Chapter 25 — Days Without Sunny
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Day 1 — Nami's POV
The morning sun streamed into Cocoyasi Village, painting everything in shades of gold. Nami yawned, stretching as she glanced around the quiet room. Sunny was gone.
For the first few seconds, she felt… nothing. But then, reality hit her like a rogue cannonball: he's gone.
She flopped back onto her bed dramatically. "How am I supposed to steal oranges and survive without him?" she muttered, half-serious, half-dramatic. Of course, she didn't need him, but the truth was: Sunny's presence made even the dullest day… brighter.
Nami's thoughts drifted toward Sunny's ridiculous antics. How he always pretended to be sleepy when Aqua accidentally stepped on him. How he trained like a madman in the rivers and beaches, and somehow managed to make everything around him chaotic… but fun.
She shook her head. Stop thinking about him, she scolded herself. And yet, she found herself doodling a small map with Sunny's little "training spots" marked in red. A smile tugged at her lips, and she whispered, "I hope he's okay…"
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Day 3 — Aqua's POV
Aqua floated lazily in the village pond, her hair dripping water, her little body slightly grown over the past year. Without Sunny, even she felt… empty. Normally, she would make a mess, scream, or accidentally flood the village just for attention. But now? She only splashed quietly, making tiny ripples that mirrored her mood.
"Sunny… don't you dare stay gone too long!" she muttered aloud. The little goddess stomped her foot in frustration, sending a small splash over a fish. "I don't care if you're fighting some ridiculously huge planet or… whatever he's doing… come back already!"
In private, Aqua sighed. She missed the way Sunny teased her, the way he laughed, and yes… even how he glared at her when she was annoying. Her inner monologue spiraled: I can't admit it, but I miss him…
When she tried to distract herself, she accidentally tripped over a rock and landed face-first in the pond. "Ugh! Sunny's not here to rescue me!" she wailed. She ended up giggling anyway, realizing she was just pining in her own dramatic way.
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Day 5 — Belle-mère's POV
Belle-mère adjusted her apron as she surveyed the kitchen. Nami was supposedly "helping" with chores, though the young girl's definition of help was more like sneaking oranges into her pocket while avoiding detection. Aqua was… floating somewhere, probably screaming at a frog.
"And Sunny is gone for how long exactly?" she muttered, clearly annoyed. The boy had left a mark on her heart without even realizing it. She worried silently—he always seemed so capable, but he was still a child, after all.
Belle-mère's mind drifted to the day Sunny had flown a boat using his Haki. The audacity, she thought. She could almost hear his laugh echoing in her head. It was frustrating, and yet… she couldn't help but smile.
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Day 8 — Nojiko's POV
Nojiko sat on the porch, legs crossed, knitting a scarf that was supposed to be for Sunny—but honestly, it had turned into a tangle of frustration. She stared into the horizon. Sunny was off doing… who knew what? and left the rest of them to… live life normally.
Normal life. That was the problem. Life without Sunny wasn't normal; it was weirdly quiet, too controlled, too predictable. Nojiko smirked to herself. She missed the chaos he brought. Even the times he accidentally destroyed part of the village while training were better than this calm.
She shook her head. "Don't get attached," she muttered to the scarf. But of course, she had already started imagining Sunny's reaction when he returned. It would be glorious.
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Day 10 — Nami and Aqua Interaction
Nami was sneaking through the market, trying to grab some fruit, when Aqua appeared, floating just above her head.
"Watch it, Nami!" Aqua squeaked, flailing her tiny arms. "You're too slow without Sunny here!"
Nami rolled her eyes. "And you're… annoying as always," she shot back, though she secretly loved the little goddess' energy.
For a moment, the two of them looked at each other and laughed. Life without Sunny was hard—but at least they could bicker and act ridiculous to fill the void.
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Day 15 — Belle-mère Tries to Discipline Nami
"Enough!" Belle-mère shouted. "Sunny isn't here! You cannot use this as an excuse to run around!"
Nami pouted, but her mind wandered. She wished Sunny could see this scene—how seriously Belle-mère scolded her, and how unfair it seemed to her little self.
Aqua peeked from behind the window. "He would've laughed at this," she muttered.
Belle-mère shook her head. "I don't know whether to scold him or hug him when he returns," she admitted quietly.
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Day 20 — Aqua Gets Dramatic
Aqua was floating dramatically over the river again.
"I'll never forgive him for leaving me alone!" she shouted, though her voice barely carried beyond a few reeds. She tried to summon water magic to create a "Sunny welcome back" fountain—but it fizzled.
Sighing, she collapsed into the water. "I just want him to come back…"
She didn't notice Nami sneaking up to the pond with a basket of fruit.
"You're ridiculous, you know that?" Nami said softly.
Aqua shot her a glare, but her cheeks turned slightly red. "I'm not ridiculous! I'm… dramatic!"
Nami smirked. Yes, you are. But you're also kind of cute when you are, she thought.
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Day 25 — Nojiko and Belle-mère Talk
Nojiko and Belle-mère sat under the tree, sharing tea.
"Do you think he'll be okay?" Belle-mère asked, wringing her hands.
"Sunny?" Nojiko replied. "He's fine. He's… overpowered, remember? Nothing can touch him. It's more us who need him here."
Belle-mère nodded slowly. "Yes… I just worry. Even if he's strong, he's still a child… and he has a way of getting himself into trouble."
They exchanged a quiet smile, both thinking of Sunny, Aqua, and Nami—three little chaos-makers that had taken over their lives.
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Day 29 — All of Them, Reflections
As the 29th day came to a close, everyone felt a twinge of both longing and affection.
Nami had realized her small crush on Sunny was more serious than she admitted. She scribbled little notes about him, making plans for when he returned.
Aqua had finally accepted her dramatic dependence on Sunny, though she refused to admit it aloud.
Belle-mère was torn between relief that Sunny was strong and exasperation at his antics.
Nojiko quietly respected Sunny's presence in their lives, thinking of all the lessons he had accidentally taught them.
And yet, despite the 29 days without him, they all knew the moment Sunny returned, the village would burst into chaos, laughter, and maybe a little romance—all at once.
Chapter 25 End — Cliffhanger:
The sun set over Cocoyasi Village. In the distance, a strange shimmer appeared over the horizon. A figure approached, radiating energy that made birds scatter. Everyone froze.
Sunny was back.