Revenge Fantasy

#5 - Nine Years of Development

Charles Ashford. Age, 56.

Honorable to all. Friend of many. A loving father and a successful businessman.

The funeral was held a few weeks after the fact, scheduled for a nice 16:00 in a Birmingham church. One that Charles, personally, arranged for his funeral to take place in.

His staff were given express instructions on how the funeral must be arranged, with details on who to invite and where they must be seated. The obituary simply stated he was killed through unnatural causes, with no cause of death or location. A man taken from this world too soon.

Due to the nature of his death, there was a sizeable attendance at this most public of occasions. Business partners and friends were present to mourn a good man's untimely death. News reporters and journalists were attending to report on the service. Teachers and classmates of his heir, his daughter, also made time to mourn the loss of such a man.

"... it is with deepest regret that I must announce my father's passing..."

At the center of it all, Chouko Ashford stood by the casket and gave her eulogy. She wore a funeral dress of pure black, one hand-stitched for her as per Charles's instructions.

As the only family Charles had left, she was under great self-pressure to give the speech. Every word will be documented by the attendees blatantly holding notepads. It's almost as if they were focused on her, instead of the man himself.

To everyone who knew of her, Chouko was someone known for her smile and joy, an innocence that is ideal for her years.

Now, not a soul could see her smile.

Whatever emotion people expected, the attendees simply witnessed a ten-year-old with no more tears to shed. Her voice was empty and hollow, and her vibrant red eyes blankly gazed into the audience.

It was a profound speech. The standard fare to commemorate his life. She went on and on about fond memories of Charles, cementing him as the kind, protective, generous man he was. 

Chouko's concluding words: "May his soul rest free, peacefully in Heaven, blind to the world he departs from..."

Afterwards, she went back to her seat. As the proceedings continued, she just stared off, letting others speak on behalf of Charles Ashford, hearing all they had to say about him.

It was all a blur to her, though...

"... Lady Ashford."

Chouko stared at the man whispering to her. One of her butlers discreetly came up to her with news.

"Apologies for the disturbance. There is a man out front, requesting your presence. He was not permitted to enter the premises, given his... special guest."

Special guest?

Hmm.

Curious, she got up from her seat, and was escorted outside.

There, Chouko encountered that... inventor. The one who conducted that presentation weeks ago. With him, on a wheel cart, was the mass of machinery that was Vanilla.

"A-Ah! Uhm— hey, little girl!" the inventor greeted with an inappropriately upbeat tone behind his voice.

"Good afternoon..." Chouko responded, politely nodding to the inventor before directing her attention to Vanilla. "And... good afternoon to you, Vanilla."

"Yes. Good afternoon," Vanilla responded, a sad tone in its voice. As human as ever. "I... I am so sorry, Chouko. Charles was a good man, and... and I wish I got to speak with him more..."