[Mafia] The Aurora Project - [END]

[awe921]

As Voi speaks, Russell hangs Nikei's hat ontop of the grave.
He can't help but... feel something as he places it. It feels... unknown.

[Cassie]

"Here! Just take it all!" Heeko says, yeeting a shovel, and then a bunch at Nintendo before going back and handling some stuff related to the Project.

[awe921]

... Russell snags one of the shovels. He once again looks down into the hole.
"... Are you done...?"

[MadameButterflyKnife]

I'm just hoping we don't have to make any more of these fucking graves.

[Oggy123]

"You know, when making stuff, we usually help each other out. And i don't usually deal with friends dying... except back in 2019..."

Nintendo then tries to help Voi and the others dig the grave.

[awe921]

"... right, I'm... going to assume that's a yes. Do you need help getting out of this hole...?" Russell reaches his hand down to help Voi up if they're in there.

[KungFuCutbug]

"...Corporaciones, aye." [Sherry lowers her head, bitterly biting her lip.] "The ones that control the world in your timeline, destroyed it in mine. They're the ones who set it on fire in the name of 'innovation' and 'energy' and all that. Now all that's left are people trying to make the most outta what's left in the ashes and smoke. Guess that's... something else we can bond on, maybe."

[Then she turns to Russell and nods.] "Aye, pretty much done here. Hopefully these are all the graves we'll need... Not too optimistic, but I can hope."

[awe921]

"... and, you know... Voi, was it? I'm sorry for... acting like I did yesterday." Russell looks down, before going into autopilot helping mode because i need to sleep it's almost 1:30 am

[MadameButterflyKnife]

Voi takes Russell's hand to get pulled up. Because she dug straight down like you're not supposed to do in Minecraft.

[KungFuCutbug]

[Sherry was smart and didn't actually go into the hole while she was digging—she made a ramp instead. As she climbs back out of her hole, she sticks her tongue out at Voi again.]

[MadameButterflyKnife]

Voi rolls their eyes; this time more lightheartedly, rather than the multiple ones of annoyance and distrust from yesterday.

[Caret]

"Hey, at least we're giving the people who died here a proper send-off. That's really respectful of you all. Hopefully, we won't have to do this too many times... but still... we should treat the fallen with respect. Moving on, I guess that I should do something to honor Nikei and June, huh? Well... would you mind if you lent your ears for a couple of moments?"

The Sylveon clears her throat and begins to sing a song in her native tongue. Despite the lyrics being utterly incomprehensible to anyone who doesn't understand Pokemon speak, her song is still somewhat pleasant to listen to and carries a respectful, almost bittersweet tone.

[Caret]

Bow's song eventually comes to a close, and she... well, bows to her onlookers.

"I'm not the best singer out there, but... I did my best to honor Nikei and June. I couldn't think of another way to do so, but..."

[KungFuCutbug]

[...

...Sherry claps.] "You did good, kid. Music's another pretty common way to be sent off in Punta Ceniza. You'll get groups of five, ten, twenty, maybe fifty people if you're lucky or popular enough, belting their heart out to your favorite song. It's una vista rara for all of them to not cry at some point midway through!"

[Caret]

"Heh, thanks." Bow grins at Sherry. "So, music seems to hold as special place in your culture, huh? I have a friend who loves music. She's a performer in musicals and all that jazz. We've met while I was trapped in Murder H.Q. and we've been pretty close friends ever since. In fact, think she's the reason I evolved into this form. I'll explain what that means

lateraka I have to go to bed soon

, but moving on... I hope she's doing fine right now/

[KungFuCutbug]

"Sort of?" [Sherry leans back, rubbing the back of her head and smiling sheepishly.] "Again, it's about companionship. Music just happens to be something that brings people together. Seemed to bring you and that woman together. I hope she's alright too, but... más importantemente, I hope you manage to stay alive long enough to be able to go back and see her again. And that you aren't one of those dumbass traitors, so that we won't have to put you down like a dog and break her heart."

[PointMaid]

Ruby listens to the little Sylveon's song and smiles, too. That was very pretty.

I hope we're able to get a message back to anyone who's waiting for the people we lost... Not knowing is hard.

She does a small doodle in the earth by each makeshift grave, illustrating the person who it's memorializing.

...I still don't know where my crewmates are, and it's been a long time. I'm sure they don't know where I am either. Trying to get back there just to know... it drove me a bit crazy for a while.

[Oggy123]

Nintendo simply listens to the song in awe.

"Not bad. Say, me and my friends like music too. They're a crucial part of games."

[Kennifer]

Holly had gone to get her parka, now she's back and just watching solemnly.

[MadameButterflyKnife]

Games, huh? The hell're you talking about, anyways? You mention you and your friends make that shit. Are they like, the VR sims or some shit like that?

[Oggy123]

"No. I'm a company from Japan, and my duty is to create games and share it to the world. They're pretty well-known too."

[Caret]

Bow had meanwhile gone to change into her usual cape and necklace combo. Her sweater does feel like a particularity snuggly wearable blanket, but it is a bit too oversized, making it impractical to wear during serious physical activity. The moment the fairy comes back, she hears Nintendo speaking and turns to him. "Well known, huh? Your games are everywhere in my world. In fact, I'm pretty sure that you're the only video game maker where I live. Wait, you're supposed to be a soulless corporation, so how am I speaking to you?"

[Oggy123]

"That's because i'm a personification of Nintendo!"

[KungFuCutbug]

[Sherry just kinda... stares awkwardly at Nintendo for a minute. Proooooobably not the best timing to mention that you're a corporation right after two people mentioned corporations either taking over or destroying the world, Nintendo. But her expression isn't exactly malicious—moreso just surprised. And maybe a slight bit suspicious, but not really—no evidence of being a traitor towards anyone whose name wasn't June. Besides, she read Nintendo was one of the quote-unquote "better" ones...]

"..."

[MadameButterflyKnife]

The fuck? So you like. Do you fucking control that corp? Or are you one of those mascots or some shit? She recalled the mascots from the city. Cute little designs of fictional animals like elephants and such to represent the corps. They were cute, in an annoying kind of way.

She still hadn't made up her mind on whether Nintendo was cute in the annoying way.