(A couple of days pass after my birthday party. I'm eating a slice of red velvet cake.)
Me: Mm! This cake is fantastic! I should celebrate more often. I wonder whose birthday is up next.
(Aqua and Blaze approach me.)
Blaze: Good afternoon.
Me: Blaze, Aqua.
Blaze: Did you enjoy your birthday?
Me: It was the best! I had a lot of fun!
Aqua: I'm happy to know that.
Me: Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a story to update.
(I leave to update my story)
Heroes Unite!
Chapter 29: In the Name of Science
The heroes exit the rift in some kind of scientific building. "I don't think this is a bakery…" Bomb commented.
"We did just come back from the past. Could it be a futuristic bakery in space?" Chloe assumed.
"I highly doubt it, Chloe." Shadow sighs. "And please don't say space while I'm around."
They then hear a robotic feminine voice. "Is that you?"
"Huh?" Tails gasps as Judy brandished Soul Calibur.
"How did you escape from your…" The voice interrogated before noticing something. "No. You're not her. You're just another unwelcome visitor."
"Visitor? We must be in some kind of science center." Max deduced.
"Uh, excuse us? Do you run this establishment?" Knuckles spoke up to the voice. "We're here looking for a cake."
"Cake. Why do they always want the cake?" The voice deduced.
"So there is a cake here," Shadow confirmed.
"We can pay you." Knuckles takes out a ring.
"Yes. Yes, you will pay." The feminine voice told them. "But first, a test." A door opens, allowing the heroes access into the science center. "Welcome to Aperture Science computer-aided Enrichment Center. I am GlaDOS, short for Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System."
"What is this place? Dr. Eggman's R&D department?" Sonic joked.
"Looks like some kind of puzzle." Scarlett deduced. "If we're to proceed and find this cake, we need to solve it."
"This test shows that we need to press those two switches to open the door. But how?"
"I have an idea. Shift Keystone!" Anakin thought aloud as he triggers the Shift Keystone. A purple rift opens in the chamber, a yellow rift appears above a platform and a blue rift opens in the floor.
"Good thinking, Anakin." Obi-Wan complimented. Sonic takes the pink portal to a computer room.
"Unauthorized portal detected. Until the source can be identified, please press the Aperture Science switch ahead of you." GLaDOS commanded. Sonic sees a switch in front of him and he presses it. "Logic error detected. Please proceed into the Chamberlock after completing each test." He takes the blue rift back to the group. Anakin takes the yellow rift to a raised lift. He presses the switch and a cube drops to the floor of a separate room.
"Logic error detected. Subject should not have been able to enter this area without the aid of an Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device. Please attempt to place the Aperture Science Weighted Storage Cube on the 1500 Megawatt Aperture Science Heavy Duty Super-Colliding Super Button." Anakin sees that the cube is in the chamber. He moves it to the button using the Force.
"Logic error detected. Subject should not have been able to move the Weighted Storage Cube in this way." The door opens to an elevator. They take the elevator to the second Test Chamber.
"You're doing very well… That is to say I suspect you were cheating in that last test." GLaDOS stated. "Cheating is wrong and, ultimately, the only person who loses when you cheat is yourself. For instance, you might lose your freedom. Or your mind. Or some teeth. I will be monitoring your behavior more closely in the future. Now, on with the next test."
"This one looks a little more complex." Scarlett deduced.
"Nothing we can't solve. Chroma Keystone!" Red calls out the Chroma Keystone. He uses it to power some kind of catapult.
"Look at us, making scientific discoveries together. Please proceed to the next platform." Suddenly some fire jets and electric currents are positioned in the ceiling.
"How will we get over there?" Chuck asked.
"Anakin and I can jump over easily, but the rest of you, I don't know," Obi-Wan commented.
"I never carried so many with my powers at once," Twilight spoke.
"You were able to lift us over the Heli-Carrier back in Oakton. You can do this, Twilight." Gru reassured.
"I know, but I'm more worried about those obstacles in our path." She motions to the flame jets in the ceiling.
"I can handle that. Elemental Keystone: Fire!" Tails triggered the Elemental Keystone's power, surrounding them in a barrier of fire.
"Nice work, Tails." Sofia complimented.
"Aw, shucks." Tails chuckled nervously with a light blush. Twilight carries everyone to the next platform with her powers while keeping the fire barrier around then.
"Congratulations. I always believed in you and your ability to do that thing that you just did." GLaDOS complimented.
"I'll bet she's got her Master's degree in sarcasm." Sonic joked.
"Then what about those electric panels?" Chuck asked.
"Then we'll switch to Lightning." Tails used the Keystone to turn the barrier into one of lightning. Twilight carries them to a type of track. "How are we going to open that door?"
"If we can press that super button, the door opens." Nino theorized.
"But we need something that can press it," Alya noted. Lucy saw a button. She presses and a safety orb drops down in front of a piston.
"Maybe this safety orb can help," Lucy suggests.
"Smart thinking, Lucy." Gru complimented. "But how will we activate the pistons?"
"These electrical panels should do it." Tails said as he charges the panels that create the light bridges and activate the pistons. They lead the orb to the super button.
"Well done. Although, you obviously have abilities that are not listed in my database, and are using them to complete the tests. In other words, you're cheating."
"The machine's onto us," Adrien noted.
"Let her think that," Scarlett told him. "If we're to get that cake, we need to play along." Twilight carries them back to the starting area, where the door to the next test opened. They take the elevator to the third floor, where they see some sentry turrets in the joining corridor.
"As a punishment for your recent cheating, I have added several Aperture Science Sentry Turrets to the following test. I didn't want to do that but you left me little choice. I'm very sorry."
"Save it! You would've added the turrets whether we cheated or not!" Shadow accused her.
"You caught me. But proceed with this test fairly and I promise not to hinder you any longer."
"Never make promises you can't keep," Luka whispered.
"What are we going to do about those sentries?" Sofia asked.
"Maybe this can help. Locate Keystone!" Alya activates the Locate Keystone. A rift opens and brings Groot in front of the sentries' line of fire.
"I am Groot? I am Groot!" Groot uses his vines to smash the sentries.
"What was that? Perhaps, another unauthorized element? How can I test with so many variables?" GLaDOS complained.
"That takes care of one set of turrets, but what about the others?" Falco asked.
"If one of us can shrink down, they can easily go through those ducts." Knuckles suggested.
"Good thinking. I'll go. Scale Keystone!" Nick shrinks down and goes into the duct.
"Oh no. Where has the fox gone? I can't see him anywhere. How could you possibly have escaped?" GLaDOS feigns shock and awe. "You know my cameras have zoom-lenses, don't you?"
He traverses through the chamber and grows using the Scale to activate a weighted switch. The switch lifts a platform where the turrets stand and drops them into the murky water. He makes his way back.
"Nick, you are brilliant." Arbiter complimented his student.
"I learn from the best." Nick thanked his mentor. "Let's keep going."
They reach another part of the area. "Deploying prototype Super Deadly Mega Turret in 3. 2. 1."
A large turret rises into a glass box and starts firing sonic pulses. "What'll we do?" Rarity yelped. Obi-Wan saw that there are glass boxes surrounding two more buttons.
"I have an idea," Twilight spoke up as she lifted the turret with her telekinesis, shattering the box inside it and smashes open the other two boxes.
"Thanks, Twilight. Now we can press those buttons." Fox complimented.
"Oh, but look how far apart they are," Fluttershy noted.
"She's right. In order to open that door, we need to press them both at the same time." Applejack agreed.
"Rainbow and I can handle this." Sonic chimed in. They go over to the buttons on either side. They give each other the thumbs-up signal and press the buttons together.
"The Aperture Science computer-aided Enrichment Center congratulates you on yet another amazing job well done. Go you." GLaDOS congratulated the heroes as they proceed to the fourth test chamber.
"This test room is impossible. The enrichment center apologizes for this clearly broken test chamber."
"Hmph! Broken, my foot!" Kim glared.
"Save your complaints, Kim. We need to solve this to move on. But how?" Marinette wondered.
"Let's start with smashing those two boxes." Knuckles said as he starts punching one of the boxes, but it's still in one piece. "It's a lot tougher than I thought."
"We need something stronger. And I know just what. Locate Keystone!" Adrien uses the Locate Keystone. A rift opens and the Spirit Train smashes through both boxes. Once the train is gone, a receptacle releases a high energy pellet. Flames and electricity surround the two buttons.
"Oh you fixed it. How… wonderful." GLaDOS said. "You know, I was joking when I said it was impossible. That was part of the test and you didn't give up. You kept going despite knowing everything you were doing was futile, just like the inherent pointlessness of your existence."
"What's with that pellet?" Sunset asked.
"I think we may need it to power that over there." Tails pointed to another receptacle on the opposite end of the room.
"But how will we get it over there?" Sofia asked.
"Maybe I can use the Elemental Keystone to press those buttons." Obi-Wan used the mentioned Keystone to create an electric barrier. Pinkie used the Keystone next to create a barrier of fire around her. Kenobi went to the button surrounded by electricity while Pinkie approached the one surrounded by flames. Kenobi pressed the first button, which tilted the panel on the ground to the left and the pellet ricocheted off it to another panel on the ceiling. Pinkie pressed the right button next, tilting the panel to the right. The pellet ricochets off it and to the opposite receptacle. It powers a part of the chamber where six more panels power up. Another pellet is fired from another receptacle.
"Look over there! Another energy pellet!" Anakin noticed.
"And those three buttons control those panels," Twilight added. She lifted herself onto the left button. The two Jedi then Force Jump onto the other two buttons. The panels then guide the pellet to another receptacle, which power the door.
"You must be very proud of yourself. You, *SUBJECT NAME HERE* must be the apple of *SUBJECT'S FATHER'S NAME HERE*'s eye."
"What's with that AI today?" Sofia asked.
"Beats me." Alya shrugged as they reached the next chamber. They see a laser shooting from a wall.
"For this next test, Thermal Discouragement Beams have been added in to the testing environment. Health and safety would advise you to avoid contact with these lasers. However, the Health and Safety office is closed today so please disregard that advice."
"How are we going to get over there?" Luka asked.
Max noticed a clear cube inside a much larger cube. "Hey. Maybe if we redirect the laser to that power receptacle, we can make our way out!"
"Awesome idea, Max." Kim complimented. "Question is how? We saw how tough they are."
"We don't need brute strength to smash them open. We just need our brains and a little luck. Locate Keystone!" Using the Locate Keystone, a rift opens in the ceiling and a wrecking ball with Homer Simpson stuck to it smashed the cubes as it did to a large rock and a hard place.
"That was not part of the test and as a result, you have damaged the testing environment. Perhaps an extra '9999' days of testing will be enough to help you pay the expenses. I hope you brought a packed lunch."
"If I don't know any better, I'd think this robot is trying to keep us trapped here." Shadow deduced.
"Now that you mention it, I thought some of these tests were a little… harmful." Sunset agreed. "We better find that cake and get out of here."
"The sooner, the better." Fluttershy added.
"You know, I heard the lasers talking about you before. They were saying how much they like you. I think you two should hug."
"We're not buying that garbage." Falco sneered. They use the cubes to position the laser so that it destroys the turrets blocking the way to the exit and open the door.
"It appears the exit elevator has malfunctioned. Let me give it a nudge and we can continue." The heroes get to the elevator. They see it nudge, but it didn't move. "Well that didn't work. A repair associate will be dispatched… eventually. Until then, sit back and wait… Give up if you'd like… I won't judge you."
"Great. What are we going to do?" Krystal asked. That's when another AI Sphere appeared inside a ventilation shaft.
"Hey, over here!" The AI called out, spooking Fluttershy. The other heroes notice him. "Sorry about the scare, little lady, but I've got absolutely no time to go into any more detail than is necessary."
"Who or what are you?" Ivy asked the AI.
"Before we introduce ourselves, I think you should listen to me. I would have helped out with the tests earlier, but she thinks I'm watching the test subjects. Now the thing is; I may have made a slightly smallish, huge mistake with that," The AI explained. Fluttershy shuddered. "Don't panic. What's going to happen is, if she finds out, she'll probably want to use you for testing, forever, and probably switch me off. So my suggestion is… let's not let that happen and work together to avoid that inevitable, um, terrible outcome."
"I knew it! She is trying to keep us here!" Shadow confirmed. "What can we do to help?"
"Just remove these screws and leave the rest to me." The AI suggests. Skywalker and Kenobi use the Force to remove the screws. "Thank you. Now stand back. I'm going to attempt to hack this panel." The AI Sphere smashed into the panel, but it's still in place.
"Ugh. Uh, I must have forgotten to carry the zero… And umm… Let me try again, let me try again. I don't suppose you know what, what's Pi? Is it three-something?" The Sphere smacks the panel again and it falls to the floor. "Ha. Yes! Take that, panel! In your… slots. Consider yourself hacked by the best, at hacking. Alright, this way!" The AI Sphere goes into the vent. The heroes follow him in to the ventilation system.
"Ok! Follow me and I can get you out of here." The AI told them. "Now listen, she thinks she knows this facility really well, but little does she know, there's a tunnel up here that leads you straight…" Once he gets up to the top, he finds that the tunnel is blocked off. "She knows about it, she does, she's blocked it up… Clever… Hmm. Yes. Thing is… umm… 'Pipe being open' was a large part of my escape plan. Have any of you got a plan B? Maybe come up with a plan, because we need that."
"Before I go find another place to be heroic, I suppose I owe you an introduction. Name's Wheatley." Wheatley gave them his name. They climb up to the blocked pipe.
"Stand back. I can handle this." Obi-Wan said as he brandished his lightsaber and opened the pipe with it.
"You did it, stranger! If my random guess… If my carefully worked out "calculations" are correct, this pipe will lead you straight out of the facility and to safety! Good luck!" Wheatley wishes them luck as the heroes enter the pipe, but instead of leading them out of the facility, it takes them to another part of the facility.
"There you are. I was just about to send out the search party as I was getting so worried." GLaDOS noticed them. "Let us continue, for science."
"I don't believe it! Wheatley lied to us!" Anakin scowled.
"Simmer down, Skywalker." Scarlett told him. "This is what she wants. If we're going to get the Element, we're going to have to play along."
"Fine." Anakin sighs. He sees a room full of green gas.
"Oh look. It's my favorite thing in the whole wide world: Deadly Neurotoxin. Be careful, you don't want to breathe too much of it in."
"Yeah, that'll happen." Shadow scoffed.
They were able to complete the test with ease using the five Keystones. "I think you deserve recognition. Through cheating, ignoring the rules, and destroying the Enrichment Center, you have completed this round of testing. Congratulations."
"Looks like that did it – let's get going!" Obi-Wan told them as they entered the elevator. It took them to a chamber where GLaDOS awaited them.
"Welcome *insert party noises, here*. A party associate will be along shortly with your congratulatory cake for surviving… I mean… completing all of the tests. For now, allow me to keep you entertained."
"If we're to find that cake and get out, we need to take her down." Scarlett noted. Energy beams shoot out from GLaDOS and bind some of the heroes. They break free in time to escape a compactor equipped with spikes. They dodge the compactor some more times.
"Congratulations. You have successfully avoided being squashed. Your next test is to see how well you follow instructions. Feel free to use whatever power you used over the course of the tests so that we can begin."
"Whatever power we can, huh?" Marinette thought aloud. "Shift Keystone!" She summons three portals as GLaDOS creates another trap for them.
"Be careful! She's setting up another trap." Patroklos warned them. The Neurotoxin filled two sections of the room, leaving a third safe where the toxin is in a canister.
"What's wrong? You look tired. Would you like a break or a nap?" GLaDOS requested. "Maybe I could get an associate to rub your feet for you if I'm not boring you too much."
The heroes use the Shift Keystone to stop the gas and disable the trap. "If you insist on breaking my tests, then I am just going to have to remove them. Leaving you with nothing, trapped in here. Just me and you. Soon you will beg to begin testing again."
"I'm betting she trying to test us because she's been lonely." Max theorized.
"Then let's give her a companion. Locate Keystone!" Sonic uses the Locate Keystone to bring Auto, the AI autopilot to the chamber.
"Hello. It is very nice to meet you. How may I help you today?" Auto greeted GLaDOS.
"I have detected a rogue corrupt AI. Where did you come from? Did Black Mesa send you? Go away." GLaDOS questioned Auto.
"I do not know. One minute, I was aboard the Axiom, the next, I am here." Auto told her.
"Quick, we can use the Chroma Keystone while she's occupied," Adrien suggested.
"Good idea." Tails agreed as he uses the Keystone to expose her underside. Sonic takes this chance to hit her with a Homing Attack. The rift takes Auto back.
"Hey, that's not fair. I was distracted. Go sit in the basement and think about what you've done." The platform lowers to the lower floor, where they see a cake sitting on a table.
"That must be it." Xiba pointed to the cake.
"Good eye, Xiba." Maxi complimented. Suddenly flame jets start igniting, turning the room into a giant oven.
"Great. Another test. Careful!" Scarlett warned them.
"I don't believe it! You're ok… apart from being in an oven." Wheatley appeared.
"Wheatley!" Sofia was surprised to see the AI Sphere again.
"Good to see you all again. Now, prepare your impressed faces, strangers, because I, Wheatley, am here to hero this situation!" Wheatley said. "Okay, hang on, going to start hero-ing any second now. Lots of hero-ing coming up. Stay tuned." Wheatley leaves them to find a way to stop the oven. "Okay, first issue: more than one button. Hmm, this one's got a skull on it… so obviously a bluff! That will definitely turn the fire off." They hear the button being pushed and the fire jets move closer.
"Uh, Wheatley, darling? The fire's getting closer!" Rarity called out to him.
"Okay, it wasn't a bluff, just made the fire move closer… That's a surprise. Okay, umm, where is that other button?"
"I have a better idea. Elemental Keystone: Water!" Sofia creates water jets with the Keystone and puts out the flames with them.
"Thank you, Sofia. That heat was no help for my complexion at all." Rarity thanked her. They approach the cake. Xiba reaches out to grab a taste, but Maxi stops him. He shakes his head slowly.
"Are you cooked yet? Say nothing for yes or "Aargh! The pain! Why won't the pain stop?!" for no."
Scarlett ensures that they stay quiet. "Good." GLaDOS checks in on them and she sees that they have the cake. "Oh. You're alive. What a delightful surprise." Falco raised his blaster in defense, but Fox stopped him.
"What else have you got for us?" Fox asked her. The platform rose to the upper levels.
"If you are not going to play by the rules, then there is no point in continuing the tests."
"Wait. That giant oven you locked us in was a test?!" Applejack questioned.
"Yes. And you failed. Thankfully… I still have one more test I would like to conduct."'
"And that would be…?" Fox wondered.
"Electricity. Through you." A set of electrical bot surround the heroes, but just as they were about to shock them, a portal opens below, sucking the heroes and the cake in. "Why do they always leave me?"
Everyone returns to the Gateway room with the cake in hand. "Oh, good! You guys got the cake." X-PO greeted them.
"Yeah, and we were almost baked alive, too." Patroklos glared.
"Talk about cutting it close, X-PO." Sonic agreed.
"Speaking of cutting, perhaps I could…" Xiba sighs before Maxi stops him.
"This cake isn't for eating." Shadow glared at him. Xiba huffed unhappily.
"That makes three Foundation Elements." Judy counted the artifacts. "Now, if we're to stop Lord Vortech, we need to find more."
"Question is where?" Master Chief wondered.
"We can just tackle dimensions where there's most likely a Foundation Element," Slippy suggested.
"Fine by me." X-PO agreed. "Here's your ride." He opens a rift at the Gateway.
Me: And done. It sure was a lot of work.
(My wrist-com goes off)
Dojo (on-speaker): Archer! We got one! A new Shen Gong Wu has revealed itself!
Me: Give it to me, Dojo.
Dojo: It's known as the Stardust Scepter. It's capable of shooting tons of stars from its top.
Me: Any idea where you hid it?
Dojo: I'll tell you when you get here.
Me: I'll gather a team right away. (I hang up) I better tell them the news. Please review. Excelsior!