Board Thread:Roleplay/@comment-29194274-20180205054412/@comment-26892768-20180207020131

And then GLaDOS finally says something.

"Well, that was an interesting experience. Honestly, I'm impressed you managed to continually slap Mr. Freeman for 48 hours straight before stopping. But, now that you're done...I believe you were going to answer my quest-"

Then there's a pause.

"A portal opened in my chamber. A particularly large one, at that. I've already started recording the readings I'm getting from it; this should be some useful information for you, Mr. Freeman...you'll get them when the portal closes. I'm fairly sure that something is going to come through here, though, so it may be delayed a bit." GLaDOS casually informs. "Honestly, I'm not too worried - the size of the portal doesn't necessarily have to reflect the size of what goes through it, and this portal is rather hard to miss. The fact that it's staying for longer than five seconds doesn't help it. So, all in all, I think today is going to go-oh god I was wrong it's an airship IT'S AN AIRSHIP-"

A large crash and the shrieking sound of metal against metal reverberates throughout the facility as static blares from the speakers.

There's silence for a moment.

"Atlas, P-Body; would you escort Mr. Freeman to my chamber so that he can assist me regarding the airship partially lodged into my body? That would be fantastic."

After some...technical difficulties (read: wall panels getting tangled and accidentally calling down a crusher instead of an elevator), GLaDOS folds back the nearest wall and sends down an elevator.

Elsewhere, in the kingdom of Pridemoor, there are two visitors at the ruins of Tower of Fate.

It's the Skull Witch and her follower; the former about to give the latter her final instructions.

Valeena had thought she was safe. Even when she'd felt inexplicable pain and the Hyperforce found her lying on the ground in agony, none of them daring to make a move, she'd felt safe. The Hyperforce was familiar. Comfortable. Compared to the Heroes she'd spent three years antagonizing as a puppet, far more level in terms of power. And she liked that familiarity.

Then there'd been the quake.

And upon teleporting herself and the SKD to the surface, she found a city of gold.

Only one creature in her universe was capable of that, and he was still locked in his prison. This was the work of a universal outsider.

Even in her own universe, on an abandoned planet in the middle of nowhere (well, not exactly nowhere; the fabric of reality happens to be weak near the planet, it's how she got there in the first place), she isn't safe from the conflict that encompasses the omniverse.

It's clear to Valeena now that there is only one escape. And she can think of none better to bring it than the people she's hurt the most...but there's no reason for the SKD to go down with her. So she's going to make it count for something. She's going to give the SKD the role of a lifetime.

Valeena sighs. She ignores the urge to break down for now. It's time to part ways... "You have a new primary objective. Destroy these ruins, then track down the newest Legion base and sabotage them as long as they are active. You cannot get caught under any circumstances. Leave no witnesses. If you do get caught, self-destruct, and then pull yourself together at a later date and escape. I will check on your progress later."

And then she teleports away.

And on the Hero Planet, in a dark alley, Valeena briefly breaks down into tears before pulling herself together.

Damn sentimental value making her feel bad for lying to the robot...