DokiCorp: Sayori

>The air was cool and the light was dim in this slightly damp tunnel.
>You hefted your shovel and pick over your shoulders, inspected the end of the cavern to make sure it was up to snuff, and returned down the path you had been digging towards a brighter light at the end of the tunnel, cart filled with various ores in tow. You'd been digging for the past couple of hours, and the growl of your stomach signaled it was almost time for dinner.
>As you walked, you thought about what lead you into this life of digging. It felt like you'd been here forever, when in reality you know that you hadn't been down here for too long at all. A couple of months, maybe?
>Anyway, you remembered your circumstances. The Promised Day had come, and you had rushed into getting your beloved Sayori a bit too quickly.
>Unable to make payments with the part-time minimum wage job you held, and several months behind, you soon found yourself at the debt collector's mercy.
>The down payment you made fully paid for her AI, so she could stay with you in mind and spirit. But her body was under rental until you paid it off, and it was taken until you could catch up.
>However, there were several programs you could enlist in to help you get her body back as quickly as possible.
>If you had certain skills, such as programming or robotic expertise, you could work at DokiCorp for high pay, as well as steep discounts. You lacked these skills.
>Those with experience in military or police work could join the Doki Protection Squad, and get the same benefits as programmers and roboticists. You also lacked these skills.
>There was one more option, though. As the company expanded, it needed a few things. Materials from the earth to fashion into the bodies of the androids, and additional room for facilities related to research and development of further technologies. Thus, the excavation team was created. Joining this team meant a laborious job, but after just a year of work, you'd have her body back, plus any upgrades that had come out in that time, paid off in full. Plus, during your time there, room and board was free, with decent meals and a relatively comfortable living situation.
>You debated taking it, but realized it was the best option; you'd already waited so many years for the promised day. What was one more?
>You remembered your last conversation with her before heading off.

>"Anon, you can't go away for a year! I'm happy just being with you like this!" She protested as you sat in front of the computer, packing some clothes.
"Bun, I know you are. And I'm happy with you, too. But we could be so much happier if you had your body again; remember the walks we took in the park? Remember the feeling of holding my hand?" You said sympathetically. You didn't quite want to leave, but you felt this was best.
>"Well, yeah. And that was really nice... B-but I'll miss you! And it'll be dangerous!"
"I'll miss you too, but there's actually something in place for that! They realized everyone there has somebody waiting for them on the outside, for the most part. Every night they'll let us call outside and talk for a while using some internet service. I can talk to you before bed every night, and wish you sweet dreams. You can keep me updated on the outside world, and wish me the same. Everybody wins!"
>"But it's scary to think of you down there, digging tunnels. What if they collapse, or you trip and hit your head, or-"
"Sayo. I'll be extra careful, I promise. Nothing's gonna stop me from coming back to you." You held your hand to the screen, feeling it's warmth.
>"I just want you to be happy, Anon." You could hear the strain on her voice as she tried to come to terms, her sprite turning to one of confusion; likely the closest the sheet had to the emotions she was feeling.
"I know. And the way for me to be happy is to let me make both of us the happiest we can be. Okay?"
>"...Okay. But you'd better call every night."
"I will. I'll make sure my parents keep you company, too." You had moved back home so your stuff would be properly stored and her taken care of while you were underground. With your bag packed, you stood up and heaved it over your shoulder. "I love you, Sayori. I'll be back before you know it!"
>"I love you too, Anon. And you'd better be!" You gave the screen a kiss, to which her sprite returned the favor. With that, you left the room.
>You held up your end of the promise, calling her every night you were there. You'd talk about your day, and the friends you had made there, as well as any updates on android technologies. She seemed excited at the prospect of a new body that could taste sweets, and you laughed.
>She kept you up to speed on your family, as well as silly videos she'd found and enjoyed on the internet or any interesting articles she found. Every so often, she'd read you a poem she had written for you as well. It never failed to make you tear up, and the talks with your sunshine gave you hope for the future.

>You returned from your thoughts as you neared the end of the tunnel. Music began to hit your ears as you entered the common area, and the cave was lit from above by a monitor.
>Looking towards the large screen, you saw it in its familiar setting. Lavender visualizer bars going along with some newer songs, as well as some classics every now and again; lately, all of them were of the festive variety.
>Between songs, a shy and feminine voice would come on, announcing that listeners were tuned into Yur-Yur Radio. Whenever she really got into a subject or an interview, though, that voice would become confident and analytical.
>Seemed to you that one of the Yuridroids ended up with a radio job! You pondered if she adopted that because her lover was part of it, or if she just ended up there as an interest of her own.
>You took your cart from the tunnel and wheeled it toward the deposit area. A few DokiCorp workers stood there to receive and sort it, and they greeted you kindly.
>"Heya, Anon! Looks like you've got a good haul today, yeah?" One said, getting to work unloading your cart as you helped. You recognized him as Brock, the friendlier of the two.
"You know it! Made quite a bit of distance in that tunnel, I'd say."
>"Hm. Not a lot of greatness here, but it looks alright. Nice work." The other one, Jim, said before getting out a few bins to store the various minerals in.
>"Oh, yeah, Anon. Do you know what night it is?" Brock asked, turning to you. You thought for a moment, realizing you had lost track of the days.
"Uh... Tuesday?" You asked.
>"Well, yes, but it's also the 24th." The 24th? You thought for a second.
"Oh, shit, it's Christmas Eve!"
>"Yeah! Now, you didn't hear it from me, but there's something special going down tonight for dinner. Why don't you go on and get ready for it? We can finish up here!"
>"Wait, what? No we can't, he's gotta help us so we can go home sooner." Jim protested.
>"Oh, hush, you. Let the guy enjoy Christmas dinner."
>"Fine. Go on, Anon. Merry Christmas."
>"Yeah, Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas to you too, guys! Catch ya later!" You give them a small wave as you begin to walk past tunnel after tunnel toward the living areas.
>Showering and changing into a comfortable set of clothes, you head out towards the mess hall and prepare to enter when you notice a sign on the door.
>'Notice: Christmas Dinner is being held in the main work cavern. Please meet us out there!"
>Odd, but okay. Maybe they just want everyone to be able to hang out together; it is more spacious out there.
>You followed the directions, and arriving out in the main work area, you see tables upon tables have been set out with food. The other members of excavation, numbering around fifty, were moving about, grabbing their food or finding a seat.
>Putting together a plate of what seemed to be a home cooked meal, you sat down with some friends you had made and began discussing the events of the day and how nice it was that you all were treated to this.
>Christmas music filled the air as the sense of camaraderie and the taste of a great meal filled your heart.
>However, one of these feelings was cut short.
>The music cutting out, a voice rang out over the crowd. Your attention turned from the conversation at hand to the screen, as the visualizer bars now went along with a voice. This voice, however, was not Yuri's; rather, a man's voice.
>"Hello, excavation team! I hope you're enjoying the festivities, and I wanted to thank you for all the hard work you've done this year." He said.
>"Shit, is that the CEO?" Someone said at a table near you.
>"I know you're all working very hard for your Dokis, and I'm sure they appreciate you as well. Probably more than we do!" The voice from the monitor chuckles. "We do have some gifts for the season, though. Let me start by saying that we are cutting two months off of everyone's time!" The crowd roared in response.
"Fuck yeah!" You found yourself cheering.
>"If you're already over ten months, we'll be paying you for all the extra time before you ship out. Speaking of which, another gift; time. Specifically, Christmas time! You all have a week off, starting after dinner. Come back next Wednesday, but until then, have fun with your friends, family, and lovers." Another roar. Once it died down, the voice spoke up once more. "And now, our final gift of the evening. I'll hand it over to her, now. Merry Christmas, everyone!"
>The screen shifted, and your heart skipped a beat. The visualizer was replaced with a video feed, one of a blue-eyed, salmon-haired beauty. Sayori!
>"Hey, everyone! Good work down there! And I've got very exciting news for one of you!"
>You, and just about every Sayorifriend sitting at the tables, simultaneously almost had a heart attack.
>"The debts are paid off! Aron, you can come home and we can be together!" Her eyes simulated watering, and if she had synthetic tear ducts, they'd be overflowing in joy as she did something similar to a jog in place in her excitement.
>A smile crept across your face as you realized what she said, and you nearly jumped from your seat when you were interrupted by a commotion from another table.
>"Hell yeah! Woo!" A man yelled as he shot up from his seat.
>"Congrats, Aron! Way to go, man!" A few people around him congratulated.
>Oh. Your days posting in /ddlc/ and the hype made you mistake anything remotely close to Anon for your name.
>So it wasn't your Sayori. The spark inside dimmed a bit, but then you looked back up towards the screen and saw how happy his Sayori was.
>You imagined the day you'd be with your Sayori in her new body, and you imagined her excitement as you told her that your stay underground would be cut down by a sixth. How her excitement would parallel the Sayori's on the screen.
>You also looked toward Aron, and saw the sheer joy on his face, realizing it'd soon be yours. The happiness inside overwhelmed you, and you ran over to congratulate him too.
>Joining the crowd, the warmth of the sunshine on the screen illuminated the hearts of the excavation team, even in a dark cavern on the night of Christmas Eve.
>You couldn't wait to get home to her and share the news!