Revenge Fantasy

#14 - Reflect On One's Self

"... what?" Chouko asks, pulling her hands away from her face to look at Shortcake. "Talk about me?"

"Y... Yeah," Shortcake speaks up. "We... we don't want to talk about our fathers- well, your father, and my new owner..."

"... right. So your... your next conversational topic, beyond cakes and such, is me. You want to talk about me," Chouko speaks to confirm and clarify this android's intentions.

"Right. Maybe... maybe it would give us more to talk about... since... well... that's... how I'm designed..." Shortcake idly explains. "I'm an android that likes cake... but, uhm, I was made to adapt to children and families, as long as they like cake... so..."

Chouko lets out a sigh at this.

"U-Uhm- well, if you don't want to talk about yourself, we don't have to-"

Chouko immediately raises a hand. One finger up, indicating to the android to be quiet and stop talking for just a moment, a gesture of silence.

"..." Chouko takes a deep breath. "I don't know what to really say about myself. This is a conversation your seller wanted to have with me. Chouko Ashford is nothing but a child, a little girl that lost her father. She likes books, tea, biscuits, I guess... puppies, and... spending time with her father. That's all, really."

"Oh..." Shortcake noises, processing all of that.

"Did you learn anything from that?" Chouko asks.

"Well, uhm... no, not really..." Shortcake answers, shaking her head with mild worry and sadness. "I don't really know about tea and biscuits all that well, I've- never been programmed to understand what 'puppies' are, and... well, I haven't read any books yet, I was just activated, so..."

"..." Chouko nods. "Alright. And just to reiterate, you just like cakes?"

"Well, cakes, cookies, candy, a lot of things sweet," Shortcake answers.

"Alright, then-" ... Chouko is reminded that this thing is American, realizes something, and clears her throat. "Then you know about biscuits."

"... huh?" Shortcake asks, tilting her head.

"Cookies."

"... oh. Oh! Tea and- cookies?" Shortcake asks, tilting her head. "I-Is that what you were saying?"

"Yes. They're called 'biscuits' where I am from," Chouko explains. "And Americans use biscuits to refer to what we call 'scones'. Or dog biscuits, which... I don't know the flavor of. But yes, you- you know about cookies, you know about biscuits. So... I like tea and cookies, I suppose."

The very moment Chouko clarified this, Shortcake- has a bright look in her illuminating pink eyes, a bright and cheery smile as she glances to Chouko. Immensely elated and ecstatic that Chouko enjoys sweets, a sort of common ground that makes the android feel immense amounts of joy.

"... is it really that important that I enjoy sweets, Shortcake?" Chouko asks.

"Well, y-yes!" Shortcake explains, continuing to beam and smile. "I-If you like sweets, then- well, it generalizes a lot... makes things simpler and all... and- well, it also means that means we're able to enjoy sweets together!"

"... I mean... it doesn't sound that important," Chouko responds. "Is it not acceptable to just order a plate of cake for you, then order something else for me?"

Shortcake shakes her head. "Well, no, I, uhm, I can't enjoy the sweets myself... since, I can't really eat."

"What?" Chouko raises an eyebrow at this. "You can't eat...? But you seemed really insistent on cakes and cupcakes being delicious."