Flutterbyes

"Oh.... Sensei, am I a butterfly?" asked Osaka, waking up, seeing her homeroom teacher, who was staring down at her with annoyed expression.

"What?" asked Yukari, momentarily confused.

"I dreamt I was a butterfly, and now I'm awake...." Osaka seemed perplexed. "Or am I dreaming now?"

Yukari took only a second to consider Osaka's statement. "Who cares?" She brought her textbook down onto Osaka's head. "Don't sleep in my class."

"Okay," said Osaka, her head wilting downward from the force of Yukari's blow.

"I'm a bit worried, Sensei," said Osaka.

"About what?" asked Yukari. What did Osaka, space cadet, have to worry about? Loss of sleep?

"Suppose I'm a caterpillar, and then I'm going to cocoon...." Osaka then said nothing, as though trying to add emphasis to what she was saying. "What if when I cocoon, I become a moth... and not a butterfly? Should I be disappointed?"

Yukari was stunned. Would it be a good idea to hit Osaka with the book again? Or would that make things worse?"

It was the way Osaka was watching the little disposable butter package that told Yomi there was trouble on the way, coming direct from Osaka's mouth. However, there was electric curiosity in the air, and before the girl fried herself with the energy, somebody needed to ask Osaka, the question, "What's going on?"

"Just thinking about butterflies," said Osaka.

"But that's butter," said Yomi.

"But what if was made from butterflies?" asked Osaka.

"It's not," said Yomi. "Butter comes from fat." She inwardly frowned at the word she had just uttered.

"I know, but I was just thinking about butterfly butter. The way the little legs and antennas would stick out from it, and the wings and guts and eyes, all squished up." Osaka stared at the butter, as if daring it to be what she was thinking about. "And what would it taste like? Would you eat it?"

Yomi pushed away her own lunch. "I don't even want to eat this now, after hearing that."

"Butterflies in the stomach," said Osaka.

Yomi didn't bother answering. Osaka's mind was on a one-way track regarding her newest fascination.

"I wonder if they're like when you get worms? Maybe a butterfly landed on every newborn baby, and then laid eggs in their mouth a thousand years ago?" Osaka asked. "Or maybe it was a butterfly accidentally flying into somebody's nostril, and just kept on going."

"It's not real butterflies in the stomach, you know. It's just a saying," said Yomi.

"But how do we know what it feels like to have a butterfly in the stomach?" asked Osaka. "Did somebody one day eat a butterfly, but it didn't die, and it just kept flying around in his stomach?"

"Shut up," said Yomi.

"But maybe it was really a moth that was in his stomach, and he was embarrassed and told everyone it was a butterfly?" said Osaka.

"Shut up," said Yomi, again.

"I heard somewhere that butterflies control the weather," said Chiyo.

"Really?" asked Osaka. "You mean they're magical?"

"It's the way they flap their wings," replied Chiyo, physically showing how butterflies flew.

"So, they cause the sunshine?" asked Osaka. "And the clouds, and the rain? That's a pretty important job." She then frowned. "But that means they also control lightning and storms and hurricanes."

A butterfly passed in front of Osaka's eyes (almost flying into her nostril). She snatched at it.

"W-what are you doing?" asked Chiyo, horrified at Osaka's sudden intended violence towards the little insects.

"Think about it, Chiyo. Every butterfly that's stopped is one life saved from a flash flood or a blizzard," said Osaka. She began chasing the butterfly.

"No, stop!" cried Chiyo, running after Osaka.