[1st Portal] The Arrival

[jumpsuited_rat]

[Action - 850 Goldberg and nearby area]

[This isn't the first time Chell has woken up in a strange place with strange clothes. Actually, it's the third. The dress is definitely new though.

Like last time, she finds herself in a real bed. Chell glances around the room slightly, then sits up. From what she can see, it's similar, yet quite different

Comments

[cantgetlaidin]

[germany had been up and about early, and just about to exit the kitchen when a woman who is certainly not his drone wife goes past and hastily leaves the house. curious, he's quick to follow.]

Wait--!

[jumpsuited_rat]

[Chell stops and turns around, looking quite puzzled. She's never seen him before and he certainly doesn't sound familiar.

Is he even real? All the humans in the facility are dead, so he's got to be some kind of advanced android or something. This doesn't feel right, none of the tests have involved anything like this before.

Chell glances around, waiting for a voice she does know to inform her of the goals of this...well...whatever it was.]

[cantgetlaidin]

[she doesn't say anything, but at least she's stopped. and she hasn't responded with a gratingly chipper greeting he's came to expect from the drones.]

Have you just arrived?

[jumpsuited_rat]

[Chell hesitates for just a second, then gives him a nod. It can't hurt to give him that much information, even if he is working for Aperture or her.]

[cantgetlaidin]

Ah, right.

To put it bluntly, we are trapped in this town with no apparent way of escaping. We are arranged into family units and expected to adhere to the roles the town assigns us. You seem to have replaced the woman claiming to be my wife.

[--oh. right. this must be quite difficult to take in.] Er, I know this may be hard to accept. Quite frankly the whole situation is insane, but there you have it.

[jumpsuited_rat]

[Chell frowns at this information, it sounds too similar to her time in the facility and at the same time, completely opposite. Families definitely weren't GLaDOS' sort of thing, that much Chell knew.

She's used to rather ridiculous situations, but being the wife of someone she's never even met was by far one of the strangest.]

[cantgetlaidin]

[...well. the lack of response is vaguely concerning.]

Do you have any questions? I'll answer them as best I can.

[jumpsuited_rat]

[Chell sighs and thinks over her options. He seems real enough and having nothing to do with GLaDOS and she would like to know more about this place. After a few moments of silence and wrestling with the decision, she nods and says a single word.]

Why?

[Her voice is rough and cracking from disuse. She can't remember the last time she spoke.]

[cantgetlaidin]

That, is a good question, [he sighs heavily.] but unfortunately one I can't answer. Whoever brought us here just seems to be intent on occasionally messing around with us.

[jumpsuited_rat]

[Chell frowns at this and crosses her arms. This is worse than being in the facility, at least she knew she was there as a test subject.

She mulls over what question to ask next.]

What do we do here?

[Her voice is still rough, but it's strengthening the more she talks.]

[cantgetlaidin]

We simply live. Occasionally the town will throw something at us an we will have to overcome it.

A waste of time and resources, if you ask me.

[jumpsuited_rat]

[That's it? Nothing else? She wanted a chance to live her own life, but not like this. Chell shakes her head, not sure what to think of this revelation.]

Is someone watching the town?

[cantgetlaidin]

I assume so, yes.

[jumpsuited_rat]

[She's not surprised by that, so she gives him a nod, trying to come up with more questions.]

What is your name?

[She might as well learn that, especially since he's being helpful.]

[cantgetlaidin]

Germany. And yours?

[jumpsuited_rat]

[She's a bit puzzled by that, but shrugs it off. Her name isn't exactly common either.]

Chell.

[She thinks for a moment.]

How long have you been here?