Chapter 21, everybody! Sorry for the delay on this one—FanFiction was experiencing technical difficulties (a lovely 503 error). Personally, I think Maxwell did it so I'd stop posting….
Thanks for the review way back on Chapter 1, Jeff! Yes, such fun! :D
Don't Starve © 2013 Klei Entertainment
Portal © 2007 Valve
Pardon the mess—we've been experiencing technical difficulties and all that.
She wondered how long he'd hang onto that as she watched a couple of panels scrape the detritus out of the hall and into some other portion of the facility—probably the incinerator.
Good news, though—a few more tests, and we'll be back in business! And to celebrate, I've got a surprise lined up for you!
More neurotoxin?
Now see, this is where a normal person would be asking what the surprise was.
She refrained from speaking, simply waiting for the door to open.
I'm not opening it until you ask what it is.
She was going to be standing there a while, then.
Fine—I'll just shut off your recycled air. It's not like you'll be needing it.
Oi. What was that Wilson had said? The air this far down was recycled to save on expense, and if it was shut off….
"What's the surprise?" she muttered.
I'm sorry—didn't catch that.
"What's the surprise?" she repeated.
Can't tell you—that would spoil it.
Save me, Wilson, before I combust, she silently pleaded, fuming.
The door sparked and stayed shut.
She heard something like banging and then some cursing. Figures. Wait right there.
Like she could go anywhere else—the panels were all doubly sealed now.
She heard a Doppler effect of his muttering Do I have to do everything myself around here?—which made no sense, considering he was the facility, technically.
A tapping redirected her attention.
"Wilson!" she gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth—no need to alert him.
But there was Wilson, waving down at her from one of those not-quite-clear glass offices.
"That won't keep for very long," he explained. "I dropped some bird eggs in the mechanism—aah! Bird! Bird!"
Willow watched, amused, as Wilson bolted from an angry black bird.
He was back a few minutes later, looking frazzled.
"That was it, wasn't it?" he asked. "The bird that laid the eggs? Livid!"
"Plan, Wilson," Willow said. "Is there one?"
"There is—three more tests. I've got an out set up there—it's in a blind spot for him, technically. Now I've got to go—he'll have overridden the system by now. Remember—three more tests!"
And he was gone.
The door slid open.
Finally, Maxwell said, sounding like he was sitting back down—why did he bother with these simulated noises when he knew she knew it was all a farce? So the doorman was fired—well, deleted, but there was some very stern talking to leading up to it. You need to get better at this testing thing, by the way—talking to a program was more stimulating than talking to you.
Willow gritted her teeth and bore it.
Three more tests.