Little Penguin Bits

Little Accident

It should have been a normal day.

Days like that didn't exist for the Octonauts.

Barnacles, Kwazii, Peso, and Shellington were exploring a dark ocean trench, looking for new creatures. Peso had been nervous enough from the start, although he tried not to show it.

"What's that sound?" Barnacles chuckled, turning to Peso with a calm smile. "It's just our propeller, Peso. It always makes that sound."

Peso stood shivering next to Shellington. The otter was excited to explore the area for new creatures, but he could tell Peso was nervous. It would be incredibly dark there, though not as dark as the midnight zone, and it was no secret Peso was afraid of the dark. He often tried to hide it, and, in turn, the Octonauts would try to make it easier for him.

"What about that?"

"That's just our heat tracker, matey." Kwazii responded calmly. Poor Peso trembled a little more. Shellington knelt down next to him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Shellington knew this was a lie. "Peso, tell me the truth."

"I said I'm fine!" Shellington looked carefully at Peso. He was trembling, and he looked worried. He glanced every which-way, and jumped a tad at the slightest sound.

"Peso, if you're scared-!"

"I'm not scared!"

Shellington and Barnacles shared a quick look. They knew how hard Peso tried not to be scared of the dark. Shellington turned back to Peso. "It's okay to be afraid of the dark, you know."

"Who-who says I'm afraid of the dark?"

"Well, you are shaking."

"So what? It doesn't mean I'm scared!" Shellington knew he wasn't going to get anything else out of Peso, so he stood back up, dropping the conversation. It was impossible to convince stubborn little Peso he didn't have to be brave all the time. He was only fifteen, after all.

The last thing Peso wanted to do was let them see his fear. They'd think him a crybaby, a child, not old enough to go on missions or be trusted, not responsible enough-he couldn't bear that. He looked up to the, the captain most of all, and he'd rather die before letting them see him scared of something so childish as the dark. He was fifteen, not five!

Once they entered the trench, Peso felt his jitters going away. The darkness outside made the light in here seem much brighter, chasing the darkness away.

Of course, they had to get out.

"Try to stay close, everyone." Barnacles secured his deep-sea helmet. "We don't want to lose track of the Gup, or each other. We can't go very far." There was a chorus of approval, and Peso took a deep, silent breath. He'd be close to the others. It would be fine.

Kwazii smiled, and nudged him. "Don't worry, Peso. It'll be an adventure! Maybe we'll go toe-to-toe with some monsters!"

Kwazii wasn't the best at comforting.

He and Shellington jumped out of the hatch, and Barnacles placed a paw on Peso's shoulder. He could feel how tense he was. "I wouldn't worry, peso. Kwazii's just trying to scare you."

"I'm not worried." His voice cracked a little.

Barnacles mentally sighed, but accepted Peso's feeble excuse. He knew it wouldn't be easy to convince Peso it was fine to be scared sometimes.

Peso hopped out of the hatch, mentally scolding himself. He could school his features just fine under most circumstances. Was his fear of the dark that strong? He wanted to be just like the big, brave captain. Nothing scared him.