**Chapter 39 — The Flashback and the Little Dog**
(Sunny POV — Flashback: Six Months Ago)
Paradise hurts.
Not in the poetic sense, like some bard waxing lyrical about unrequited love or the fleeting nature of joy. No, this was in the literal, my-ribs-are-being-crushed-by-two-beautiful-women-who-refuse-to-let-go sense. I was a prisoner on my own couch, trapped in a living room that smelled faintly of citrus groves outside the window and Belle-mère's ever-present cigarette smoke. The room was cozy—wooden beams overhead, a flickering lantern casting warm shadows, and a threadbare rug underfoot that had seen better days. But right now, it felt like a torture chamber disguised as domestic bliss.
Aqua was latched onto my left arm like an affectionate octopus, her cheek pressed firmly against my shoulder, her blue hair spilling over my chest like a silky waterfall. She was humming softly, some tuneless melody that vibrated through my bones. On my right side, Nojiko had me completely locked down, her arms wrapped around mine like iron chains, her head nestled against my bicep as if it were the world's most comfortable pillow. I couldn't feel my fingers anymore—they'd gone numb about twenty minutes ago, tingling with that pins-and-needles sensation that promised pain when the blood finally rushed back.
On the TV screen across the room, the movie droned on—a low-budget flick about bad CGI monsters chasing hapless villagers through forests that looked like they were made of recycled plastic bottles. Explosions boomed in tinny surround sound, but I could barely see more than half the screen, thanks to the cascade of blue and blue-pink hair draped across my face and torso. Every time I tried to shift for a better view, the girls tightened their grips, as if sensing my rebellion.
"I can't move," I muttered flatly, staring longingly at the unreachable glass of orange juice on the side table. It was three inches away. Three! It might as well have been at Enies Lobby, requiring a full Marine escort to retrieve. The condensation on the glass mocked me, beads of moisture sliding down like tears of sympathy—or laughter.
"Shut up, you love it," Aqua mumbled, her eyes still glued to the flashing screen. She nuzzled closer, her voice thick with smug satisfaction, like a cat claiming its favorite scratching post. Her breath was warm against my neck, sending an involuntary shiver down my spine.
"Stop squirming. You're warm," Nojiko added, her tone lazy and content. She tightened her grip like a python coiling around its prey, her fingers interlacing with mine in a way that was both endearing and excruciating.
In the corner of the room, Belle-mère sat in her old rocking chair, puffing away on a cigarette that dangled from her lips like an old friend. The chair creaked rhythmically as she rocked, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she watched the three of us. Smoke curled lazily toward the ceiling, forming hazy patterns in the lantern light. "Ara~ Ara~ My boy is so popular. What a terrible burden it must be, surrounded by such devoted admirers."
"This is hell disguised as paradise," I sighed, flexing my toes in a futile attempt to restore circulation. My legs were free, at least, but what good were they when the rest of me was immobilized?
The cigarette tip glowed orange as Belle-mère chuckled, a deep, throaty sound that filled the room. "Don't complain, Sunny. Men would kill for your suffering. Hell, some would pay good beri for it. Enjoy it while it lasts—life's too short for regrets."
I stretched my arm as much as I could, my fingers twitching desperately toward the juice glass. It wobbled tantalizingly on the edge of the table, mocking me further. Just a little more… almost…
*BRRRRRING! BRRRRING!*
The Den Den Mushi on the coffee table flared to life, its shell contorting into a wide-eyed, panicked face. The snail's eyes bulged comically, its mouth opening and closing in sync with the ringing.
Aqua shifted immediately, nearly crushing my lungs in the process. "Don't answer it. Movie night's sacred."
Nojiko pressed even closer, her body heat radiating like a furnace. "Yeah, let it ring. Whoever it is can wait. We're in the middle of the epic monster chase scene."
I wiggled a single finger free—victory!—and jabbed the receiver before they could protest further. The snail's expression shifted to mimic the caller's voice. "Yeah? This better be important—I'm kinda tied up here."
"SUNNY!" The voice on the other end was sharp, desperate, laced with the kind of urgency that cut through the cozy haze like a knife. It was Nami, her words tumbling out in a breathless rush. "I'm in Orange Town! I tried to grab a measly million berries from some clown pirate—he's got some weird Devil Fruit power, his body splits apart or something—his men have me cornered in an alley, I can't shake them—!"
I didn't hear the rest. The world narrowed to a pinpoint.
Time didn't slow. It folded.
One blink: I was pinned on the couch, sandwiched between Aqua and Nojiko, the movie's explosions rumbling in the background.
The next blink: The air above Orange Town cracked like thunder, a ripple of space-time bending to my will. I stood in a dingy alleyway, the stench of gunpowder and sea salt thick in the air. Nami was backed against a crumbling wall, her staff raised defensively, surrounded by a gaggle of grinning pirates led by a blue-haired clown whose torso was levitating a few feet away from his legs. Buggy the Clown—his painted face twisted in manic glee, knives glinting in his detached hands.
His men froze mid-laugh, confusion etching their faces as they registered my sudden appearance. "Huh? Where'd this guy come from—?"
My Haki spilled out like a tidal wave, an invisible force that pressed down on the alley like the weight of the ocean itself. The walls groaned under the pressure, bricks cracking. Pirates slammed into the ground or walls before they could even draw their weapons, their eyes rolling back as Conqueror's Haki overwhelmed their wills.
Buggy blinked, his bulbous nose twitching, eyes bulging in cartoonish surprise. "W-WHO THE HELL ARE—?"
I didn't let him finish. A flick of my wrist sent a needle-point pulse of Conqueror's Haki straight at him—precise, unyielding. Buggy's segmented body crumpled like wet paper, his painted eyes crossing before rolling back as the light went out. He collapsed in a heap of disconnected limbs, his crew following suit in unconscious piles.
Silence descended, broken only by the distant crash of waves and Nami's ragged breathing.
Nami's jaw dropped, her chest heaving as she stared at me in disbelief. Her hair was disheveled, a few strands sticking to her sweat-dampened forehead, but her eyes—those sharp, clever eyes—widened with a mix of shock and relief. "H-how…? You were… you just *appeared*! What kind of power is that?"
Before I could speak, before I could even process the adrenaline surging through my veins, she surged forward. Her hands grabbed my face, fingers digging into my cheeks with desperate urgency, and she kissed me. Hard.
It wasn't a gentle peck. It wasn't tentative or hesitant. It was raw—adrenaline-fueled, born of relief and the reckless fire of near-death. Her lips crashed into mine like a storm wave, soft but insistent, her tongue brushing mine for a fleeting instant that sent sparks through my entire body. My breath caught, my hands instinctively rising to her waist, pulling her closer. For one surreal heartbeat, the chaos of the world—the wrecked town, the unconscious pirates, the lingering smoke—narrowed to the press of her lips, the taste of salt and citrus, the warmth of her body against mine.
When she pulled back, her face was crimson, her breath coming in short gasps. Her eyes darted away, then back, a mix of embarrassment and defiance. "That's… your payment for the save. Don't get used to it, idiot."
I blinked, still dazed, my lips tingling. "Nami, I—"
But the world folded again, space bending seamlessly.
We reappeared in my living room at the exact moment the Den Den Mushi stopped ringing, the snail's face relaxing back to neutral. To Aqua and Nojiko, I hadn't even left—the kiss, the rescue, all of it compressed into a non-existent instant. The movie was still playing, the monsters roaring on screen.
But Aqua's eyes narrowed like sharpened knives. She'd felt the ripple of space-time, that subtle distortion only someone attuned could sense. Jealousy radiated off her like steam, her grip on my arm turning possessive. "What was that? You… you just *blinked* funny."
Nojiko, by contrast, wore a sly, satisfied grin, her eyes twinkling with mischief. She leaned in, whispering teasingly, "Well… that escalated quickly. Smells like adventure—and a little lipstick?"
Belle-mère exhaled a long plume of smoke, her lips curved in a knowing, maternal smile. "Ara Ara~ my boy's growing up. Rescuing damsels, bending reality… next thing you know, you'll have a harem bigger than a Marine fleet."
I slumped back into the couch, stunned, the taste of salt and adrenaline still lingering on my tongue. My heart was pounding, a mix of the rescue's rush and the kiss's aftershock. "I just wanted to watch a movie… why does everything turn into chaos?"
Aqua pouted, her cheeks flushing with envy. "Who was it? Nami? Again? You're mine tonight—no more heroics!"
Nojiko laughed, snuggling closer. "Share and share alike, sis. But yeah, Sunny—next time, take us with you. We could use some excitement."
Belle-mère just rocked in her chair, chuckling. "Kids these days…"
--- *Flashback end* ---
The streets of Orange Town were a battlefield of debris, still half-smoldering from Buggy's indiscriminate cannon fire. Rubble was stacked haphazardly along the roads like broken toys discarded by a giant child—shattered barrels, splintered wooden beams, and chunks of masonry that crunched under our boots. The air was thick with the acrid scent of smoke and gunpowder, mingled with the salty tang of the nearby sea. Townsfolk peeked out from behind barricades, their faces etched with a mix of fear and tentative hope now that the clown's reign of terror seemed over.
Amid all that destruction, one small figure sat stoically in front of a battered pet shop. The building was a sad sight—its sign hanging crookedly, windows shattered, and the door splintered—but the guardian at its threshold was unyielding.
A dog.
A white little dog with scars crisscrossing his face like badges of honor, his eyes sharper and more determined than most pirates we'd encountered. He sat proud and unmoving, his tail curled neatly around his paws, guarding the crumbling structure as though it were the greatest treasure in the world. His fur was matted with dust from the wreckage, but there was a quiet dignity in his posture that commanded respect.
Lucy crouched down immediately, her straw hat flopping forward as she extended a hand with her trademark grin. "Oi, cute doggy~! Don't worry, I, the future Pirate Queen, will protect you! We'll be best friends—I'll share my meat!"
The dog growled low in his throat, a warning rumble that stopped her cold.
Lucy froze mid-pose, her outstretched hand hovering awkwardly. "…He doesn't like me. Why? I'm lovable!"
"Smart dog," Zoro muttered with a smirk, his arms crossed as he leaned against a nearby lamppost. His swords clinked softly, and he eyed the pup with a hint of approval. "Knows a glutton when he sees one."
But then, the mayor of Orange Town shuffled up—a tiny old man with a cane that looked older than him, and a giant mustache that could hide a small arsenal. His clothes were rumpled from the chaos, but his eyes held a weary wisdom. "That dog's name is Chouchou," he explained, his voice soft and gravelly. "He's been guarding that pet shop ever since his master passed away."
The words hung in the air like a heavy fog, sinking in slowly.
"Passed… away?" I repeated, blinking as if the concept was foreign. My Haki picked up the sincerity in his aura—no lies, just quiet sorrow.
The old man nodded, leaning on his cane. "The shop's owner raised Chouchou since he was a tiny pup, bottle-fed him and all. The man died of illness some months ago—lingered for weeks, but in the end, he went peacefully. But before he passed, he told Chouchou to watch over the shop, to keep it safe. Since then, that dog hasn't moved from its doorstep, guarding it against thieves, storms, and pirates like Buggy's crew. Day and night… all alone, through rain and fire. Loyal to the end."
My chest squeezed tight, like an invisible fist had gripped my heart. The world tilted a little, the wreckage blurring at the edges. Images flashed—Chouchou as a pup, playing in the shop; the owner growing frail, whispering his final command; the dog sitting vigil, unwavering, even as the world crumbled around him.
Lucy bit her lip, her usual cheer dimming. Zoro's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenching. Nami clutched her arm, her knuckles whitening as if the story pierced straight through her tough exterior.
And me? I broke instantly.
"BWAAAAHHH!!!" I collapsed to my knees in the dirt, face contorting as tears spurted like a busted geyser from a faulty pipe. Sobs wracked my body, my hands fisting in the rubble. "THIS IS THE SADDEST THING I'VE EVER HEARD!! W-WHY IS THE WORLD LIKE THIS?! WHY CAN'T GOOD DOGS BE HAPPY TOO?! CHOUCHOU, YOU DESERVE ALL THE TREATS AND BELLY RUBS! NOT THIS!"
Lucy, not one to be outdone, started crying too—but hers was competitive, her tears flowing in dramatic arcs. "NO, I'M CRYING HARDER THAN YOU! MY TEARS ARE THE TEARS OF A PIRATE QUEEN! BWAAAAAHHH! POOR DOGGY, I'LL FIND YOUR MASTER IN HEAVEN AND PUNCH HIM FOR LEAVING YOU!"
"Shut up, both of you," Zoro muttered, his voice gruff… but his shoulders were trembling. He turned away, but I caught the glint—a single tear rolling down his cheek. He swore quietly under his breath, wiping it away furiously. "Damn dust in my eye…"
And then—
"Uuuh…" Nami's voice cracked, high and wavering. She crouched down, fists pressed against her eyes as tears streamed freely. "That's… that's so unfair. Poor Chouchou… losing his master, and still keeping his promise even when no one asked him to… it's like he's the bravest one here."
Chouchou barked once, a sharp, affirming sound, as if agreeing with the sentiment.
That did it. The four of us were bawling like idiots in the middle of a wrecked street—Lucy wailing theatrically, Zoro trying (and failing) to play it cool, Nami sniffling into her sleeve, and me on my knees like a dramatic opera star. The poor dog just tilted his head, ears perking up, probably wondering why this bunch of humans were louder than Buggy's cannons. Townsfolk stared from afar, whispering about the "weird pirates who cry over dogs."
And then—things escalated, because why wouldn't they?
In my grief-stricken haze, I tried to lean forward for a "comfort hug" with Chouchou, my arms outstretched like I could envelop the pup in all the love he deserved. But the rubble shifted under my knees, and I tripped spectacularly, pitching forward.
"Sunny!" Nami yelped, lunging to grab me before I face-planted into the dirt.
But in the process, she yanked me straight into her chest.
Soft. Warm. Suffocating in the best—and worst—way.
My face was buried so deep I couldn't breathe, my tears instantly soaking through her shirt. The world muffled, the scent of her skin—citrus and sea salt—overwhelming my senses. Her heart pounded against my cheek, rapid and flustered.
"H-Hey! S-Sunny! Don't—!" Nami's face went red as a tomato, her voice a squeaky mix of embarrassment and surprise. But she didn't push me away immediately. If anything, her hands trembled as they held me tighter, one on my back, the other in my hair. It was a moment suspended—romantic, accidental, and utterly chaotic.
Lucy immediately noticed, her tears forgotten in a flash of indignation. "Oi, Nami! Don't you dare steal Sunny's oxygen with your boob-based ambush technique! That's cheating! Get your own crying spot!"
"WHAT KIND OF TECHNIQUE NAME IS THAT?!" Nami screeched, her face turning an even deeper shade of scarlet, trying to pull away—but her grip lingered, as if reluctant. "It was an accident! He tripped!"
Zoro barked a laugh despite himself, his own tears drying as he clutched his side. "Pathetic… all of you. Crying over a dog, then turning it into a rom-com. Get a room."
"You're crying too, Zoro!" Lucy pointed accusingly, her finger jabbing like a sword. "I saw it! Big tough swordsman, bawling like a baby!"
"I'M NOT—shut up!" He swiped at his cheek furiously, his face flushing with embarrassment. "It's… allergies! To stupid dogs and stupider crews!"
I finally peeled my face free from Nami's chest, gasping like a drowning man surfacing from the depths. My cheeks were burning, tears mingling with the imprint of her shirt on my skin. "I… I think… I saw heaven for a second. Soft, pillowy heaven."
"IDIOT!" Nami smacked my shoulder, but her voice wavered, caught between mad and mortified. Her eyes darted away, but there was a softness there—a spark of something deeper, like the kiss from the flashback echoing in the present.
Lucy cackled, doubling over. "Pfft—Sunny, you perv! Face-planting right into the danger zone!"
"I wasn't trying to!" I defended, scrambling to my feet and dusting off my pants, my face as red as Nami's. "The boobs ambushed me! I was vulnerable—emotionally compromised by the dog's tragic backstory!"
Even Zoro couldn't hold back, his smirk turning into a full grin. "Ambushed by boobs? That's a new one. Add it to your Haki techniques."
Nami buried her face in her hands, groaning. "You all are the worst… but… thanks for the save, I guess." She peeked through her fingers, her gaze meeting mine with a mix of exasperation and affection. In that moment, amid the comedy, there was romance—a quiet promise in her eyes.
And somehow, through all the chaos—the tears, the tripping, the teasing—Chouchou wagged his tail for the first time. Just a small flicker of happiness, as if seeing us cry, fight, and laugh together made him feel a little less alone in his vigil.
The old mayor smiled warmly, his mustache twitching. "You see? That's why Chouchou never gives up. He believes that loyalty means never leaving your loved ones behind—even when they're gone. That's something worth crying about, don't you think? And laughing about too."
We all nodded, even through our lingering sniffles and blushes.
I knelt down in front of Chouchou, meeting his steady, scarred gaze. "You're a real hero, Chouchou. I promise—no matter what happens, I'll protect the people I care about too. That's my dream."
The dog gave a quiet bark, like he approved.
For a moment, the burning ruins of Orange Town felt lighter, warmer. Not because the fire was dying—but because a little dog's loyalty reminded us what we were fighting for.
Of course, Lucy had to ruin the moment.
"Alright! Enough crying! Let's go beat up Buggy and make him pay for making Chouchou sad!"
Zoro smirked, hand on his sword hilt. "Finally, something we agree on."
Nami straightened, still flustered but determined, her hand brushing mine as she stood. "And don't forget—we still need that Grand Line map. Buggy's not keeping it."
I wiped my face one last time, stood tall, and cracked my knuckles. "Right. For Chouchou… and for the adventure ahead."
As we marched forward, Chouchou barked again, tail wagging proudly behind us.
And I swear—if a dog could cry, he would've joined us too.