her to release a bunch of turrets or start filling the room neurotoxin. As the test subject waited for something to happen, neither of her suggestions happened.
What did happen stunned and surprised Chell more than the 'surprise' of finishing the test chambers and the truth about the voice behind Aperture combined.
"What do you want, (Subject name here)? Because I certainly know you are not here to end your short, pathetic life span early, even though that was originally your first intentions when you had your," GLaDOS paused for a brief second before continuing. "episode." The AI mused with her memorizing sarcastic tone and uncaring voice.
Chell was looking at GLaDOS as if she just asked her to go back down to the old Aperture Science facility, without any long fall boots. Not once has the test subject heard the AI ask anything of her, let alone ask her an honest question.
GLaDOS did not like the way Chell was looking at her. It was making her uncomfortable to the point that she though the woman was trying to stare a hole through her.
"Stop looking at me like that. I am not a potato anymore, you know. Oh wait, you're not down here to find something to eat, are you? If you are you're not going to find anything, I cleared out the facility of any unwanted growth after you left."
While GLaDOS continued to clean and rebuild Aperture, she found bunches of potatoes located deep within the depths of the facility. Without missing a beat GLaDOS made quick work of the potatoes. She went to the lengths of burning them down to the root and further more destroying the remains of the vegetable. The AI was NOT fond of the dirty oddly shaped food after the events of that…idiot of a moron taking over her body and turning GLaDOS into a child's toy, a potato battery. The thought of those times being the potato made the powerful computer want to shiver.
She did gather some rather precious and important data during the time; finding out who the CEO and founder of Aperture Science, discovering her original identity and brain mapping, and finding new elements to use in testing. The thought of Caroline coming to the AI's attention soon reminded her that she never did delete the woman from her data banks. It's not that she didn't want to. She really did, or rather, still does want to wipe the woman from herself, but there was one thing in the way of her doing so. Caroline wasn't just part of GLaDOS, she was the AI's brain map. If she really did delete her GLaDOS would be nothing but a normal computer with no real uses what so ever.
Something caught GLaDOS' attention when Chell began to walk around her chamber without giving the AI the slightest warning. She noticed that the test subject was still wearing the same clothing she left, including the long fall boots. The only difference is how cleaner they were and that the logo once on the shirt has now faded almost completely. Chell's coveralls still held their colour firmly, it's bright orange hue clashing with the black floor and walls around her.
"Nothing has changed. I do not see why you would want to waste your time even looking for the slightest difference." GLaDOS lamely injected as Chell stopped to look down to where the core transfer stations use to be.
With that the tanned woman looked up to the AI who had been following the test subjects every step. With a hand and a finger pointed down to the floor Chell questions as to what happened to the stations that use to be in the floors. GLaDOS noticed this and soon twitched her optic's 'lids' and coolly responded.
"I took the pleasure in removing the core transfer stations while I was rebuilding my facility." GLaDOS almost purred. "You cannot blame me for doing so. I mean do you honestly think I would leave those there and forget about them after what you did to me with that little idiot?" The AI seemed to become slightly angered as she continued. "And honestly, no one else was down here to take advantage of them so they were pointless to have, and now you can't cause any more damage to my facility like last time." GLaDOS leaned down to Chell fairly closely until the test subject could see her reflection in the AI's optic.
Chell knitted her eyebrows up slightly as she leaned back from the maniac computer's head and took a step back. She was in no position to argue with the stubborn machine and nor was she in the state to anyway. Even though the human looked like she was fit and well. In reality her body was fighting off a rather furious cold that she caught while on the way to the dark hole she fought to get out of, only to jump right back into it like a hell jumper.
GLaDOS noticed the slight change in Chell's temperature and took note of this. She read that humans, although resilient and destructive, they were not immune to bacteria or viruses from Mother Nature herself. Constantly they had to invent and come up with ways to make the human body less effected by the intruding contaminates. This included even injecting themselves with the virus or bacteria in a weakened state or dead form so the body could produce anti bodies to fight off the virus when the time came.
'Such self-inflicting, dangerous, over populated and destructive creature humans are. No wonder the world throws deadly circumstances at them, such as myself.' GLaDOS thought quietly to herself as she kept her eye on the human in front of her.
"You have been exposed to the common cold on your way here I see. Now I have two things to worry about; you, and chances of picking up a virus. Oh wait, that's right. I'm not a smelly virus attracting bag of meat." GLaDOS chirped the last part with bitter sweetness.
Chell knew very well GLaDOS was not going to let her live quietly within the walls of Aperture. Heaven forbid the day when the crazy AI thought to leave the mute woman alone and not pester her with ill-minded humor and rude comments. That would be too good to be true if that ever happened.
She certainly was not going to let that little mute lunatic live down what she had done to the massive AI, oh indeed she would not. GLaDOS still felt the ripping sensation of her core being torn out of her body and being thrown aside as if she were just a problem waiting to be fixed. She definitely would NOT let the test subject feel one ounce of comfort until she had her revenge on the human.
"So what are your plans now? Besides blowing up my facility or attempting to rip me from my body again and placing a COMPLETE moron in charge? Hopefully something quiet, liking being dead or at least pretending to." GLaDOS coldly implied to the human as she spun around and faced a large screen that came into view from behind four panels. "Because if it is not quiet or productive in a beneficial manner to Aperture, I do not want any part of it." The AI finished as she turned on the screen and began to check on P-Body's and ATLAS' progress on a test course.
Chell was pretty sure that was the closes she was going to a 'yes' from the AI. She slowly relaxed slightly while her hands still gripped her orange jumpsuit. The human was still not convinced that GLaDOS wasn't going to try and kill her with neurotoxin, as she did say herself "being dead" as one of her options.
"Aperture Science would like to inform you that loitering around in the main chamber area is an unhealthy choice to any members of Aperture who should be working on important tasks at hand." GLaDOS announced as she continued to watch the screen, as if she really was looking at it through her main optic.
The large AI's chassis then turned slightly and the head of the computer turned and looked at her almost dangerously.
"In other words, please get out of my living space and make yourself useful by gathering parts from the custodian and supply room down the hallway. Oh, and DO touch anything that IS on the list." The AI mused quietly as she gave the test subject a list from a metal claw that emerged from the floor.
Chell wasn't stupid when she noticed the slight reversed psychology. She knew there and then not to touch anything that was not on the list, which made the mute a bit irritated because of what she understood. One day she would show that AI she wasn't a mute, and a smart mouthed one at that. So Chell took the list into her hand and then ventured off out of the Main Chamber and off to the Custodian and Supply Room.
(Authors Note: I know this doesn't seem like ANYTHING near what it should be, a ChellXGLaDOS fanfic, but ya got to realize that this stuff does not happen over one chapter and then WHAM, they're at each others throats with their tongues. Not gonna happen…well not so early in the story anyway –Hint hint, nudge nudge- But anyway.
This is my first official fanfic I have ever pushed to start, and I must say I am kinda proud of it. Also, let me know if GLaDOS needs anything, a bit more sass, more anger, mouthier, cocky, self-indulged, sarcasm, witty, etc.? Likewise with Chell, let me know if I need to change anything and I will try my best to mold them to the way they seem in the game if put in that situation! Happy reading and please review afterwards!)
(P.S. This Fanfic is rather old and has gone through many changes since I last started it. The second chapter has been started and is through the creation stage. I hope you enjoy!)