Heyyy look another chapter.

Today's the last day of spring break, and I have a test on Monday but I'm trying to get these out as fast as possible.

Enjoy yourselves!

"This might hurt." The doctor warned her.

"Of course it will." She hissed as the needle dug into her spine. Chills ran up her back as the nerves sprung to life. It was never a pleasant feeling. Honestly, she'd rather be numb again.

Now it was no longer just her, though. There were about three others in the room with her, all new designs. No, they weren't all from Aperture, but they all had the same look about them; the cold, silver skin, the rigid joints, the glowing eyes…

Her own eyes flicked to her cell mate, a young man with black hair and silver eyes she'd learned to address as Onyx; a fitting name for his monochrome complexion. He, too, was getting nerve stimulation, and was making a deliberate show of not enjoying it, hiding a smug smile behind his teeth.

She giggled a little. She didn't know him well, but he seemed like he'd have the guts to do that.

Onyx heard her giggle, lifted his head and winked at her, to which she rolled her eyes. He could be an ass, but at least they got along. If they were going to be business partners, it was important for that to happen.

Suddenly a scream drew her attention away. One of her other cellmates was doubled over in pain, tremors quaking her body as she spasmed. The scientists quickly unplugged her, but she continued to shake, crying as they lifted her onto a gurney and rushed her away.

"Don't worry guys." She heard Marie say behind her. "It'll be over soon."

…

It was exactly 1 month, 20 days, 46 hours and 20 minutes until they were fully finished.

There was no modesty, and Glados felt no need for any. She'd never been embarrassed about her body before. And even though she was a human now, she was created to be a perfect human, with perfect proportions and such. There was no need for modesty, and she had no qualms that she and her associates were all lines up, naked, against the wall as the doctors did the final checks on them.

"Do you have the sensory input right this time?" She heard Onyx say with a smile. "Last time you tuned me I ended up sounding like Shirley Temple."

"I have them set correctly." The scientist said, slightly annoyed. He turned a few dials, and Onyx sang out a few notes, clear and bright as day.

Glados smiled a bit and he winked at her as Marie attached the sensors to her neck and turned a few diles. "Just one more check-up and then it's off to hair and wardrobe."

"Do I get a lollipop if I'm good?" She said with a smirk.

Marie smiled but ultimately ignored her.

Glados looked to her left, where Eurig and Robigo, their two other colleges, were being checked. There were supposed to be more symmetrical, Robigo's long red and black hair not really matching Eurig's straight black locks, but Eurig ended up being a fast replacement, as the first prototype had been rushed away after the nerve-stimulus incident and was assumed to be dead.

Closer to home, the two were based off the turrets from her own facility, because apparently people thought that Aperture's turrets were cute. They were, she supposed, until they killed you. At least these two looked mildly deadly; that was one thing the scientists got right.

Finally the plugs came off, and the synthetic humans stepped forward, the scientists herding them down the hall to where the stylistic team stood ready.

"Are you excited for your big debut?" Marie asked before she left.

Glados smiled. "I'm only as excited as the shareholders are."

…

"After this is over…" Onyx asked her, as they were teasing his cuffs "what's your plan?"

"My plan?" She raised an eyebrow. "Are we breaking out all of a sudden? Really, what's the hype about escaping places?"

"I imagine it has something to do with a poet who wrote about caged birds." He chuckled. "I mean, what do you want to do? The show apparently ends at 10."

"I imagine we'll be assigned to our home and I plan to get settled in." She replied, lifting a hand as an assistant struggled to fit her gloves. "Why?"

"This morning I had an itching to check out the National Discovery Museum." He replied. "And it always looks strange for one of our stature to be unaccompanied."

"Is this your convoluted way of asking me on a date?" Glados chuckled. "We only just met~"

"That didn't stop Romeo from climbing a castle wall."

"Touché." She smiled. "You're clever, so I'll think about it."

The sliding glass doors opened, and a few scientists entered, followed by a prim looking man in a suit. "This is them, Mr. Ito."

The man looked around at the four new humans, clearing his throat. "I want you all to know, every new Vocaloid goes through this process. While some of you had existences beyond our company, you will be treated no different from the others. Tonight, you will make your debut concert. You've each chosen a song to perform, and I hope you will put on quite a show." He looked directly at Glados. "Are you ready?"

"Yes sir." They all said robotically.

"If you need anything, my name is Hiroyuki Ito. I'm the founder and CEO of Crypton industries, our laboratory..." He broke off. "...the doctors know how to contact me." He stepped outside and was quickly gone, and they were herded outside again, to a comfortable-looking waiting area where the sounds of talking and cheering could be heard beyond a large, black door.

"The twins are up first." Onyx sat down on the couch, crossed his legs and patted the cushion next to him. "Please."

"How courteous." Glados smirked and sat beside him. Onyx gave a thumbs up to Eurig and Robigo, and they smiled as they were pushed through the doors.

Onyx smiled back at her. "...You look lovely."

"Do I look lovely or do my legs?" She clicked her tongue and tugged on her dress. "I swear, they chose the shortest one."

"It's much more sophisticated than some I've seen." He replied. "It's becoming of you."

"Thank you." Glados said, draping one arm over the back of the couch. "Tell me, what song are you playing for the masses?"

"One I wrote back in solitary confinement." He answered. "It was an...interesting time, one of many feelings."

"They didn't effect your judgment?" She raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"In times of turmoil, artists are known to create their best work." He smirked again.

"And you're an artist?"

"We're all artists."

"We're singing robots." She chided.

"And?" He gestured around. "Humans sing, are they not artists? Are dancers not artists? You do science; is that not art, simply of a different name?"

Glados furrowed her brows, and was about to reply when the doors open and the twins walked back in, and a scientist called out "Onyx, you're up!"

Onyx stood and bowed. "Excuse me."

Glados also stood, watching as he exited, walking confidently out on stage while Ito announced "Our newest male model, built to optimal performance from the remains of Black Mesa's prototype-" the voice cut off as the door closed, and Glados cursed her luck. She crossed her arms, trying to suppress the shiver that had run down her spine. She blamed it on the nerve stimulation.

"Are you okay?" She turned to the high pitched voice on her right and saw Eurig's glowing eyes watching her.

Glados shrugged, not answering the droid, who then tapped her shoulder.

"Those walls aren't sound proof." She said. "You can hear him singing if you listen close."

"...How do you know that?" Glados furrowed her brows, but Eurig didn't say and more.

Glados shrugged, making sure no one was looking, and pressed her ears to the door.

Immediately, sweet piano music filtered through the walls, soothing her, making her relax her muscles, just as she heard his voice.

"Does it feel like a trial?" He sang. "Does it trouble your mind the way you trouble mine?"

She almost pulled away from the door in surprise at how clear his voice was. She pressed closer, wanting to hear him better through the thin wood.

"Exile...it takes your mind again." He got softer, then louder. "Oh, you meant so much. Have you given up? Does it feel like a trial? Now you're thinking too fast, you're like marbles on glass…"

"You're up in a minute." The scientist said to her.

"Yeah." She wanted to concentrate.

"Vilify...don't even try…"

…

Right before she went out, Onyx shook her hand and wished her good luck. Again he winked, and again she smiled; something was shared between them then, even if she couldn't figure out what.

She walked out on stage, the double doors closing behind her as Ito announced "Our newest model, she is what remains of Aperture Science's Genetic Lifeform and Disc Operating System, otherwise known as Glados." The crowed clapped as she sat down on the stool before the microphone. "Too beautiful to go to waste, we salvaged her mainframe from the wreckage of the famed facility, and restored her to life, with a new drive and purpose; to better the world through the science of song."

The science of song? Glados resisted the urge to cringe at that. Still, the audience clapped, that was what mattered.

Ito stepped off the stage, and Glados closed her eyes.

1...2...3…

"This was a triumph." She opened her eyes, beginning soft and a bit meek. "I'm making a note here: HUGE SUCCESS. It's hard to overstate my satisfaction."

She saw that the crowed was beginning to bob their heads to the beat.

"But there's no sense crying over every mistake; you just keep on trying till you run out of cake. And the science gets done and you make a neat gun, for the people who are still alive."

As the rhythm went on, the crowd began to clap with the beat, and Glados, affected by the enthusiasm, also began to sway, standing up, and moving with the song.

"Now these points of data make a beautiful line, and we're out of beta, we're releasing on time. So I'm glad I got burned; think of all the things we learned for the people who are still alive!"

At a few points, people whistled, and some even laughed at the jokes, and Glados began tapping her foot and even dancing a bit: Ito said to put on a show and that's exactly what she was doing.

"And believe me, I am still alive! I'm doing science and I'm still alive!"

A girl in the audience screamed her name.

"I feel fantastic and I'm still alive!"

Her heart was racing; she'd never felt this before.

"While you're dying I'll be still alive!"

Not as Glados, at least.

"And when you're dead I will be still alive!"

She struck a pose. "Still alive."

The crowd went nuts, clapping and cheering her name as she walked off the stage; even Ito was smiling. This was definitely a huge success.

...

Where are you, what are you doing, are you eating, sleeping, are you enjoying life?

I just wanted to let you know, I loved you once, I'll love you for all of time.

Songs used:

Exile Vilify by The Nationals

Still Alive by Jonathan Coultan and sung by Ellen McLain

Once again thanks to The Omega Mega 1 for being the beta.