DISCLAIMER: I do not own Portal.
I'll bet you think I forgot about your surprise. I didn't. In fact, we're headed to your surprise right now. After all these years. I'm getting choked up just thinking about it.
She shifted slightly, the wires that were supporting her chassis twisting to accommodate her. That little quip had been passably sardonic: it included an implied insult about the test subject's lack of parents, an insincere display of empathy, and of course a reminder of the test subject's imminent demise—her usage of the word 'choked' really did illustrate a large quantity of deadly neurotoxin's future role. Yes, she had fulfilled the quota.
Then why did she feel so ... uneasy?
She had planned everything. The test subject would enter the elevator (as she was doing right now, albeit with an expression of extreme mistrust), the elevator would descend, the test subject would exit the elevator, walk up the flight of stairs and into the dark room which contained an Aperture Science Vital Apparatus Vent, which she would use to pump deadly neurotoxin inside the room after locking the doors.
The test subject had stepped into the elevator, and she activated the procedure that would send it down.
She had left no openings through which the test subject would be able to escape. All of the equipment was operational. It was a foolproof plan.
Her test subject would die at last; she would be rid of a nuisance and be able to do Science with the Co-operative Testing Initiative.
The test subject had stepped out of the elevator.
It would be a real surprise, and one that she deserved. She had killed her, after all, and it was only fair to return the favor.
The test subject was walking up the stairs.
But for the test subject, death would be permanent, because she was a human and her permanent backup had been deleted. There would be no more obese test subjects rampaging through the facility; no test subjects blundering through tests with a lightning grace; no test subject sailing through the air and dodging turrets' bullets like they were nothing.
The test subject had entered the room.
It was all for the best.
Initiating surprise in: three
Wasn't it?
two
The test subject would be gone forever.
one
She was a fraction of a picosecond away from releasing the neurotoxin and killing her nemesis.
She switched on the lights: the test subject should see the neurotoxin that would most definitely be killing her..
The fraction of a picosecond stretched into a millisecond.
Half a second.
A second.
Two full seconds.
The test subject was tense; her hands curled into wary fists.
There needed to be a surprise: she had promised her one. Then again, when had she ever kept her promises?
ACTIVATE CONFETTI?
What was she thinking?
YES
Confetti floated down from the Aperture Science Vital Apparatus Vent. The test subject blinked.
Quirked an eyebrow, the corners of her lips tugging slightly upward.
She was losing her resolve; her indifference.
She would give Chell another surprise. A real one, this time.
With tragic consequences.
