themainframe | 15 Butterflies

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15 Butterflies | Video

[There's static on the screen for a moment before it clears, and Fluttershy waves a bit shyly into the camera.]

H...H-Hello everyone, um...I...hope you're all doing well.

S-So I...I've learned a little about...Christmas, which is...coming up, right? A-And it's actually very similar to a holiday we celebrate in Equestria...wh-where I'm from. S-So I...I-I was thinking that I'd...like to give gifts to people. I-I mean if...if that's all right...

I have...some ideas for what to give people, b-but, um...i-if you wouldn't mind, could you...maybe let me know what you'd like as a gift? I...can't really promise much, but I'm...pretty good at knitting...I think...

S-So if...everyone could let me know what you'd like...I'll do my best to make it. E-Even...if you don't celebrate Christmas...or Hearth's Warming Eve like I do...I'd still like to give you something...if that's okay...

[She hesitates for a moment before turning the D-Terminal off.]

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[Eventually there's a knock on the door, Fluttershy standing carrying a bag of food hanging from one arm, and a bottle of shampoo in the other.]

Hello? I'm here...

[Duo at least has the presence of mind to go open the door for Fluttershy. See? He's not a complete jerk of a kid.]

Hi. Is that all the stuff for me?

[She smiles as she steps inside, being careful of the contents in the bag.]

Yes...I wasn't sure what you would like, so I just brought an assortment of things.

That's good. You can go sit down on the couch. I said I'd tell you about Christmas, so come on.

[He points at the couch as he shuts the door behind Fluttershy.]

[She nods, heading over to the couch and placing the bag down carefully before taking a seat herself.]

Oh, I also have the shampoo here...

[She holds up the bottle for him to see before placing it down as well.]

[Solarmon continues floating around nearby as Duo bounds up to the couch to look at the food and the shampoo. That was easy to get. He'll have to keep that in mind for later.

He pulls himself up onto the couch, careful not to knock anything over. He takes the shampoo bottle and looks it over before nodding, deciding that it'll work. It's placed next to him as he eyes the bag of food...

And it doesn't take long for his stomach to growl rather enthusiastically. His cheeks turn bright pink and he huffs as he grabs something out of the bag.]

Thanks. I mean, I guess you could have gotten here quicker, but it's good for a first try.

Maybe...you could try to be a little more grateful.

I said "thanks".

[Solarmon is just...going to sigh and hover closer to Fluttershy.]

[She smiles, somewhat embarrassed.] S-Sorry...there was a long line in the cafeteria...

You don't have a reason to apologize to him, Miss.

[Solarmon just shoots Duo a look, but the boy doesn't seem to be paying him any mind. He is too busy scarfing down the food that's been brought to him.]

[She watched him for a moment.]

Goodness, you're really hungry aren't you?

Haven't eaten in a while.

[...That's really an understatement.]

Oh my...

[She's glad she's gotten so much then.]

Then eat as much as you'd like. We can always pick up more if you're still hungry later.

Okay.

[Duo gives a small nod as he goes back to the food. Near everything is eaten, save for a single bite, before he pushes it all away from him on the couch. He looks, well...miserable, but after scarfing down so much food in a short amount of time, that's to be expected. Really, he knows better, but he couldn't help that the food tasted amazing after not eating in so long.

With a groan, he lies down and curls up a litle, his head closer to Fluttershy.]

Sooooo muuuuch....

I think you're being a little dramatic, Duo.

[And there Duo goes, sticking his tongue out at Solarmon.]

[She frowns, and can't help patting his head gently.]

You probably shouldn't have eaten all of it at once...Just take a moment to rest a little.

[The patting causes him to flinch away slightly. Any more than that and he is likely to get sick.]

I was hungry, and I don't know when I'll get to eat again, so I ate what I could. Don't you know anything?

[The insult is only half-hearted, lacking the usual sarcasm.]

Like Christmas.

[She quickly picks up that he probably didn't get many chances to eat back where he was from. But she decides it might be better not to say anything about it.]

Well, you don't have to worry about that here...There's a place downstairs where they give food to everyone who stays here, so you can eat there whenever you're hungry.

...You mean I can go and eat whenever I want?

[If he wasn't so full and miserable, he'd totally be bolting right up in surprise. Food whenever he wanted?! It'd be like being back at the Church--

NO. He doesn't want to think about that! He clenches his eyes close, curling up just a little more as he tries to will the memories away.]

But...really? Anytime I want? I can go there?

Well, most of the food they serve is during mealtimes. But I think you can pick up snacks and things there throughout the day...

See? Now will you stop stuffing your face like you just did?

[Okay, so maybe Solarmon is just a tad bit bitter. Doesn't seem to phase Duo.]

So long as they have food...

[He opens his eyes and tilts his head back just enough to look up at Fluttershy.]

Whatcha wanna know?

Oh, just anything you can tell me. What's it about, different traditions, special meanings...how you celebrate it. Anything like that.

Well, I lived in a church, so I can tell you a few things. Like that it was all about a special kid being born. The story is that the God Father and Sister told me about made this woman, Mary, have His kid. And she and her husband, Joseph, had to travel to a place called Jerusalem to have it. But when they got there, all the inns and stuff were full, so she had to have it in a barn.

A-A barn...? Oh, that must have been very difficult...

I guess so. Yeah. But it was okay. They were just glad the baby was safe. I mean, it's the child of God, so you know...

[He rolls over onto his other side, facing the couch and picking at a loose string.]

The baby's name was Jesus Christ. That's where the name "Christmas" comes from. And he was such a special baby that people from all over came to see him. They followed a star to him. And there were three wise men, they brought gifts for the baby. Gold. Mur. And frank...franken...uh...

[His ears turn pink.]

I forgot the last one. But still! That's why we give gifts.

Oh! I see...so the gifts we give others are symbolic of the gifts they gave to the baby...

But what about the tree? And decorating it? Where does that come from?

[He shrugs.]

I dunno, but the star that people put on top is suppose to be the star the wise men followed to Jeru--Wait, no. That's not right. What did I say before? I meant Bethlehem.

[Yup, he's a little embarrassed at getting it wrong. He huffs and refuses to look at Fluttershy.]

Oh, I see...What about an angel? Sometimes people put an angel on top of the tree instead of a star...

[If kindly doesn't notice his blunder.]

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