Warm sun filtered through a thousand leaves, each a different shade of green, to eventually cast dancing shadows on the ground and creatures below. The gentle noise of a stream off in the distance could be heard, a sound almost like a sweeter echo of clinking metal, occasionally undercut by the twittering of various song birds. The occasional bow would snap under the weight or determination of a small critter, breaking up the almost melodious whisper of the woods.
Outside of these few noises, however, there was nothing else to be heard… A soft silence seemed to pertain throughout the forest, leaving it more than empty of the whirring sounds of machinery that they were so accustomed to.
It all left GLaDOS feeling a little lost.
She would never admit it, of course- But she found herself feeling grateful for the dull orange form of her ex-arch-enemy leading the way in front of her. There was something oddly comforting about how Chell just seemed to instinctively know the way forward through the forest. There almost seemed to be a wordless grace in how easily the woman, or rather, mare, if one wanted to be technical, found her footing among the brush and broken paths. If she hadn’t known otherwise, GLaDOS might have though that Chell had been a pony all her life.
I suppose it’s only logic that after having to relearn how to walk twice, a third time in a new body wouldn’t be as difficult. GlaDOS reasoned, watching as Chell almost effortlessly jumped over a log blocking their path.
At least in contrast to having to learn how to walk period… GLaDOS grumbled mentally as she examined the large log that was so rudely sitting in their way. Chell was waiting rather patiently on the other side, watching with a raised eyebrow for the ex-robots’ own attempts.
“Come on GLaDOS, hurry up. Stop lollygagging!” Wheatley whined from where he was rather impatiently waiting a few feet behind her. He had insisted on taking that position as they had taken to following Chell through the woods, saying that it was the only way he could ensure that GLaDOS wasn’t sneaking up behind him.
“I suppose pointing out that there’s nothing stopping you from going first would do nothing towards actually causing you to shut up?” GLaDOS snarled, not even bothering to turn to look at the buffoon in question.
“I think that’s quite accurate, yes.”
His chipper reply did nothing for her mood.
“Lovely,” GLaDOS muttered as she glared down at the log with more than a little trepidation. She just knew this wasn’t going to go well.
The next thought she knew was a very strong desire for the fall boots that had been in Chell’s care for so long. Her second thought was of her increasing desire to strangle Wheatley to death as the sound of his hysterical laughter reached her ears. It wasn’t her fault her back hoof has caught on something mid jump- The log had a very irregular design, and clearly needed to be repaired… Or something.
Even GLaDOS knew she was grasping at already non-existent straws as she nursed her suddenly very tender chin. Her gaze slowly slid upward to where Chell was calmly standing, holding her fore-leg out to give her a hoof back up. The mare wasn’t even laughing. Somehow that was an irritation in and of itself.
Wheatley simply glided over the log, avoiding the jump and its related perils all together. How come only the moron got wings, anyway? That certainly wasn’t fair. This simple thought was a great irritation to the once all-powerful robot. As far as she could figure, she deserved wings just as much as that idiot did. How did he get them and not her, anyway? At least during the entire time she had been in charge, she’d never nearly blown the facility up. For that matter, why didn’t Chell get a pair? Between her skill with the Portals and the faith plates, the woman had come far closer to actually flying than most humans ever could…
Speaking of Chell and irritations… The mare’s incessantly good mood was starting to annoy GLaDOS. Not so much because she’d rather see her miserable, but rather because there didn’t seem to be any good reason for it, and it was starting to unsettle her a little bit.
“You’re up to something.”
Chell paused in her stride to look behind her at the hesitating unicorn mare with an expression of pure bemusement.
“I just know you’re up to something. A scheme of some sort, that I just haven’t figured out yet.” Chell rolled her eyes and continued walking.
GLaDOS didn’t hesitate to continue following her, even as she went on with her rant. “There’s just no way you’re this stupid.” That earned her a glance back from Chell, who’s look of scepticism has returned.
“You’re trusting two robots who tried to kill you. Multiple times, at that-”
“Which I apologized for!” Wheatley piped up indignantly from his spot in the back. “Just a note, you know…” He added somewhat weakly, trailing off slightly as the two mares ignored him.
“-And yet you’re calm, and practically seeping confidence. Not to mention that if you were any happier you’d be skipping down these paths. It’s completely illogical for you to help us, and I know you’re not this dumb. So you must be plotting something. I just don’t know what.” GLaDOS finished, fixing her gaze on Chell, who, as far as she could tell, had resumed smiling.
“At least, not yet…” It was added as almost an afterthought, and under her breath, but it still seemed to catch Wheatley’s ears.
“Well, she has a reason to trust me.” Wheatley bragged, flying forward to glide along side her. (while still making quite sure to be out of reach, just in case…) “I gave her my heart-felt apology.”
Grinning stupidly as he was, he missed the sceptical look that got shot his way from Chell, as well as the subsequent eye roll.
“As for why she’s trusting you, I have no idea,” Wheatley continued on, before shooting an extremely irritating and cocky grin down at the pale unicorn. “Maybe she just has a really big heart, and pities you.”
“If anyone’s getting pitied, it’s you,” GLaDOS hissed back, just as Chell finally decided to reply herself.
“Mm-my Mothh-M-mom wa-as I-italian.”
“Huh,” Wheatley said, looking both surprised and curious. “I didn’t know that. Did you know that GLaDOS?”
“…”
“GLaDOS? Helloo~ooo? Anybody home?”
GLaDOS had come to a dead stop upon hearing Chell’s reply, and still hadn’t moved. It had taken Wheatley a moment to notice this, but now that he had, it mildly concerned him. She had this vacant look on her face, as if her mind was a million miles away, and her cheeks had flushed, tingeing her white fur a pale pink.
“N-no.” She finally said, her gaze still resting, unfocused, on where Chell was still calmly walking ahead of them.
“I didn’t know that.”