"What. Did. You. Do."
The Goddess's voice rung out in the silence, a cold bitterness in her tone.
The little core's voice responded, anxious.
"I don't know, I really don't know! I was just in here, hacking into the cameras, and then something sparked, and then it got really dark. Over the whole facility too!"
"I mean, I didn't think that I'd be in that much power here, I probably could have done anything, and no one could stop me! It's almost like when I was in control of the facilit-"
"OH. Um... GLaDOS dear, could you just, um, forget that I said that?"
The cold in the air was practically malleable.
"Because, well, I didn't REALLY mean it, and it just slipped out, you know how it is."
His voice was growing higher pitched than it was just a moment ago, and his British accent was somehow growing stronger. The footsteps from above had also returned, though not synchronized.
"I mean, we all have times where we say things that we don't really mean, and then it comes back to haunt us, right? I mean, well,"
"pleasedontcrushmepleasedontcrushmepleasedontcrushme..."
The Goddess seemed to let out a bitter little laugh.
"Just get the lights back on, and we'll forget all about this."
But the lights didn't come back on.
"I swear I'm trying, I swear on my metal heart that I'm trying, but I cant, it wont let me!
I could see by the light of our glowing eyes as the Goddess walked towards him, and began to fiddle with the wires. Something sparked, making him let out a little scream of pain.
"I mean, jeez, that hurt... what are you doing?"
"Figuring out whatever the hell you did, so I can fix it."
The footsteps were getting louder and louder now, and there was a loud clang against the wall.
Working in darkness was no fun, especially for four people who weren't particularly coordinated at the best of times.
Copper kept running into things, while Bronze's little flashlight was a solitary beacon.
The silence would be broken by the occasional Combine static, or more concerning, little voices.
And the others could never in a million years understand why Flame was so nervous about them, even if she told the troupe.
After everything she'd gone through, the little cry of a turret, or the tones that sounded almost like Her... those things could drive a girl mad.
Could drive any sentient creature mad.
And for all she knew, she was going mad. This place...
And the way the others acted like everything was all fine angered her faintly.
The way Copper would stroll along once it was clear there were no Combine within miles...
The way Bronze would stop every two feet and observe some bit of tech, like it wouldn't hurt him...
And the way that Silver looked so hopelessly enthralled, like a place she'd seen in a dream, but couldn't name.
Flame shook those thoughts away, like she'd done so many times before. Silver'd been born in City 84, just like Copper and Bronze had, once upon a time.
A scream pierced through Flame's wandering thoughts, one that sounded almost human.
Almost.
It had that metallic tone to it that Flame knew just a bit too well.
And it sounded like it was only just a few walls away. Maybe a floor down, at most.
Silver clutched close to Bronze, as he took her hand, in a protective gesture. Bronze whispered something in her ear, along the lines of "Oh kid, yinz'll be ok..."
Copper was clearly just as scared as Silver, though less able to show it.
Flame motioned her arm, indicating the rest to follow behind her quickly, as she began tapping on the walls, as the sounds grew louder. After a flight of stairs down, she banged against a small door, there was a tremendous commotion inside.
Copper looked at Flame, and whispered.
"Are we going in here, Chell?"
Flame stopped, slightly anxiously.
"We're using real names at a time like this?"
"Is there any better time? You're acting like whatever's in there could kill us with a look."
Silver whispered in response. "I'd like to use real names if we're going to die. I never even learned yours..."
Bronze stepped ahead, and chuckled. "Real name's Carter. 'here's a reason I stuck to Bronze."
Flame elbowed him, and nodded.
"We're seriously doing this now?"
The group whispered in full affirmative.
"Fine. Name's Chell, as you picked up from Copper."
Copper stepped forward, nervously.
"Noah. No one uses my name, but it is Noah."
Silver stepped forwards, brushing her black hair out of her eyes.
"Charlotte."
She elbowed Flame playfully.
"Although no one's called me that since I was a kid, and I sort of prefer silver, so..."
"Sure." Flame sighed. "Now can we please go back to entering the room with the screaming?"
The group nodded, whispering to each other, before Flame ran forwards and broke open the door.
The limited light shone upon three little things that made Flame want to destroy things, and made Bronze want to go into full collector's euphoria.
Three genuine Aperture Science Personality Constructs.
A non-aggressive turret, a standard core with a blue eye, and a contraption that Bronze didn't recognize.
The contraption stepped forwards, and spoke with a low, feminine voice that was oddly familiar to all of them.
A voice that made Flame remember those endless days in a soulless room, with only that voice for company.
She simply asked, "Who are all of you?"