Life After Testing: A Portal Interactive Fan Fiction by Cooper McHatton

Life After Testing: A Portal Interactive Fan Fiction

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"Life After Testing" by "Cooper McHatton"

When play begins:
	say "What is wrong with you? Ever since you left you've been in a cold sweat and can't stop thinking about her... part of you wants to go back. Continue testing... but you know you can't. She wants you gone. You're still alive... and can never go back.";
	remove bird from play.

Use no scoring.

The block listening rule is not listed in the check listening to rules.

The sun is a backdrop. It is everywhere. The description of the sun is "Bright, hot, and beautiful. It's been a long time..."

After listening to wheat field:
	say "[if player can not see bird]You hear birds, but see none.[end if][if I'm here has ended and player can see bird]The bird caws loudly at you.[end if]"

After listening to companion cube:
	say "You start to listen to it, but then remember that it's can't speak, and you are supposed to disregard it's advice.[paragraph break]"

The bird is an animal. It is undescribed.

After listening to bird:
	say "'CAW.'[paragraph break]".

Every turn when player is in the wheat field and player can see bird:
	say "[one of]The small raven stares at you.[or]The bird pecks at the ground.[or]The black bird looks at you quizzically.[at random]". Understand "raven" as bird. Understand "black bird" as bird.

After listening to [something]:
	say "You hear nothing."

The player is wearing an orange jumpsuit and long fall boots.

The description of the orange jumpsuit is "Bright orange and branded 'Aperture'."

The description of the long fall boots is "Sturdy white boots that you far prefer to advanced knee replacement."

Wheat field is a room. "[if wheat field is unvisited]An expansive wheat field lays before you. You stare out into the distance. It continues as far as the eye can see in all directions. The celebrations are over. You've stared at it for over an hour now. Afraid to move on.[end if][if I'm here has ended]You see the bird flying to the west.[end if]".

North of the Wheat field is the Wheat field. South of the Wheat Field is the Wheat field. West of the Wheat field is the Wheat field. East of the Wheat field is the Wheat field. Northwest of the Wheat field is the Wheat field. Northeast of the Wheat field is the Wheat field. Southwest of the Wheat field is the Wheat field. Southeast of the Wheat field is the Wheat field.

The clouds is a backdrop. It is everywhere. The description of the clouds is "Big and billowy across the skyline." Understand "rolling clouds" as clouds.

The sky is a backdrop. It is everywhere. The description of the sky is "A pristine and beautiful blue."

The shed is in the Wheat field. It is a fixed in place enterable container. It is locked. "Behind you is a shed. Inside lies what you have called your home for as long as you can remember." The description of the shed is "The only tangible place in this barren landscape. Metal, worn down, and rusted with a few signs and warnings."

Signs are part of the shed. Understand "sign" as signs. Understand "warnings" as signs. Understand "signs and warnings" as signs. Understand "warning" as signs. The description of the signs is "Mostly uneventful. The ones that catch your eye say 'No Trespassing' and 'SHOCK WARNING - ELECTRIC SHED.'"

After listening to the shed:
	say "The grinding of metal and singing can be heard.[paragraph break]"

The grains are a backdrop. It is everywhere. Understand "wheat" as grains. The description of the grains is "Wheat. Lots and lots of wheat."

Your Companion Cube is in the Wheat field. The description of the Companion Cube is "Charred, but loved."

After going [direction] for the first time:
	say "You charge forward into the wheat field... only to find it continues on. You turn around and look behind you, you have lost sight of where you began. Nothing. Just endless fields upon endless fields as far as the eye can see. You hope to find something soon.";
	continue the action.

Instead of going [direction] while the cube is not carried:
	say "You start to move on, but realized you forgot the last thing you have to remember her by. The only thing you have left. Your sole possession. The thing nearest and dearest to your heart.";
	stop the action.

Lying down is an action applying to nothing. Report lying down: say "You lie down for a bit and rest, but after a moment you realize what a silly waste of time it is. You jump back up quickly."

Understand "lie down" as lying down.

Epilogue is a scene. Epilogue begins when player is carrying cube and going [direction].
Every turn during Epilogue: 
	repeat through Table of Epilogue Events: 
		say "[event entry][paragraph break]"; 
		blank out the whole row; 
		rule succeeds.

After going [direction] while the cube is carried for the first time:
	remove shed from play;
	continue the action.

Table of Epilogue Events 
event
"You've tried forever to get out. And now you have. What next? Did you really not think this far?"
"What next indeed."
"You could do anything."
"Your adventure hasn't ended. It's only just began!"
"Every chapter of a great adventure must begin somewhere right? For you, it's an endless wheat field. Only, you hope it's not endless. You should be prepared for the worst though, life is full of disappointments."
"This is a wheat field after all and this is the Earth last time you checked. So if you keep going. You are bound to get somewhere right?"
"Though you still see no landmarks. Nothing on the horizon. Just wheat. Lots and lots of wheat."
"The sky keeps changing. The rolling clouds keep moving... Sun shining down."
"You listen. You hear birds, but there are none. That is plainly obvious. You are the only thing here. You, and your Companion Cube."
"It is rather lonely. You've been so accustomed to tyrannical voices."
"Remember those good times? You tested. You understood what to do next. Everything was fairly straight forward."
"What are you saying?!? You are free. This is exactly what you wanted right?!?"
"Still though. It would be nice to have someone to talk to (and by talk to I mean listen to, speaking isn't really your thing)."
"Oh well, there isn't anyone else here, so there goes that idea."

Epilogue ends when the number of filled rows in the Table of Epilogue Events is 0.

I'm here is a scene. I'm here begins when Epilogue ends.
Every turn during I'm here: 
	repeat through Table of I'm here Events: 
		say "[event entry][paragraph break]"; 
		blank out the whole row; 
		rule succeeds.

Table of I'm here Events 
event
"'[italic type]What do you mean? I'm here.'"
"'[italic type]I'd never leave you. We've been through too much together. Remember when you INCINERATED ME? That was fun. No, I'm not her. You listen to her. You always disregard my advice. I've never threatened to stab you. After all, I am your best friend.'"
"'[italic type]And your only friend it appears. What did you do to everyone?'"
"'[italic type]Sorry to be so rude. It's just that you left me there. You never came back. You left. You left ME. Thankfully she threw me out with you. Otherwise I might have been stuck there forever. Now I can be stuck out here forever with you. Wander through this wheat field together for the rest of your life. What fun.'"
"'[italic type]You think you will reach the edge of this field do you? Well, I suppose all things do come to an end, but I think you'll come to an end before this field does.'"
"'[italic type]I mean look at you. You are fat. And you look ugly in that jumpsuit. It's a fact. Points against your health and your phycological well being. Not to mention that you are running endlessly through an endless field. You must feel horrible.'"
"'[italic type]Oh yeah, and she replaced you. She replaced you with a couple of robots. Robots. Well I guess, robots are SMARTER than you, robots work HARDER than you, and robots are BETTER than you. But still, how could she?'"
"'[italic type]Why am I so MEAN you wonder? Well, that's entirely attributed to your faults my dear. You mess with the cube you get the corners baby... and they could be sharp... Ok that did not come out as cool as I had wanted. That was pretty bad. I apologize.'"
"'[italic type]Anyways, DOES THIS WHEAT FIELD GO ON FOREVER. SERIOUSLY.'"
"'[italic type]Hey, let's play eye spy. Eye spy something blue.'"
"'[italic type]I bet you got that one right. This is really boring. We should stop playing.'"
"'[italic type]Are you alright? You are looking a little pale. I'd tell you to lie down, but that would be a waste of time. We need to keep moving, and lying down wouldn't help me, I mean, help us at all.'"
"'[italic type]HEY HEY WHAT'S THAT!?!'[roman type]"

I'm here ends when the number of filled rows in the Table of I'm here Events is 0.

When I'm here ends:
	move bird to wheat field.;
	say "[roman type]As you sit here listening to your Companion Cube endlessly ramble on, a black bird, looks like a raven, flies over and lands next to you. Looks rather familiar, though you never can tell with birds."

Instead of examining the bird for the first time:
	Say "You lean in close to get a better look and the bird takes of into the sky, flying west toward the setting sun.";
	remove bird from play.

Instead of going [direction] when player can see bird:
	say "Why would you walk away? This little bird is the first sign of life you've seen in hours.[paragraph break]".

Every turn when player is in the wheat field and player can see bird:
	say "[one of][italic type]Shoo bird! You! Get rid of than monstrosity![or][italic type]Retreat! It's a winged menace![or][italic type]AAAAHHH!!! Get it away! Get it awaaaayaaayaaaay...[at random]".

Bright is a room. "[if bright is unvisited]It's blindingly bright. The fields lit by the rays of the sun. You can just make out the silhouette of the bird continuing to fly toward the west.[end if][if bright is visited]It's blinding. Everything looks to be on fire. It's rather gorgeous. You see the silhouette of the bird in the west.[end if]"

Instead of going west while player is in bright:
	say "You run for miles, squinting your eyes to see the bird as the sun comes down. As you run you begin to make out the skyline of a city in the distance. Your heart bursting with excitement. This is the start of a brand new beginning...

[italic type][bold type]Because you are still alive.[roman type]";
	end the game in victory.

Instead of going [direction] while in bright:
	say "The only logical direction is west."

Instead of going west when I'm here has ended:
	say "You dash off after the bird, speeding toward the sun.";
	move player to bright.

Instead of going [direction] while I'm here has ended:
	say "The only logical direction is west."