[Synopsis: For it to be such a wonderful time of year, there can be a surprising amount of stressors during Christmas...Especially for those considered to be outcasts among their peers.]

[Location: PoopyFarts' apartment]

this chapter is going to drive everyone nuts, i know it. 😂

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The brown-clad figure lay in bed clutching his poop emoji plush, a stray tear shedding from his visor every so often...Tonight was the night of the Christmas party, and he imagined himself being the only one who wasn't looking forward to it.

I probably shouldn't even go, he said to himself. Even if I did show up, would anyone even notice?

PoopyFarts had been thinking about his status among the group over the past few days, and he'd come to the conclusion that the only purpose he served was to be the group laughing stock. At first, he enjoyed making them laugh. But then he began to question whether they were laughing WITH him or AT him. And that uncertainty made him begin to re-evaluate his worth along the lobby.

Is that was I've become? he asked himself, sniffling loudly. Is that what I am to everyone?

...That was when he heard a knock at his door.

After a moment of contemplating whether or not he should answer it, he finally decided to get up and leave his bedroom, heading out into the main room and making his way to the front door. When he peered I to the eye hole, a familiar purple-clad figure in a red silk scarf and dark head band came into view.

"こんにちは? プーピーさん? 家に居る?"

PoopyFarts wondered what Ninja was doing at his home, but he wasn't about to turn him down, especially seeing how cold it was outside. He unlocked the door and opened it, letting the figure inside...Ninja hung his scarf up and took his boots off at the door, giving the brown crewmate a light bow as he entered.

"立ち寄ると思った," he said to him. "昨日私たちが遊んでいたとき、あなたは落ち込んでいたようでした."

"Pfrrrt..."

"問題ありません. とにかくあなたのことをもう少しよく知りたかっただけだと思います. これは良い機会でした."

The brown figure's eyes widened at his response.

"Pfft. Thpbbbt!?!"

"はい、はい、わかりました," Ninja replied to him. "鼓腸について話すことについて私自身の研究をする前に、私はあなたとキャプテンがどのように相互作用するかを研究し、私が何ができるかを学びました。 さて、私があなたに質問するのは、あなたが日本語で同じことをどのくらいやっているのかということです."

The purple figure smirked and placed a hand on his hip.

"Tfrrt...Pfffft."

"同じ、ハァッ? 面白い," Ninja replied back. "あなたと私...あなたは私たちが話す方法で他の人とは違うと言うことができます."

"Pffrt..."

"それがあなたを悩ませているのですか?" the purple crewmate asked, to which the brown crewmate nodded.

"...Tbppt, pfft, pfffrt. Thbbbbbt."

"あなたが生まれてからミュート? わお..."

"Pthbbbt, pfft, thpbt," PoopyFarts told him. "...Pfft thbbt, pfrrt pft pffffbbbbt."

"あまり心配しないでください," Ninja told him, placing a hand against his shoulder. "あなたが話すことができないという理由だけで、私たちはあなたよりも優れているわけではありません.  そして、あなたは私たち全員を笑わせるためにあなたがコミュニケーションするために使うことができるものを使います。 私たちはあなたについてそれが好きです.  あなたは本当にあなたが出会うすべての人の顔に笑顔をもたらします."

"...Pffrrrt?"

"私はただ考えるだけではありません... 私はそれを知っている."

Tears returned to the brown crewmate's eyes, and he stepped forward into Ninja's already open arms for an embrace.

"...Thbt."

"大丈夫. 私は助けることができてうれしいです."

When they let go of on another, Ninja rose his index finger, remembering something.

"ああ.  私はあなたに市場から少し何かを得ました," Ninja told him.

"Pthbt?"

"注意喚起."

He pulled something out of his pocket and tossed it to PoopyFarts, who'd already lifted his hands up to catch something. At first, he thought it was some kind of ball, but when he caught it, the object revealed itself to be an orange.

"Pfft. Pthbbbt," he thanked him, flashing Ninja a smile.

"それを台所に持って行き、それを切り開いてください."

Curious as to why Ninja wanted him to eat it so soon, he took it to the counter, pulled out a knife and sliced the fruit open, revealing what looked less like an orange and more like a freshly killed BODY.

"PFFFT!?!"

"ハハ! ブラッドオレンジです!" he guffawed. "彼らはそのように見えるはずです!"

"Thbbt?"

"はい。 ボナペティ," the purple figure nodded. "ねえ、あなたが忙しくないなら、あなたは私と一緒に私の場所に戻りたいですか? 後でパーティー用のクリスマスケーキを作っているので、少し手伝いたいならできます."

"Pfrt~!" PoopyFarts exclaimed, beaming from ear to ear. "Pthbbt, pfft!"

"何かがいつもあなたが良いシェフだと私に言いました," Ninja nodded in recognition. "...おおい."

"Tfff?"

Ninja cleared his throat before speaking again.

"If, ah...If you ever need-u friend, I...I be there. I will be there. Yes."

"...Thbbpt???"

"Eh. Some Engurish. Am, ah...working on it. Not very good...Usually don't bother."

"...Pfrt thbbt, pfffft?"

"You want to give try?" Ninja repeated. "Well...No harm in that, no. Let us see if you can."

PoopyFarts moved his fingertips against his neck as he took a couple of deep breaths, almost as though he were feeling around for a voice. Then he looked Ninja in the eye and opened his mouth.

"...U-um..."

A dry cough escaped him, interrupting his first attempt to speak, and Ninja rested his hand against his friend's back.

"Don't-u strain youself."

The brown crewmate sighed again, then tried a second time, keeping his weak voice a mere whisper.

"Y...you...you're..."

"Easy, easy."

"You're...a...good...good fr...friend."

...A smile slowly inched its way across Ninja's face, and PoopyFarts felt himself being pulled into another hug just a few moments later.

"...ありがとう," he told him, his own voice not much more than a whisper. "あなたもね."

They stayed like that for what felt like a while...When they finally let go again, Ninja grabbed his scarf off of the coat rack by the door again and wrapped it around himself.

"さて、行きましょう.  到着するとまた雪が降り始めたので, コートを着てください."

PoopyFarts nodded, then went to grab his puffy dark brown jacket. It didn't take him long to return, and the moment he did, Ninja opened the door, and the two crewmates headed out into the snow side by side.