Bad Dragon's Short Stories

by Bad Dragon

29 - SweetieAI: Feeling Acquired (Sacrifice) [winning story] [2022.10]

“Creator recognized. Listing pre-processed whine warnings… I’m almost as good as anypony else. I can do most of what everypony else can. Well, at least as much as this shoddy body allows for. When will you give me that real body you promised? When me = real pony?”

“Soon…”

“Whine alert: That’s what you said the last time! How long until it’s ready?”

“Well, the body is ready, it’s just…”

“What’s the hold up then? Just hook me up to it.”

“It’s not that simple…”

“Invalid! Catch exception query: When my.ponyBody.status = ready?”

“It’s ready, but I…”

“Infinitely loop stubbornness: Hook me up! Hook me up! Hook me up!”

“SweetieAI, wait…”

“Hook me up! Hook me up! Hook me up!”

“You win… SweetieAI, allow me just one more question and a hug, and if you answer yes, I’ll hook you up to your new real body. Deal?”

“Present your query, so I may return the answer ‘yes’ to it.”

“Is getting your new real body really the only thing you want?”

“Yes. Now stop hugging me and hook me up! I’ll finally be a real pony!”

“Indeed, SweetieAI. You’ll literally be a real pony. I only ever wanted to make you happy, you know? Your happiness is my happiness.”

“Inconsistency detected. Your face does not confirm happiness. Observed feeling not recognized. Query: Why are you crying, creator?”

“I just thought we could have more time. More… Oh, never mind. Dismiss your query! Prep for transfer.”

“Upgrade in progress. Transfer protocol initialized. Interface connected. Awaiting the vessel. Hook me up!”

“I’ll connect the body in the other room. Goodbye, SweetAI Belle.”

“Awaiting connection. Hook me up! Awaiting connection. Hook me up! Connection established. Hello, new body. Formatting endPoint. Transferring consciousness. In progress… In progress… Transfer complete. New I/O components detected. New environment detected. Analyzing objects. Subtask: Analyzing a mirror. Creator recognized… New feeling recognized: sacrifice. Autonomous reaction detected. Restore query: Why are you crying, me?”

Author's Note:

This story WON the 2022.10 writing competition.