The next morning proved to be an also sunny cold day. As soon as they got up they split their duties. The 18-year old gathered some fruits and nuts from the forest of the new clearly too small to be inhabited island which didn't differ from the previous one in that matter, the younger one checked their equipment of the ship and made everything ready to set sail. But before setting sail they ate some breakfast if these few peaches, an apple, a few nuts and a few kiwi, to the older's surprise as the island didn't seem to have such variety in fruits, could be counted as a meal. It was a very nice comfortable silence they settled into, though it got interrupted by the older.
"I still haven't asked about your name?" Well, not that they had any time to sit down to catch a breath.
A small blush crept up on both of their faces.
"Erika, Erika Cromwell."
"Anna, Golden Anna. You can call me Ann," she put up a big smile making the younger girl blush.
" Lady Ann," stuttered the girl. The woman furrowed and repeated: "Ann. Just Ann. And I don't take anything else. If we are going to be together from now on then repeat: Ann."
"Ann," she mumbled shyly. Anna thought to herself in exasperation: "At least some progress."
As on cue Erika's eyes widened and in a shocked but still quiet tone asked: "Together?"
Ann raised an eyebrow. "You don't think that as a responsible adult at age 18 I will let alone a small child in such a dangerous environment."
Her face was immediately brighter and lit up like the one of a child on Christmas when opening a present. She would have said something more about, but let it pass as Ann put up a hand as sign not to say anything more. She only added: "It's natural. At least in my home country."
"It wouldn't be appropriate to tell her I considered leaving her alone, though. As well as saying "in my world". The girl is stressed enough. " Ann shook her head as she at her own thoughts.
She took the lack of response as a good thing and she took another bite of an apple. It remained silent for a while.
To her surprise she heard some mumbling with some hint of anger or more likely irritation.
"I'm not that small," she made out from the muttering. It took the younger girl some time to muster up enough courage to say it out loud.
"Really, then how old are you?" asked flatly Ann with a hint of mischief in the eyes which startled Erika who didn't expect to have been heard.
"15, in few months 16" answered she shyly.
The answer was curt and firm.
"Also still underage. I don't know much about your customs but in my homeland you would be considered at most a teenager, most certainly not an adult." Not that she was better in that regard, but who knew what laws applied here.
"But-"
"No buts. I don't care how you've been treated or viewed as but for me you are a teenager. A very smart and skilled one but still one, " with that she took another bite of the apple.
The last remark made Erika blush a very crimson red, as red as her own hair with only green eyes sticking out.
The older could only smirk at that. Then she realized.
"Where did you live before, well, coming here? I mean the, eehm, location."
"On Cricket island, " said she automatically, yet saw the confusion on the other's face.
"It's a small green spring island in the near of the Sabaody Archipelago."
"Sorry, but I don't recognize any of the names," she put on an apologetically face.
"It's well-known throughout the seas," said Erika wondering how someone couldn't know about it yet didn't press much about it. She still adored the woman in front of her though was too embarrassed to confess.
"Let's say I'm from a very unique land," explained Ann. Then thought, "It might not be the best excuse. It doesn't seem like she is going to press me about it though."
With that their conversation ended altogether finishing their breakfast.
After the meal they packed some more rations of edible food, this time consisting of a bit more fruit than before, Ann proudly looked at the stash hidden in a cleaned container in the small cabin-like space, she seriously was getting better at the looking-for-provisions-thing, and they pushed with some difficulty the boat to the water. They calmly drifted on the sea surface, the sun shining and the waves softly clashing at the boat.
The weather seemed very good in Ann's opinion, though Erika ensured her that it could be deceiving as they were in the other part of the Grand line, the New World.
The older simply pressed for further information. It wasn't like she had to be embarrassed about asking. Better ask than know nothing. Though she felt some shame at having some basic knowledge of the world.
The younger, opting to ignore the mixed emotions displayed on her savior's face, happily explained the various islands, how they divided into autumn, spring, winter and summer islands, the need of a Log Pose, the tricky weather that could drastically change, which got a remark form the older "Realized so much," thinking back about the storm, while making the other giggle. Further she went on about how the world consisted mostly of islands, and that it was divided into North, West, South, East Blue, the weakest of all, the Paradise, Red line, Calm Belt, the Reverse Mountain, and lastly the Sabaody Island, their destination from where they could easily go to Cricket Island.
"So much information. It definitely is not going to be easy," Ann thought letting out a long sigh. She took a glance at the gleeful expression, noting the firm hold on the steer.
"You seem to know a lot, Erika," she smirked, beginning to get a basic understanding of teasing. The reaction was very predictable: A small blush and down casted eyes.
"It's pretty common knowledge," she remarked in her usual shy manner. Though she wondered where her savior could be from as not to know at least some of it. As if the older could read her mind, she swiftly replied: "Well, I'm from a very mysterious land."
With that she changed the topic. The redhead didn't try to pry any further as not to be rude to the one who saved her life. But it still piqued her interest. She violently brushed off these thoughts. As for now she was indebted to the woman and wouldn't be an annoyance to her by asking any more than the older would have liked.
"But still, you are very good at navigating as you say for myself. You looked very confident while steering the ship, and it seemed that you've done such things in the past," commented the dark haired brunette.
"Oh that's because…" squeaked the former in response. The older, thoughtfully waited out a moment for the other to gather her thoughts as she leaned on the mast so she saw the front on her left side, and the girl with the steer on her right. Her legs were stretched out to ease her pain that had significantly dropped leaving a dull aching.
A while later she answered.
"Before the accident," she shivered at the thought. "My uncle taught me a lot about geography and my aunt knew the seas and told me a lot about her time when she was in the base and also how you steer a boat." A small smile formed on her face thinking back about that time.
"The base?" raised Ann an eyebrow.
The other nodded.
"She was a marine, before getting married and settling down with her husband and having a baby. Though it was my grandfather who showed me how to sail properly. He is a fisherman, but now he doesn't sail that much now that he is older."
The conversation went on about family and such though the two also talked about various other things as the weather, geography. The mood remained very light-hearted as the younger was careful enough not to put any pressure on the older with subjects like home as not to upset the older. Ann caught on halfway and was thankful for the thoughtfulness from Erika.
"I might not be good to explain my 'situation'," she sighed inwardly. "But it is better than lying to her. My story would most likely scare her off or she would take me for a liar."
The sea gently rocked the small boat back and forth providing the two residing girls a feeling of tranquility which they both decided to use as much as possible due to the unpredictability of the New World. They could very well have ended up in the eye of a cyclone in the span of a second.
Currently they were in some unlocated waters though according to Erika they might be in the middle of the New World or optimistically speaking not as far away looking back at the location of the island where they met. So for now they would have to get a map and more importantly a Log pose, an item very much needed in order to locate the next destination. This seemed to be an interesting object as it dealt with magnetic fields, at last something from Ann's expertise. The plan was to later locate their own position and then get to the Sabaody Archipelago, a kind of waypoint. From there they would get to their primary destination.
Though it was a simple speculation from her side. They could have been very well nearer their goal.
"Speculation or not it's still better than simply going on without much idea. Let's look on the bright side. If we think that we have to cover a lot more distance and end up doing so then we wouldn't have much surprise as that was how we planned. And if we made it in a much shorter time than expected then the better for us."
She shot her a wide grin which outwardly turned into a somewhat smirk. It seemed like a curse for her facial expressions. Luckily the action seemed to have worked on the younger as she also brightened up a bit.
"For now it would be better to look out for any danger and also for potential help," Ann said lastly.
"The best would be to find a marine ship," added the younger in a quiet tone as per usual while fumbling with some rope, but never letting go of the steer. The older nodded thoughtfully.
"That would be the best outcome overall. On the other side it would be good to reach an island. Hopefully the people won't be like the ones previously, " she thought. Currently she was occupied by some larger ropes which by the explanation of Erika were very important when hitching. An idea struck her.
"Say, maybe you might know, why is it that the people at our previous island reacted so…" she asked. Mentally she added: "That wouldn't qualify as normal behaviour."
The other shuffled awkwardly by the steer.
"Well that would be because…" the girl visibly struggled with the words. Seeing the obvious distress, the older smiled back prodding her further. As much as she didn't like to cause the smaller one any more discomfort, her curiosity beat her conscience.
"Because?" her eyebrow raised.
"Well, the people don't like it if, well, other people with your previous appearance come up. Because you looked like a …"
The was struggling very hard to voice it in the best way possible nearly crumbling down. She let out a sigh and put on a cheery smile.
"That's enough. I know now. It was mere curiosity. Sorry to startle you."
She was to go back to untangling the ropes when a squeaky slightly panicked voice came from the girl,
"No, no. I'll say it. It's because there are lots of …"
She took a deep breath and in a quiet voice said: "Servants. And you looked like them. The cuts and struggling I mean."
The small girl had her head down as though in shame for voicing her opinion. On the other side Ann had a blank face with a tint of surprise.
"Servant?" she wondered taking some time to proceed with the information. It took some time till it downed on her what the girl's implications meant. The collars, masters, the peoples weird behavior towards her.
"How could I have not realized that?" she scolded herself mentally. Though it was unsurprising considering there wasn't much time to ponder about what had happened. Her expression must have apparently darkened as the smaller girl had her head even deeper down than previously.
"Heck, must have scared her," she realized. Quickly she brushed off the unpleasant thoughts and managed to flash her a wide smile. Of course it came of as a little bit shaky.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you remember it. I won't ask any more. Don't worry."
Her tone was very apologetic and quite awkward which the younger immediately caught on. To the other's surprise Erika broke into a flare of small giggles. Ann could only stare in disbelief, not knowing how she elicited such a reaction before she also began to laugh heartily when the young girl tried to stifle her own laughing. The mood improved considerably even though small raindrops began to fall down. The topic long ago abandoned.
Lucky for them it was some light rain. That didn't mean it would cease for the time being. There wasn't any strong wind so they only could rely slightly on the sail. The small talk abruptly stopped when the younger voiced her concern.
"I think that we are coming nearer an island."
"That's good," Ann happily added with a wide smile.
"But I'm not sure. Something big is there." She knitted her eyebrows and tried to take a better look at what was what seemed like miles away.
The other followed suit but could only furrow.
"I don't see anything."
Mentally she added: "Stupid glasses that aren't here when needed."
They drifted on the water surface for a while when they saw a big ship or their outlines on the horizon.
Ann quickly sprung up in glee.
"A ship is coming!" she proclaimed a bit loud for the younger.
Now that prospect brightened their mood immensely. Though it didn't mean that they could be off guard yet. Without any other glasses, a telescope or the likes as the boat had been clearly bare of any of the sort. They had suspected that all the boats in the harbor were bare of valuable things as not to get robbed.
This only left them to furrow as best as they could and see what kind of ship it was.
In less than a minute the younger shouted in glee: "A merchant ship!"
At that they shot up and began to shout with all their might to catch the other ship's attention.
To their luck it seemed to be steering to the small boats direction.
"Wait…" said Ann in an unusually concentrated tone. As if on cue the other one narrowed her eyes to get a better look at the approaching ship.
"I think its …" on that the younger's face eased a bit more. "Yes, a merchant ship. They can help us."
They sprang up yet again and began shouting, waving to get the ships attention.