Disclaimer: I do not own Shirokuma Cafe or the characters. There is something else mentioned in this fic that I do not own, it's up to you to identify it so I don't spoil anything here!
Notes: I had a dream the other night involving poor Penguin facing what he did in the nightmare he described. Well, I figured it deserved a fanfiction, so I wrote this. There might be some OOC for some characters. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this!
Penguin entered Shirokuma Cafe, he was slumped over and yawning quite a lot. If it was easy to see them, he'd also reveal the dark rings under his eyes.
Sasako smiled warmly. "Welcome, Penguin-san!"
He yawned again. "Hello, Sasako-san..." He waddled to his usual stool and flopped against it, unable to muster the energy to climb onto it.
Shirokuma stepped out from behind the counter and assisted the half-asleep penguin, making sure to use only the pads of his paws to avoid accidentally stabbing his friend. "You seem rather exhausted, Penguin-san."
"Exhausted doesn't cover it...can I have a black coffee instead?"
"It will be ready in a few minutes." He returned to the mini-kitchen behind the counter and began brewing up a black coffee.
Penguin finished the hot beverage and sighed. He felt a little more awake thanks to the caffeine coursing through his system. "Honestly, the last few nights have been troublesome. I just couldn't sleep!"
"Is there something in your neighbourhood bothering you at night?" Sasako questioned.
"No, it's not anything to do with outside that's causing it. I've been having too many nightmares!"
"Nightmares?"
Shirokuma tensed and let out a quiet gasp. It was pun time! He held up a large picture of ursines who looked just like him.
"Those are polar bears," Penguin responded bluntly.
He then held up a plush of a coloured bear with a symbol on its white belly and a heart-shaped nose.
"That's a Care Bear."
He then held up a page from a newspaper. It appeared to be from Business & Finance.
"Those are stock shares." Penguin sighed. "I said nightmares!"
"What have they been about?" Sasako asked.
"Penko-sans."
She knew he meant the seven female penguins he was currently dating. The same penguins who he had trouble telling apart, leaving him constantly in trouble with all of them.
"Last night it was a wedding..."
"Congratulations on your marriage!" Shirokuma responded.
Penguin sweatdropped. "I'm too tired to say anything about that right now..."
"What happened?" Sasako asked.
"Well..."
"Now then, if Penguin-san would like to make his vows to each of his brides?" the minister of the ceremony suggested to keep in tradition.
Penguin stepped forward and took the flippers of one of his future wives. "My darling Penmi-san..."
She huffed. "I'm Penko!"
He quickly released her and apologised, then stepped to another, repeating his actions and words.
The next bride huffed. "I'm Penuelle!"
"Basically, my whole nightmare was lather, rinse, repeat. I'd find the right bride and make my vows, only to forget which of them stood in which place and it started all over again when I made more vows. The glares became so intense that I bolted awake, covered in sweat!" He sighed. "I'll have another black coffee please."
Shirokuma nodded and went to brew it for him.
"And then, the other night..."
The sun was setting, and it was easy to understand just why poor Penguin hadn't been sleeping too well lately. It was hard to with those constant possible futures plaguing his dreams. He flopped against the counter-top and sighed once again. "I might have to take something to put me to sleep at this rate..."
Shirokuma brought out a large mallet. "I can help you get to sleep."
"Again, too tired to comment."
He put the mallet down. "What do you normally do to put yourself to sleep at night?"
"I count sheep like most people and animals do. Last night, it didn't work too well because next thing I knew, I was guessing which Penko-san was which." He covered his eyes with his flippers and let out a shuddering sigh. "I might never get to sleep again at this rate!"
The entrance opened, and in walked Panda. He'd finished another day at the zoo. He was about to comment on how dull it was and how he didn't want to go back again that week, and how so many people did comment on how cute he was and how Handa kept yelling at him when he fell asleep when he was supposed to provide service for the customers. But, he saw Penguin looking very upset, and even he wasn't that much of a jerk to talk about himself when someone needed comfort and reassurance. "Konbanwa~!"
Sasako and Shirokuma turned to the entrance and greeted the young panda, then turned back to Penguin.
Panda made his way to his stool beside Penguin and looked at him. "What's the matter, Penguin-san?"
"I can't sleep...I'll never sleep again..." Penguin responded.
"Why not? Sleep is very important! You should try to get as much sleep as me!"
"Too tired to comment," he whispered.
"Why can't you sleep?"
"Too many nightmares...why do my troubles with Penko-san and the others have to keep me awake at night? It was hard enough when I was troubled about how to ask her out...and then how to keep myself safe from all seven of them...but, this is ridiculous!"
Sasako gave Panda a quick explanation of the types of nightmares Penguin had been having lately.
"Are Penko-sans on your mind before you go to sleep?" Panda questioned.
"They're often on my mind...I still need to work out how to remember who each of them is..."
"Then, it's simple! Just stop thinking!"
Penguin looked up at Panda. "How do I do that?"
"I don't know. It's up to you. I can fall asleep real easily, so it's nothing I worry about."
"It will be hard though...how can I convince myself to stop thinking about them? I'll be thinking about trying not to think about them and that will make things worse!"
"What about something to eat or drink before bed? Sometimes, Okaa-san makes a really nice hot drink for my baby brothers when they are having trouble sleeping." He sighed. "It makes me wonder if they are pandas at all..."
"I guess I could try that..."
Shirokuma turned to Panda. "Maybe you should call your mother and let her know what is happening. She might be able to share the recipe with Penguin-san."
"Good idea, Shirokuma-kun!" He reached into his little panda-shaped carry bag and pulled out the phone Handa gave him (it was mostly for work, but this was an emergency!). He dialled his home number.
Panda Mama had just finished setting plates on the table when she heard the phone ringing. "Now, who could that be?" She made her way to the phone and picked up the handset. "Hello, this is the Panda residence."
"Okaa-san? It's me!"
"Where are you? Dinner is almost ready!"
"I'm at Shirokuma Cafe."
"Next door? I suppose that is alright. Now, why are you calling?"
"It's an emergency! Bring the recipe for that really nice hot drink you make for the babies when they refuse to sleep! It's needed right now!"
"I'm in the middle of preparing dinner. You are just next door, why not come get it yourself?"
"Ah."
"Honestly. I'll have the recipe ready by the time you set foot in the door."
"Thank you, Okaa-san!"
"Now, hurry up, dear."
He pressed the end call button showing on the screen and placed it back in his carry bag. "I have to go get it, but I'll be right back."
"Wait. I'll come with you. No doubt you'll get distracted and forget all about it," Penguin commented. He paid for his orders and slid off the stool, almost landing beak-first on the floor. "Let's go, Panda-kun." He turned to Shirokuma and Sasako. "I'll hopefully be more awake when I come in tomorrow. See you!"
"I hope you sleep well, Penguin-san," Sasako responded.
"My offer for natural anaesthetic is still open," Shirokuma added. He was only joking, though with him it was hard to be certain.
"If I get desperate enough, I'll call you," Penguin replied. He waddled after Panda.
Sasako and Shirokuma exchanged glances. If Penguin was actually willing to take the joke seriously, things were worse than they feared.
Panda Mama heard the door open. "Wipe your feet, dear!" she called from the kitchen. She set some bamboo grass and walnuts onto the plates. She heard her son's familiar heavy footfalls, but was surprised at the lighter sound. "My, do we have company?" She wiped her paws on her apron and made her way to the front entrance. "Oh my, Penguin-san. It is a surprise to see you here this evening."
"I won't be here for too long, Panda Mama-san."
"Ahh, so you're the one in need of the recipe. Well, I brewed some up for you, and have the recipe written down so you can make it yourself. I'll go get them." She hurried back to the kitchen and picked up the flask full of the beverage and a sheet of paper. She handed them to the penguin who looked about ready to fall asleep where he stood. "Here you are. I hope it helps you. You look as if you haven't slept in days."
"A week, actually. But, thanks." He exchanged some quick words with Panda, then left the large house.
"So? Did you drink it? Did it taste good? Did it work? Could you sleep last night?"
Penguin rubbed his temples with his flippers. "I drank it. It was alright, I guess. It worked for a while. But then...I got a message from Penko-san and she and the others were on my thoughts for the rest of the night!" He turned to Shirokuma. "Tonight, I want you to administer as much of that natural anaesthetic as you can!"
To say the white bear was shocked at the agreement to his joke from the day before was an understatement. "Penguin-san...I think you should think it through..."
"I don't care anymore! I'm desperate to try anything now!"
Llama was also visiting the cafe for the day as the zoo was closed. He'd heard about the situation. "Might I suggest something?"
"Anything at all..."
"It's a nice day today, so why not try having a nap under the tree? One of us could sing you a lullaby...or if necessary, we can ask Sloth-san to tell you a bedtime story."
"Anything! Please!"
"Let's go and give it our all then!" Panda cheered.
The group of friends were gathered under the large tree just near the terrace. Penguin was lying on the grass, a small cushion under his head.
Shirokuma and Panda tried singing lullabies, but while their voices weren't as bad as they'd claimed, the songs they were singing couldn't qualify as lullabies. Shirokuma was rapping one of his old hits from the days he was known as MC 469MA. Panda was singing some classic rock he'd heard on Handa's radio when he'd signed into work the day before.
Llama was singing a song gently, but it was mambo, so it still wasn't appropriate. Even Sasako's attempt failed for that same reason. Hers was a popular song by a famous J-Pop group.
Penguin sweatdropped. "Do you all need lullaby lessons?"
Sloth was just above them, hanging from a branch. "Shall...I...try...my...story...telling...now...?"
"Yes. Please. I don't care how long it takes, just please get me to sleep!"
"Okay...! Once...upon...a...time...in...a...far...away...land..." Sloth began.
It was sunset by the time he finished his story. Which was rather amazing in itself since he started telling it in the later hours of the morning. He'd paused halfway through so everyone could have lunch, and then resumed after everyone had finished eating.
"And...they...all...lived...happily...ever...after..." He slowly turned his head to look down and see if Penguin was asleep.
He was. But, he wasn't the only one! Penguin was lying on Llama's front-right leg, Llama had his head resting on Shirokuma's shoulder, Shirokuma held Panda as if he was his own personal teddy bear, and Sasako had her head resting on Panda's stomach. They were all snoring lightly. It was a good thing the recent nights weren't too chilly, everyone seemed to be in a deep enough state of slumber to consider just spending the night cuddled together under that large tree.
Um...would anybody please answer this request? Could somebody please draw a fanart of the group cuddled together while sleeping under the tree? It would be much appreciated, and for the one who does, I can write a fic for them (this series) with whatever prompt and whichever characters they like (though please keep all requests under M-rating...)