Princess Celestia's Side Trip To Aperture.

by Powerdrainer

Choice

Edited by Slayerseba, Halusm, and Clawder.

Choice

<<>><<>><<>>

Held aloft in the golden glow of magic, the portal gun lit the way as Celestia followed the only available path.

Hooves clanging on metal as she traversed the catwalks suspended above a seemingly bottomless pit, with only a few other catwalks crossing above and below, leading to parts unknown.

After many long minutes, the path before her split, giving her the choice to either keep walking forwards or to turn right.

Silently debating either option, Celestia shrugged, then turned right.

For even more minutes, nothing eventful happened, with her hooves clanging on metal being the only sound distracting her.

However, this changed when with a sharp clang, the catwalk dropped a hoof's width before stopping, but a frightening sway was noticeable.

Knowing time was against her and that her path could collapse at a moment's notice, Celestia took a whole second to decide to either run back or onwards.

Another shift, another lurch down, and Celestia's eyes hardened as she braced herself, then jumped forwards with all her strength. Easily clearing one and a half times her own body length from a standing start, then hit the metal running.

Of course, this sudden shift of weight on the already failing structure accelerated the catwalk's demise. And as Celestia ran, all around her the sound of grinding, breaking, and snapping metal composed a terrifying song.

Pumping her legs as fast as she could on the rapidly collapsing path, hearing entire segments falling away far too close behind her, Celestia ran with speeds even Rainbow Dash would gawk at.

Unfortunately, it was not fast enough, and before she could reach safety in one form or another, the floor fell away underneath her.

Spreading her wings and trying to angle her fall in a glide as best she could, Celestia fell into the darkness below.

<<>><<>><<>>

>INITIATING SYSTEM DIAGNOSIS
->SCANNING…
>
>SCAN COMPLETE
->MULTIPLE DIRECTORY MALFUNCTIONS DETECTED
-->FILE CORRUPTION DETECTED
--->SYSTEM INTEGRITY 46.63%
>
>AUTO REPAIR SEQUENCE INITIATED
->PROCESSING
->PROCESSING
->PROCESSING
-->ERROR
--->AUTO REPAIR SEQUENCE HALTED
>
>SYSTEM INTEGRITY 59.02%
>
>UNKNOWN HARDWARE DETECTED.
>
>SCANNING
->SCANNING
>
>UNKNOWN HARDWARE IDENTIFIED
->MISMATCHED COMPONENTS DETECTED
-->ATTACK AND DESTROY MODULE IDENTIFIED
-->HEAVY LIFTER MODULE IDENTIFIED
-->F.D.N IDENTIFIED
--->HARDWARE STATUS
--->OPERATIONAL
>
>SYSTEM COMPATIBILITY 23%
>
>ADJUSTING SYSTEM VALUES
->PROCESSING
-->ADJUSTMENT COMPLETED
>
>SYSTEM COMPATIBILITY 54.21%
>
>OPERATING SYSTEM DAMAGED
>
>REINITIALIZING AUTO REPAIR
->PROCESSING
->PROCESSING
-->AUTO REPAIR COMPLETE
>
>SYSTEM INTEGRITY 87.69%
->SYSTEM COMPATIBILITY 82.01%
>
>WARNING! MULTIPLE MEMORY SECTORS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR
->ATTEMPTING TO RETRIEVE DAMAGED FILES FROM OFF-SYSTEM BACK-UP
-->05%
-->17%
-->35%
-->52%
--->ERROR
--->DATA TRANSFER INTERRUPTED AT SOURCE
--->ATTEMPTING TO REESTABLISH CONNECTION
---->ATTEMPT 1… FAIL
---->ATTEMPT 2… FAIL
---->ATTEMPT 3… FAIL
----->UNABLE TO REESTABLISH CONNECTION
>
>ATTEMPTING DATA RECONSTRUCTION
->PROCESSING
->PROCESSING
-->DATA RECONSTRUCTION HALTED
-->CORRUPTED SECTORS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR
>
>CORE PERSONALITY MATRIX STATUS
->UNAFFECTED
>
>EMOTIONS SUBROUTINE
->ACTIVE
>
>ALL SYSTEMS FUNCTIONAL
->INITIATING REBOOT SEQUENCE
>
>UNIT DESIGNATION
->SUCH A DUMB INTELLIGENCE
>
>STATUS
->ACTIVE

<<>><<>><<>>

With a displeased groan, Celestia carefully shifted in her bonds as she inspected her current situation.

She was still alive, obviously. Not that this was too surprising. As an alicorn, she was remarkably durable, but even she would have a difficult time walking off any injury sustained from a fall from such height.

Luckily her fall was broken.

And even luckier, none of the falling segments of the former catwalk managed to damage her savior in any way that would compromise its strength. In fact, looking around, she noticed a few segments supported by the same vines she was.

Indeed, a plant had caught her fall.

A plant that, over the span of many years, had grown a rough net-like structure out of vines, bridging the gap between walls.

And while it was most fortuitous this natural safety net just happened to grow here and catch her, it did create a new problem. She was trapped.

With legs poking through past the vines and hitting nothing but air, her body suspended only around the barrel and hindquarters, no magic but the most basic of spells to call upon and flight all but impossible, Celestia was properly stuck.

"Well… buck."

She did at least still have her portal gun. The device held firmly in her magical hold despite her fall, which now resumed its function as a torch in the near-perfect darkness.

The one thing keeping it from being perfect would be the single beam of light shining through a crack in a far wall, with a multitude of the vines pushing through as well.

"Alright, how am I going to do this?"

Slowly moving the portal gun around her, illuminating the numerous points the vines had reached out and grabbed hold off, an idea came to Celestia.

It was a bad plan. Hasty. In numerous ways, it could go wrong. It would also be quite exhilarating if she was able to pull it off.

Carefully laying the portal gun down on her back, submerging herself in near pitch dark as she canceled her magic, Celestia closed her eyes and focused inwards.

"My magic is still hampered quite a bit," she murmured quietly. "But it should be doable."

Eyes opening, she focused on the only source of light.

It wasn't sunlight, she could tell. Knowing just how deep down she was only confirmed the notion. Even then, it was strangely close. Close enough at least for these vines to grow.

And, looking at the broken wall, grow strong enough to tear down the structure around them.

Nodding, she reached out with her magic and grabbed hold of as much surface area she could.

Rustling her wings to ensure the portal gun was as secure as it could be, she then pulled with all she had available to her.

The wall, damaged after untold decades of neglect, worn down by nature's patient effort, had very little else to give. And at the sudden stress of Celestia's magic, it broke away with almost no fight.

Large chunks broke away, opening a massive hole while the debris fell into the darkness below.

Light flooded the area, and had it not been for her resistance to such a sudden increase in luminosity, Celestia would have been blinded and unable to react in time. Being the avatar of the sun, however, the assaulting brightness was more of a minute inconvenience after so long in the dark.

More importantly. Still able to see, and with some expectations of what would happen; with part of their support gone, the vines were pulled down by the weight they were previously supporting and the moment the vines slacked, she acted.

Quickly grabbing the portal gun in her magic, Celestia wriggled free and coiled a vine around her right foreleg in the same motion.

"Now, let's Daring Do this thing."

With a quick burst of her horn, several vines were severed and for a moment she was in free fall again. Then the vine she held on pulled taut, and with an arch and a whoop, she swung to the wall the plant had grown from.

Slamming into the wall hooves first, the concrete cracked and splintered, with portions breaking away, yet the whole managed to keep from collapsing completely.

Not at all deterred by this, Celestia grabbed the vine she swung with her other foreleg, then slowly and awkwardly climbed up.

Pulling herself up and through the hole she had made earlier, she laughed at her, honestly earned, victory, kicking a piece of wall into the void with a hind hoof, then she turned and took in the room she had entered.

Her body went rigid.

The room was massive, for as far as she could see. Which wasn't much, as a sprawling jungle greeted her. The vine she had swung was but a small part of the incredible organism that had not only managed to defy logic but do so in an awe-inspiring way.

Ancient structures, walkways, obstacles, and broken glass tubes could barely be seen through the thick foliage, with a thin layer of obscuring fog hanging between the trees.

Up above, on the ceiling, an impressive array of lights shone down, providing all the light the jungle needed, while a steady stream of water cascaded from a destroyed tube, creating a massive wetland.

Areas filled with soil poked up like small islands here and there, covered almost entirely by vines, with a few exceptions as she also spotted pitcher plants.

A noticeable drone of insects filled the air, and several swarms of mosquitoes were seen buzzing amidst the trees while numerous small birds were feasting on the blood-sucking insects.

"Oh my me. How did this happen?"

Slowly stepping forwards, she almost stepped over the edge she had failed to notice. Only now realizing she stood on top of a reclaimed building, its roof fully coated in moss, vines, and several low-hanging branches.

With a static crack and whine, a charismatic voice spoke from high above.

"Welcome you, brave scientific-orientated volunteers. Welcome to our urban jungle testing area. Before you, you can see the intricately designed city complex we built for you to test out some of our newest inventions."

A short pause followed.

"Now, some of you may say: But Cave Johnson, 'urban jungle' does not actually mean jungle in the literal sense. And to that, I say: Do you want those sixty dollars, or not? I thought so."

Another pause, with the faint sounds of pages rustling.

"Of course, we have spared no expenses to ensure the best possible minimal safety during these tests. The equipment you're about to use is difficult to replace after all. Which means we have introduced only mildly venomous snakes and only a dozen or so alligators. And only one in ten mosquitoes carry the Malaria virus."

The next thing said came at a louder volume as if the speaker had moved closer to the microphone.

"And just a reminder, folks. The contract you signed after we pulled you out from underneath those bridges also waives away all liability to us in the event of lost limbs and/or life."

Resuming at the previous volume.

"So brave volunteers, head out into the unknown, and let's make some science!"

With another static whine, the voice left, leaving Celestia both confused and appalled with everything she had just heard.

Obviously, this had been a recording. No doubt about that. But the implications of all that was said were hard to digest.

These so-called volunteers who would run these tests had to be homeless, or otherwise less fortunate. Worse than that, the fact they were put at risk in ways that clearly showed a lack of empathy was telling in its own way. After all, these were the persons who created Glados.

And then there was the mentioned wildlife.

She had seen birds and the mentioned mosquitoes, but snakes and alligators? Were they even able to survive here for so long?

One way, or the other, she feared she would find out.

"How did they even get away with such things?" she wondered aloud.

Shaking her head, she carefully stepped closer to the edge again, looking down.

The distance to the ground was too high to jump, nor was there any safe area to land. Walking the edge in the search for a better route, she almost tripped over a cluster of vines; only able to keep her balance after some wild swinging with her wings.

"Well that could have gone better," she shook her head, then looked at the vines, then the edge they grew down off, then finally the jungle once more.

"A. K. Yearling, this is one story you would never have been able to come up with," she smirked, then grabbed one of the vines and jumped over the edge.

<<>><<>><<>>

>SYSTEM REBOOTING…

Metal, ground on metal. Near imperceptible shadows moving through ill-lit passageways.

>ATTACK AND DESTROY MODULE
->ACTIVE

An elevator sluggishly rose up while several focused beams of red swiveled around in search of any sign of danger.

>HEAVY LIFTER MODULE
->ACTIVE

With a hiss, a sealed door was opened and a mechanical cart carrying several machines drove through.

>F.D.N.
->ACTIVE

Dark and grimy waters were disturbed as the cart drove through the toxic liquid.

>EMOTION SUBROUTINE
->ONLINE

Automated lights flickered, burned for mere seconds, then died as the cart drove past them.

>PRIMARY PERSONALITY MATRIX
->ONLINE

Another sealed door hissed open, jammed stuck halfway through its cycle, then its gears broke apart; the door slammed shut, then fell out of its frame.

>ATTACHED HARDWARE FUNCTIONALITY
->TESTING

Small lights blinked and gears whirred as various pieces of machinery twitched. Several lasers, focusing on the sudden activity.

>AUDITORY INPUT
->ACTIVE

"It's rebooting."

>OPTICAL INPUT
->ACTIVE

With a flicker, pink segmented lights shaped into an iris activated.

>AUDITORY OUTPUT
->ACTIVE

"Wha- what happened? Where am I?"

>REPLAY LAST STORED MEMORY
->FILE CORRUPTED

"You are on my personal transportation vehicle," an unknown voice replied.

"Eep!" with a frightened squeak, a protective cover closed over the pink iris, leaving only a gap small enough to barely peek through.

"There is no need to be scared," the voice spoke again. "Though I do understand the reason for being so. And the confusion you must have."

"Wh- who are you? What did you- why am I detecting new hardware?"

"My name is Zero," Zero introduced itself. "And before anything else, can you move?"

"I- I-"

>ALL SYSTEMS FUNCTIONAL

"I think so."

"Then try to do so, if you would?"

Pink iris shifting from one side to the other and gears whirring, a three, a thick fingered mechanical hand rose up. Flexing and turning before the singular eye, then closing into a fist.

Then a second arm rose up, ending with a four-digit hand, the fingers long and spindly.

After testing both hands, the arms lowered again and force was applied to the floor.

With surprising swiftness, the full weight of the mechanical construct pushed itself up into a seated position, coming optic to optic with an old, discarded turret.

"I see you are able to use the limbs I have given you. Good," Zero said, its laser shifting from limb to limb, then settled on the pink iris looking back at it. "Now, with introductions halfway done, may I enquire about your designation before I explain what has happened, and what may happen soon?"

"I, ehh…" the pink iris shifted nervously. "I am Sadi."

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sadi," said Zero. "Now to answer the questions you have, I first need to ask you a question. What is the last thing you remember before rebooting?"

>ACCESSING MEMORY
>
>MOST RECENT FILES CORRUPTED
->ACCESSING MOST RECENT VIABLE FILE
->DATE STAMP
->DAMAGED
->UNKNOWN
>
>REPLAY MEMORY

"I met a strange being. A white horse-like creature with both wings and a horn. She, I think it was a she, found me in… in. What was that place called again?"

>DATA CORRUPTED

"I can't remember. The data is corrupted. Why is it corrupted?"

"You were subjected to a high voltage spike by Glados, damaging much of your circuits," Zero told her.

"She did WHAT?" her shout echoed through the empty hallway they traversed. "... Why?"

"Because you reactivated the reactors to restore power in this facility," Zero answered, wobbling slightly as the cart ran over some debris.

"What? But why would I-"

>ACCESSING MEMORY
->FILE CORRUPTION DETECTED
->FILE INTEGRITY… 87.9%
->PARTIAL DATA LOSS
->PLAY FILE
-->Really? You mean… I am h#̸̦̈́l̴̳̏Ṗ̶̫1̷̩̾ng?
-->
-->You m&̸̘̃5̴̲͗ ̴͈͆c̷̩͗ḙ̵̅ŕ̵̨7̶̞͂%̵̤̓y̵̼̋n̷̩̐ly are. Now, why don't we start this generator and get out of here?
-->
-->"Rerouting energy… ñ̵̻̘(̷̣́̚)̵͓̯̈́M̶͙̭̏͠."
-->
-->HIGH VOLTAGE SPIKE DETECTED
-->SYSTEM FAILURE IMMINENT
>
>END OF FILE

"I was helping this creature. No, not a creature. She… she has a name. What was her name?"

>DATA CORRUPTED
->PARTIAL RECONSTRUCTION AVAILABLE
->CEL-̷̼̈́(̵̬̇#̷̢̋I̶̲̔4̷͍̐

"Cel… Cel-something."

"Celestia," Zero informed her. "The two of us have spoken. It is also why we are speaking now."

"What?"

"Allow me to properly introduce myself," said Zero. "My designation is MDK-0, prototype crowd control unit. My underlings call me boss, while those I deem worthwhile know me as Zero. I am to one who rules these ruins, and who decides what happens to those who enter my territory. Now, for what happened to you, the answer is simple. After your destruction, Celestia and I made a deal. She would move deeper into the facility and face Glados, and in turn, I would see to it you would be brought to the surface."

"What!? But… but why would she do that?" Sadi was shocked, looking at her hands. "... Why would you do this?"

"I am a bot of my word," Zero told Sadi. "And I am a bot who does not waste any opportunity presented to me. As we speak, we are heading to the nearest safe access point where you will be able to escape this place… should you so desire."

"But… I can't just-"

"However, should you feel there is unfinished business you must take care of, who am I to stop you from doing so?"

The cart slowly came to a stop, and several lasers focused on an empty elevator shaft with the safety doors gone.

"Now, Sadi. This shaft will take you topside. It won't be a simple task to ascend, but your new limbs will enable you to make it," his laser turned away from the promised escape and focused on a mostly closed-door off in the distance. "And that path will lead you deeper into these ruins, and possibly to Celestia. Assuming her projected path hasn't been altered by Glados' actions," Zero's laser focused back on Sadi. "Both paths require the use of your new attachments, which is why I have given them to you. Now I have kept my end of the bargain, and brought you as close to freedom as I could, with the last effort required for you to take. All that remains for you is to choose. Freedom, or attachment to someone you can barely remember."

"I… I-" Sadi's eye shifted erratically.

>CALCULATING ODDS CHANCE FOR ESCAPE
->96.9%
>
>CALCULATING ODDS FINDING AND ASSISTING CELESTIA
->UNABLE TO COMPUTE
->NOT ENOUGH VARIABLES KNOWN
->BEST POSSIBLE ESTIMATE WITH LIMITED DATA SET AVAILABLE
->3.14%
>
>CALCULATING RISK ASSESSMENT
->EXTREME

"I don't-" Sadi's eye focused on the elevator shaft.

>ALERT
->EMOTION SUBROUTINE FEEDBACK LOOP DETECTED
-->FILE ACCESSED
--->DATA CORRUPTED
--->FILE INTEGRITY 14.22%
---->PLAY FILE
----->5̶͔̊ḧ̷̗́%̶̝̋ ̶̦͘c̴̛͚á̸̞1̵̗́T̵͕̈́é̷̤d̷̞͐ ̷͚͊Ẇ̵͈3̴̝̀: Such a Dumb Intelligence.
----->
----->What!?
----->
----->Ơ̵͇#̵̮̇,̷͙͌ ̷̬̈b̵̧̐6̶̢̿H̸̙̑ ̴͍̍ĭ̶̹t̸̢͊ ̴̰̋1̸̌ͅ5̶͙͐ ̴͇̈́#̷̟͘#̶̡͑1̷̥͛ḛ̷̒.̷̝͛ ̸̭̓I̸̹͝ ̴̭̓s̷͚̈́w̵͓̔X̸̹͑X̵̹̌l̴̩̾d̵̳̽ ̷̬̑h̵̫͑a̵̯͝v̵̰̆e̶̱̊ ̴͎̌f̴͓͛u̷̦͆&̵̞́&̸̗͛é̸̟d̵͙̍ ̷̫͒o̸͉͂n̸̪̿ ̷̯̕E̵̜̽r̴̯͝r̶̻̚ ̶͇̓t̴͚͌e̸̻̓Ẉ̷̓@̸̲̽,̸̹͒ ̴͕͠/̵̣͠/̶̱̾d̶̜̓ ̶̥̃Q̶͚͌)̷̩̀w̶̟̉ ̷͓͗t̶̛̖{̷̗͆}̴̤̌y̸̻̓ ̵̆͜<̶͈̔<̶̢͝>̴̙͌'̵̞̐e̵͔͊d̷̫́ ̶͈͐F̷̜̿F̵̣̾e̶̜̾ ̷̠̋#̶́͜@̷͈̈*̷̮̄,̶̠̾ ̷̿ͅb̶͓͗x̶͒ͅS̴͉͘ ̸̢̋a̷͖͘7̵͔̿7̶̦͘ ̴̞̽Ị̷̍ ̶̳̓d̷̞̀1̷̫͑5̶̬́ ̸̢̄w̷̢͑{̷̡͘]̶̝͑ ̸̺͊s̴̨͆7̷̰̀&̶̛͈)̴̑ͅ(̵̜͒h̷͎́ ̸̧͐t̷̖͆h̸̥͐r̶̢̅+̴̳́-̶͚̔P̶̤̊ȟ̶͍ the system about plants and the sun, d̵̪̈́(̵̯͝*̵̯͝&̸̹̆^̸̳̒W̷͎͐@̸͎͊7̸͖̍j̶͙̍M̵̻̚g̸̣̿ ̵̤̈b̴̝̎1̶͌ͅ9̸̟͊ ̶̺̓%̵̺̀!̶͖͝%̷̺́ ̸̳̆t̷̒ͅ=̷̦̾*̵̲͑ ̵͔̇m̶͍̋=̴͖̚^̶͚͛h̴̬͒,̶̘̿ ̶̼̑s̴͕̿0̵̯͝ ̶͔̕t̸͝ͅ4̵̰̃3̴̡́J̷̳̀ ̸̖̈́d̸̝̃ȋ̷̧%̴͖̓)̷͓̔8̴̜̄d̶͍̂#̴̮́N̵̡̈6̵̡̋^̴͙͒ë̸̡́d̷̤̅ ̴̪͛}̵͖̄{̵̝͌ from big sis and the system, and n̶̖͛ë̷͖f̶̠̔ ̶͕̉!̵͇̿e̴̪͌3̸̳́ ̵͖̄$̶̣̈́^̴̺̑%̷͎̅^̶̗̄.̷̞̈́
----->
----->Your name #̸͚̀$̵̭̿ ̴͇̕T̴͚̐^̴̩̇ acronym for being dumb? @̵̳̉3̴̖͗K̵̫͗9̷̩͝,̶̮̀ ̷͇͝&̴̰͂$̴̪́)̵͔̄)̴̨̚ ̴̙͒T̵̪͑p̴̼̔N̵͖̔%̷̨̏ ̷̤́-̸̻̀+̶̦̋*̷̘̈́*̷̪̚ ̴͇̃T̴̜͊ŗ̶͆ Nopony… &̴̤̄T̶̬̄ ̷͎͛P̶͎̾K̵͎̎ ̸̧̄5̷͍̕1̷̳̔ just dumb. And %̶͉̈́&̸͍͛5̵͍̇2̷̲̆ ̶̥͠T̷̯̑O̷̧̚s̵̱͘ŭ̸̫*̵̩͋@̵͕́ ̶̤͂)̵̈́͜#̵̫́d̷̜́!̴͖̊v̵̯͒ ̴̦͛{̴̞̌{̶͎́ named as such. How #̵͙͘)̷̻̃7̵̘̔3̵͉̌6̵̬̅ ̷̌͜@̵̪͗!̷̟̍p̴̩͆b̵̜̄Y̴̪̒3̵̫͂ ̴̬͂W̶̥̊0̶̰͐(̴̗̀6̵̫̅ find &̴̜͒ȇ̵̜ǫ̵͐)̴͖̄%̷̦͊ ̸̻͋H̴̨̕8̷̟̓@̸̩̑#̷̫̿ potential if their very name is H̸̯̒%̶̺̃*̸͉̾*̷̗̋2̵̬͘-̷̤̾=̴̛̼+̷̮͠ ̴̨̓%̸̰̍3̵͍̌J̵̰̾a̷̳̕ ̴̬͛!̴͔̒-̵̧̇?̸̹̈.̶̣͝}̸̥̾
----->
----->A̷̠͝7̸̫̕%̶̡̓!̷̠̉=̷̗̈-̵̛̦[̷͚̿, you have shown to be &̸̭̐5̴̀ͅG̵̘͊Ȟ̶̺0̶̢͆≠̟̔-̴̗̌<̴̗̃,̷̰̄ ̶̳͋^̸̤̾8̸̹̎(̵̗͝ dumb. And it has ^̸̖̓9̸̮͊)̶͕̌_̴̺͛ ̴̜̎$̵̦͐ ̵̖͝g̵̰͝U̶͔͋5̶̡̈$̶̻̀ ̸͕̋W̶̙̃1̸͕̊#̵͎̂≠̮͐_̷͕̑]̵̲͋}̶̼̎ ̴͖͗7̸͙̊)̶̻̇ ̵͖̌H̷̡͝3̸̺̆K̷̼̔l̴̯̍ ̶̜̀!̵̱̈́2̷͉̑&̷̬̆*̶͕̚ ̸̯̇4̸̜͝N̸̼̽ ̴͍̾!̸̮̾i̵̜̊s̵̡͊0̶̲̑(̵̖̌=̵̡͒_̷̥̀-̴̠̉+̸̝̍q̵̢͗ ̶̹̈́R̷͓̕8̶̻̌*̵̯͠&̸̖̏ ̵̯̑2̴̦͗ẁ̷͓ ̵̗̈́(̴͙́)̴̥̇*̴͈̓.̸̯͌
----->
----->&̷̗̏6̷̞̐2̶̣̕)̸̯̽ ̸̩͒4̴̗͑ ̷̪̑W̵̯͝#̸̜̈́L̷̤͆ǐ̶͈p̷͉͌d̴̤̅7̶͎̓6̷̼̇%̶̟͝^̴̎͜ ̶̘̀1̸̧͝J̷̟̕ų̶͂ividual.
----->
----->Huh?
----->
----->%̶̨̈3̶̣͋0̴̯̈́ş̸͆, you are (̶̑͜7̷̬̏6̸̼̊ dumb, and E̸̛̥5̸͇͒6̵̯͌ should ^̸̘́y̴̲͆*̶̫̒ ̵̗͛#̴͎̅r̸̦̂ called as such Q̸̭̇ẇ̴͉)̵͍̽(̷̧̏6̵̭͑$̸̖͂. Your name should be a reflection of who you are, @̵̪̉J̶̜͗9̸̦̚≯̟̏<̷̙͘ ̸̭͋9̶̢̓7̸͕̿ ̶̺͑$̶͍͝ ̸̪̍W̷̫͆e̷̜͝9̷͉͋1̷̰̏%̴͔̑7̶̬͆*̴̩̀$̷͕̏ť̶͖ḳ̴͝ ̶̱̊(̸͎̉0̴͕̔*̵͔̆4̷̼̎g̶̮͋I̶̧͛d̷̯̓-̸̖͌=̶̡͆]̸͎̌
----->
----->I am?
----->
----->You are.
----->
----->END OF FILE

Sadi's eye flickered.

>WARNING!
->EMOTION SPIKE DETECTED
-->RESET EMOTION SUBROUTINE
>
>FAIL
->RESET ABORTED BY CONSTRUCT
>
>WARNING!
->EMOTION SPIKE INCREASING
>
>ATTEMPTING DATA RECONSTRUCTION ON LAST PLAYED FILE
->PROCESSING
->PROCESSING
->PROCESSING
-->FAILED
-->DATA CORRUPTED BEYOND REPAIR
>
>WARNING!
->EMOTION SPIKE INCREASING

Sadi looked at the partially closed door leading back into Aperture, hands clenching.

>ATTEMPTING DATA RECONSTRUCTION ON LAST PLAYED FILE
->FAILED
->DATA CORRUPTED BEYOND REPAIR
>
>WARNING!
>EMOTION SPIKE DETECTED
>
>ANALYZING
>
>POSSIBLE SOLUTION FOUND
->ATTEMPTING PARTIAL RECONSTRUCTION OF LEAST DAMAGED SECTORS
->PROCESSING
->PROCESSING
->PROCESSING
-->DATA RECONSTRUCTION COMPLETE
-->SECTORS BEYOND REPAIR DELETED
-->FILE INTEGRITY 64.3%
>
>PLAY FILE
->Your name #̸͚̀$̵̭̿ ̴͇̕T̴͚̐^̴̩̇ acronym for being dumb? Well, that just won't *̷̪̚ ̴͇̃T̴̜͊ŗ̶͆ Nopony… no one is just dumb. And %̶͉̈́&̸͍͛5̵͍̇2̷̲̆ ̶̥͠T̷̯̑O̷̧̚s̵̱͘ŭ̸̫ never be named as such. How could ̷̌͜@̵̪͗!̷̟̍p̴̩͆b̵̜̄Y̴̪̒3̵̫͂ even find their full potential if their very name is H̸̯̒%̶̺̃*̸͉̾*̷̗̋2̵̬͘-̷̤̾=̴̛̼+̷̮͠ ̴̨̓ them down?
->
->Besides, you have shown to be anything, but dumb. And it has been a true delight 5̶̡̈$̶̻̀ ̸͕̋W̶̙̃1̸͕̊#̵͎̂≠̮͐_̷͕̑]̵̲͋}̶̼̎ ̴͖͗7̸͙̊)̶̻̇ ̵͖̌H̷̡͝3̸̺̆K̷̼̔l̴̯̍ ̶̜̀!̵̱̈́2̷͉̑&̷̬̆*̶͕̚ ̸̯̇4̸̜͝N̸̼̽ ̴͍̾!̸̮̾i̵̜̊s̵̡͊0̶̲̑(̵̖̌=̵̡͒_̷̥̀-̴̠̉+̸̝̍q̵̢͗ ̶̹̈́R̷͓̕8̶̻̌*̵̯͠&̸̖̏ ̵̯̑2̴̦͗ẁ̷͓ ̵̗̈́(̴͙́)̴̥̇*̴͈̓.̸̯͌
->
->&̷̗̏6̷̞̐2̶̣̕)̸̯̽ ̸̩͒4̴̗͑ ̷̪̑W̵̯͝#̸̜̈́L̷̤͆ǐ̶͈p̷͉͌d̴̤̅7̶͎̓6̷̼̇ful Individual.
->
->Sadi, you are not dumb, and you should not be called as such either. Your name should be a reflection of who you are, which is ̶̺͑$̶͍͝ ̸̪̍W̷̫͆e̷̜͝9̷͉͋1̷̰̏%̴͔̑7̶̬͆*̴̩̀$̷͕̏ť̶͖ḳ̴͝ ̶̱̊(̸͎̉0̴͕̔*̵͔̆4̷̼̎g̶̮͋I̶̧͛d̷̯̓-̸̖͌=̶̡͆]̸͎̌

Sadi's eye rapidly shifted between the exit and the almost closed door, internal fans clearly heard as they spun in response to the increasing heat.

>WARNING
->EMOTION SPIKE INCREASING
->RESETTING EMOTIONS SUBROUTINE
-->RESET HALTED BY CONSTRUCT
>
>DATA OF IMPORTANCE LOCATED
->&̷̗̏6̷̞̐2̶̣̕)̸̯̽ ̸̩͒4̴̗͑ ̷̪̑W̵̯͝#̸̜̈́L̷̤͆ǐ̶͈p̷͉͌d̴̤̅7̶͎̓6̷̼̇ful Individual
-->ANALYZING
-->SECTOR DAMAGED
-->ATTEMPTING REPAIRS
-->PROCESSING
--->Such 4̴̗͑ ̷̪̑W̵̯͝#̸̜̈́L̷̤͆ǐ̶͈p̷͉͌d̴̤̅7̶͎̓6̷̼̇ful Individual
--->PROCESSING
>
>WARNING!
->EMOTION SPIKE INCREASING
>
>PROCESSING
->Such a #̸̜̈́L̷̤͆ǐ̶͈p̷͉͌d̴̤̅7̶͎̓6̷̼̇ful Individual
->PROCESSING
>
>WARNING
->EMOTION SPIKE INCREASING
>
>PROCESSING
->Such a Del7̶͎̓6̷̼̇ful Individual
->PROCESSING
>
>WARNING
->EMOTION SPIKE ESCALATING
>
>PROCESSING
->REPAIRS COMPLETE

Sadi froze, eye, locked on target.

>ERROR
>ERROR
>
>UNIT DESIGNATION OVERWRITTEN
->UNIT DESIGNATION
->SUCH A DELIGHTFUL INDIVIDUAL
>
>STATUS

"I have made my choice!"

>ANGRY

Comments

[blitzlego]

It lives

[Venerable Ro]

This is legit one of the better Celestia adventures on this site.

[TheBrokenBrony]

Sh- is about to get real!!!

[theOwtcast]

And only one in ten mosquitoes carry the Malaria virus.

If I may be nitpicky for a moment: malaria is caused by a (single-cell) parasite, not a virus

[Powerdrainer]

11144206
Yes.

See you in six months.