Chapter Twenty-Three: The Journal

During the day, cannons fired incessantly from every corner of Mad Hatter Town. Only as evening approached did the barrage begin to subside. Soon after, the sun set and the lights across the town flared to life.

After dinner, Saul gathered up his cash, ready to attend the auction. Though he lacked the talent needed to walk the path of a great swordsman, he had a deep love for collecting famous blades. Tonight, his sights were set on the fifty-work Ryō Wazamono up for auction.

Before leaving, he turned back to Sunny and Maud, his tone carrying a hint of warning. “You two, if you’ve nothing to do tonight, go to bed early.”

“Okay.”

“Understood.”

Sunny and Maud nodded. Satisfied, Saul opened the shop door and stepped out.

Watching Saul depart, Maud promptly bolted the door behind him.

“Sunny, I’m going to bed.”

“Oh? Trying to slip out this early?”

“Yeah, since there’s nothing... huh? What did you say?”

“I said, Saul’s barely out the door and you’re already thinking of sneaking out to join the fun?”

“Nonsense. It’s too dangerous out there; how would I dare?”

Caught in her intentions, Maud could only offer an awkward laugh.

Sunny snorted. “You think I don’t know what you’ve been up to these days?”

“What have I been up to?” Maud blinked, feigning innocence.

Seeing Maud act dumb again, Sunny couldn’t be bothered to argue. Instead, she warned, “Tonight’s different from the others, so you’d best stay in. I’d rather not open the shop tomorrow and see Arthur deliver your corpse—eyes bulged, ears and nose sliced off, body hacked into pieces, half your innards missing.”

“Sunny, you—you’re ruthless!”

Maud’s eye twitched violently at the vivid threat, unable to bear the kindness laced within.

Sunny’s gaze was grave. “I’m serious.”

“I can tell.”

“Then stay in bed tonight.”

Maud fell silent.

Sunny frowned, her own silence following. She knew that whenever Maud stopped her banter, it meant her mind was set and there was no changing it.

The air grew awkward.

After a long while, Sunny strode to the counter, rummaged through a deep drawer, and pulled out a yellowed notebook.

“Take this.” She tossed the notebook to Maud.

Maud caught it, puzzled. “What’s this?”

“My intel journal from the past few years.”

“Intel journal?” Maud’s eyes narrowed as she quickly flipped through the pages.

“This is...”

With just a glance, Maud’s face lit up with excitement. Despite its modest thickness, the notebook was packed with intelligence on pirates with moderate to high bounties—exactly what she needed most at the moment. She’d assumed Sunny’s background checks on the “neighbors” were just a precaution, but now it was clear that this had been Sunny’s habit all along.

“Sunny, is this your hobby?”

Suppressing her excitement, Maud nearly stuffed the notebook inside her shirt.

Sunny, unable to fathom Maud’s enthusiasm, shook her head. “Not entirely a hobby. It’s just preparation for the future.”

“Preparation?”

“Yes. Saul’s getting old. Who knows, maybe one day he just won’t wake up; maybe he’ll drop dead next month. These things aren’t impossible.”

Sunny spoke lightly of the grim prospects facing the elderly Saul, then continued, “When that time comes, I’ll have to carry some burdens alone. I’m not strong, so I can only rely on intel prepared in advance to lighten the load.”

“You’ve thought that far ahead?” Maud was surprised, though in her mind Saul still had years left in him—he was out exercising on the main street every morning, after all.

She realized she’d grown used to Sunny’s sharp tongue.

“I’m not like you; I have no natural talent,” Sunny remarked, glancing at Maud’s legs—where she wore weighted shackles.

“Uh...” Maud was momentarily at a loss for words.

“Saul didn’t save you out of kindness, nor just to have another hand in the shop. Mostly, he wanted to keep me from being left alone.”

“There have been others before you, but none could adapt to Mad Hatter Town, and each met a tragic end.”

At this, Sunny studied Maud’s face.

“But even Saul didn’t expect that the one he brought back this time, despite the glib tongue, would have such astonishing talent that he’d actually break tradition and offer to take on a disciple.”

Maud fell silent at her words.

He’d once wondered why Saul had saved him, and now, at last, he understood.

Noticing Maud’s silence, Sunny’s tone grew weighty. “I don’t dislike you. That’s why I’m giving you my journal. And I don’t want you dying too soon.”

“Thank you.” Maud offered a knowing smile.

Even if I can’t say I like you, I certainly don’t dislike either of you, she thought to herself.

Sunny snorted. “Whatever you plan after this, it’s none of my business. But you have to return the journal to me tomorrow night.”

“What? I have to give it back?”

“Of course! I worked hard to gather all that.”

“Can’t I keep it?”

“No. Copy it if you want, but you’re not keeping the original.”

“Fair enough.” Maud grinned.

With nothing more to say, Sunny headed upstairs. She’d given Maud the journal hoping he’d keep his distance from dangerous people and not end up dead for no reason.

“Sunny,” Maud called after her.

Sunny paused, turning to watch her quietly.

“What kind of Devil Fruit would you want? I’ll get you one someday.”

She didn’t reply.

Seeing her silence, Maud counted on her fingers, smiling. “Let’s skip the Logia types—they’re too hard to come by. Zoans are decent—tough and resilient—but the lower-tier ones are too common, unless it’s an ancient model, so forget those. I suppose Paramecia would be best, though they come in all sorts: superhuman, creation, manipulation, and so on.”

“So, it depends what you need most. I remember there’s a Paramecia called the Slip-Slip Fruit—I think that one would suit you.”

As Maud rambled on, Sunny’s face remained expressionless. “You certainly know your Devil Fruits.”

Maud quickly explained, “I read about them in a book.”

“Oh.” Sunny thought for a moment, then turned back to the counter.

“What are you doing?” Maud asked.

“I’m writing this down.” Sunny took out paper and pen, carefully noting all of Maud’s analysis on the Devil Fruits.

Maud was speechless.

Wouldn’t it make more sense to decide what you want before taking notes?

He watched as Sunny hunched over the counter, diligently writing, and couldn’t help but feel a pang of emotion.

She seemed so sharp, yet sometimes gave off a rather endearing air of cluelessness.

Devil Fruits...

In his mind, Maud recalled the look on Sunny’s face when she saw the auction catalog.

Even if I can’t do it now, one day I’ll get you a Devil Fruit, he vowed silently.