Chapter 6:The Answer
//Hello all my lovely readers! This chapter marks a milestone in a long and winding road that I hope you all will join me on. We will be celebrating the the book breaching 10,000 words! I appreciate you reading and enjoying this book,and hope you stay to see how it goes!//
Morning hours began to crawl around,as Grayson woke. He scratches his head,getting an itch under his long sliver hair. Last night still buzzed in the back of his head. That was the closest to personal contact as Glados was seeming to be willing to manage.
Last night kind of bothered Glados as well. She knew her intents,but she felt that it was forward. Forward was her way,but only a few weeks ago had they first started their living arrangements.
Grayson walks in. Her eyes quickly turn to him. "You must be questioning the resolve on my end." Glados said.
Grayson nods slightly.
"You have made up for your bad qualities. I have deemed you fit within my satisfactory bounds for direct contact." Glados said.
Grayson gave a questioning look. "Youre a companion." Glados said,to further clarify.
"After last night's fiasco,it seems that 'Companion' is a bit understated." Grayson signs.
"I'm no better at being human than you are. You forced me into this form,after all." Glados said,still searing the fact into his head that he murdered her once before.
"Now give me the answer as to why I should be affectionate." Glados said.
"To be honest,i dont exactly have one. You have all the rights in the world to be mad at me. I only hold myself accountable for your form." Grayson signs.
Glados felt...strange...
She didnt feel like killing him anymore. As much as she subconsciously wanted to,it seemed that Grayson's words told her that he was truly sorry about killing her. She remained awkwardly silent as she tried to put together her words.
"...Is that all?" Grayson signs.
"....For now. Return to your Quarters and wait for an assignment." She said,dismissing him.
Grayson leaves quietly,feeling a bit more relaxed himself. About 30 minutes later a new testing regimen was delivered. Reading through them,Grayson smiled. He felt better knowing he may have been forgiven. For all he knew it was just the magic of robotic reasoning,though that seemed a bit off.
Whatever the case may be,it could mean that Glados can change after all.
Grayson went to do his testing regimen,when he was stopped by Glados,"You are expected to continue to function at peak capacity,even if i have forgiven you. After all,science does not wait for anyone." Glados said.
Grayson nods softly,and heads to the testing entrance. Glados hums as she watches him go. So much had changed between them. And they even managed to patch up a wound that Glados never thought she would find herself healing.
The tests were long and vigorous,though in their length burdened Grayson.
After a while he grew tired,and came to rest in a transition between the tests. "Tired,Grayson?" Glados asked. Grayson pants softly,leaning against a wall.
The walls open,and make a table,as a manipulation claw set down a white metal box with the aperture logo. Grayson opens it to find marijuana products resting inside. "Like I mentioned,these products should keep you testing. Now hurry,and get prepared." Glados said.
Grayson grabs a small dewbie from the box,and lights it with a lighter,inhaling some and coughing some,filling the room with the subtle smell of freshly smoked marijuana.
Grayson started back up into testing,a bit faster and more attentive,but still sluggish. Soon Grayson had completed his tests for the day,and was returning to his dorm with P-body,Atlas had seemingly disappeared from his other half for the moment.
P-body sure was talkative,even though a vast majority of it was mostly B-language,which uses a series of sounds instead of letters to speak. This leaves a very distinct audio dialect that can be understood,if one worked for said understanding.
Grayson reached his room,and walks in. He shut the door,and sighs,flopping on his bed. He wanted to sleep,but dispite his attempts something was keeping him awake.
He grabs a test subject field manual he found down in filing,and reads hoping that the beckoning of boredom would help him sleep.
Little did he know that he was soon going to be apart of a longer running test than first thought. Glados hums in interest,curious of why he wasn't more effected by the adrenaline infused marijuana. She noted that it's only major side effect was restlessness,as Grayson was normally a very tired soul after testing for two days straight. "Interesting..." Glados said. "I'll need to reduce the dosage of adrenaline." She said,jotting it down with one of her computers.
Atlas came in with a stack of yellowed paper. "Set that aside,and take Grayson his food." Glados said,as a panel rose to ths eye height of Atlas. On it sat a single white can of Aperture grade beans. Granted they tasted terrible,but it was the only thing to eat hundreds of miles below the surface.
Atlas grabs the can,and walks away with it in hand.
A knock emits from Grayson's door. After a few minutes,Grayson opens it. Atlas hands the beans to Grayson,and "smiles". Grayson gave a small smile himself and pats Atlas. 'Thanks Atlas." He signs.
Atlas nods some and walks away. 'Beans again? They really need a bigger food palette.' He thought.
And after eating those beans,the bad taste wasnt exactly something he'd call satisfactory,but it wasn't a revolting taste. He reels slightly at the taste. He takes the can over to the kitchenette and grabs some synthesised spices that hadn't been touched for some time. 'Of all the spices this place has,they cant bother to do beef or chicken seasoning?' He questions in his head.
He settled on powdered onion and cream packets. After finishing with the packets,he tosses it into a chute that quickly glowed orange for a few seconds.
Grayson stirred in the powdery mixture until the can's contents were a distinct white color. After eating the beans,with a little less of a revolted face,he decides to settle down for a nap.