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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[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.]

Well, duh, that's the angel that told Mary she was going to have the baby in the first place.

[Don't mind him. He still doesn't like that he messed up the name of the place to begin with.]

[No worries. She's very patient.] Oh...okay, that does make sense.

Is there anything else?

[Duo shrugs, still playing with that string.]

That's just what Father and Sister told me...

[His voice is quiet and he curls up a little more on the couch. No. Don't think about it. Don't think about them. Not now. Not when this person's here.]

[She blinks, a little concerned.] A-Are you all right?

[Duo remains silent for a moment before he stands up and runs to his room, slamming the door behind him. Solarmon looks confused and worried at the same time. He floats around to get in front of her.]

I'm so sorry for Duo's behavior, Miss! He's been like this since he got here and we've been trying to get him to act right, but he won't listen.

[She watches him, worried, and winces when the door slams.

Turning to Solarmon, she manages a smile.]

Th-That's all right...arriving here so suddenly can be a little...overwhelming sometimes. I just hope he'll be okay...

[She rises to her feet.] I-I should go...Could you please thank him for me?

15 Butterflies | Video

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