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The night was quiet on the Brave Olavine, the only sounds being the gentle settling of the metal joints and supports, a faint breeze drifting across the ship and the gentle hum of the engine. Almost every inhabitant of the ship was asleep, including Liko, however her sleep was far from peaceful. The girl was tossing and turning, face hidden in her pillow. Sprigatito had woken up, jostled by Liko’s turning. The grass cat Pokemon looked at its trainer in concern, clearly aware of Liko’s distress. Sprigatito began to gently paw at Liko’s face, attempting to wake the girl. Blue eyes snapped open.
Liko was terrified. Everything was going wrong and it was all her fault. All her fault for not knowing anything about the pendant. Everyone got hurt, all because of her. Sprigatito, Friede, Cap, Murdock, everyone. She felt something soft brush against her face, a questioning and concerned “Mrr?” meeting her ears. She snapped her eyes open, tears making her vision blurry. Liko blinked a few times, spotting the concerned face of Sprigatito looking back at her. “Sprigatito!” Liko cried, quickly sitting up and pulling the Pokemon into her arms.
The pokemon didn’t struggle, letting Liko hug them tight. A few tears slipped from Liko’s eyes, wetting Sprigatito’s fur, but the grass cat didn’t mind, nuzzling against its trainer. Liko took a shuddering breath, letting her head rest against Sprigatito’s. The cat meowed softly, looking up at her with wide pink eyes. “I'm ok…everythings ok…” She said, petting the pokemon.
Sprigatito pouted slightly, clearly not believing Liko. The girl chuckled, swiping a few tears away. “Figures you don’t believe me…I'm not even sure I believe myself…” Liko said, letting her shoulders slump forward, hair falling into her eyes.
Liko always hated nightmares. Every time she got them as a kid, she would run to her parents room, crying about how she was scared. Her mom and dad would always pull her up into their arms, reminding her that she was safe. As she grew up, the number of nightmares she had decreased, but their contents changed to more real things. No longer was it the scary shadow monster that hid in her closet, it was her own shortcomings that sent shivers down her spine. Even as she grew, her parents never stopped comforting her. They would always hug her tight, give her a cup of tea or coco, and calm her down so she could sleep again. She didn’t have that here. Her mom and dad weren't here, weren’t able to protect her from the frightening things her mind created.
Sprigatito began to squirm, wiggling out of Liko’s grasp. They jumped off the bed, motioning to the door with their head, meowing at their trainer. Liko looked at the pokemon for a moment before a soft smile spread on her face. “Yeah…Maybe some fresh air will help.” She said, slipping her feet in her slippers before she got up.
Liko opened the door, Sprigatito walking out, waiting for her. Liko leaned against the banister, looking out over the night sky. There were barely any clouds, the stars twinkling bright in the sky. She sighed, feeling the cool night air against her skin. It was peaceful. No city noise, no wild pokemon in the distant forest, just calm, relaxing darkness, the moon shining above them. Sprigatito purred, rubbing against Liko’s legs, releasing a calming scent. Liko smiled, leaning down to pick up Sprigatito. She held the pokemon in her arms looking out over the sky. She could still feel the remnants of the nightmare, waiting for her to fall back asleep so it could torment her once more.
“Couldn’t sleep?” Came a voice from behind her. Liko jolted slightly, turning to look at Murdock. He smiled softly, walking over. He leaned against the banister, wrists folded over one another.
“Ah, Murdock…sorry if I woke you up.” Liko said, holding Sprigatito tight.
“Nah, you didn’t wake me.” He said with a wave of his hand, “I was up anyway. Need to see how the dough I prepared is doin’.”
Liko nodded, the two falling into a comfortable silence. They both stood there for about a minute before Murdock cleared his throat. “So, what’s keepin you up? Insomnia?” He asked, looking at Liko.
“Oh, no…I-uh…I had a nightmare…” Liko said after a moment, face partially buried in Sprigatito’s soft fur, voice muffled.
“I’m guessing it's still botherin you?” Murdock asked, receiving a nod from the girl. The man hummed, thinking. He looked up at the sky surrounding them, the cool night breeze a bit chilly to him. An idea popped into his head. He pushed himself off the banister with a huff, drawing Liko’s attention.
“Want to help me check on the dough?” He asked her, a soft smile on his face.
“Sure, if you want me too…” Liko said.
“Of course I want you too. I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t mean it.” He assured her. Liko nodded, a small smile spreading on her face. He lead her to the kitchen, flicking on the lights. He and Liko winced at the bright lights, eyes used to the dark of the night sky. He pulled the bowls of dough out, setting them on the counter.
He told her what to look for in the dough, how to make sure it was proofing accordingly. It was relaxing, monotonous in a way that helped calm her nerves. Suddenly a warm cup of hot chocolate was nudged into her hands, Murdock smiling gently as he sat down, a cup of tea in his own hands. Liko looked down at the dark liquid, a feeling of nostalgia washing over her. “Hey, it's ok to cry every now and then, kid. It's healthy.” Murdock said and Liko realized she had started crying.
Sprigatito gently nudged Liko’s leg, the girl setting the mug of hot chocolate down so the pokemon could climb onto her lap. She hugged Sprigatito, the pokemon purring softly. “Im just so scared…scared of what could happen…I don’t want you guys to get hurt because of me.” She said, voice tight.
“Liko, danger is part of the job. We all accepted that. We can handle ourselves. You shouldn’t put so much pressure on yourself, you're still just a kid.” Murdock told her, gently brushing some of her hair out of her face.
“But none of you guys seem scared of anything…” Liko said.
Murdock couldn’t help the burst of laughter that escaped him. Liko looked up at him, surprised. “Sorry…I didn’t mean to laugh but…of course were scared of things, I know I am.” He said, watching as Liko’s eyes widened slightly.
“You all are?” Liko asked.
“Of course. Everybody’s got fears, even Friede. I know he may act tough, but even he has stuff that makes him scared. And that's ok. It’s ok to be scared, to be uncertain. But we know we have each other. You can rely on us Liko, I promise.” Murdock said, leaning back against his chair. Liko sat for a moment, processing what he said. She picked up her mug once more. A smile spread across her face.
“Thank you, Murdock.” She said as she went to take a sip of the hot coco.
“Anytime, Liko.” He replied.
The two talked until their mugs had been drained and Liko’s eyes began to droop. Murdock took the mug from her grasp, setting it in the sink to deal with it later. “Come on now, back to bed with you.” The man said, turning to face Liko.
Sprigatito had fallen asleep in Liko’s arms, the girl looking ready to follow her Pokemon’s example. Murdock chuckled, helping Liko back to her room. He made sure she was comfortably tucked back in bed before he whispered “Good night Liko.” as he shut the door.
“Night…” Liko mumbled as her eyes slid closed. She drifted off to sleep, a content smile on her face. Liko slept peacefully. No nightmares or anxieties plagued her dreams, only chocolate filled rivers and marshmallow clouds, and the smell of fresh baked bread.