Chapter 20: Little Flower
Nana has a dream of Shinon...which turns into a nightmare about her dad trying to kill her.
She wakes up in the forest while the rest of the group still sleeps, remembering how seeing Shinon transform reminded her of her own awakening.
The next day, Nana greets a fish-hunting Husky and checks him out a bit; I won't judge her for this, they've been out for a while and they're nomads, not a lot to pick from in that situation. Ah, I kid I kid, she's scoping out his earrings. Turns out they're sapphires and Husky's parents gave them to him. Nana says his family must be rich and Husky hastily denies it, despite clear evidence to the contrary. Nana talks about how she had to make shit out of leaves for presents before Senri and Cooro show up. Anyway, those fish are not for eating, they're for selling: money has to be saved for winter.
The fish won't be enough though so Husky has to sell his pearls too. They're around 300 Gillers so of course, now Nana wants them. She tries the ol, "I'll wear them until you sell them" routine but Husky just sells them, wondering what the fuck her whole deal is (...Poverty?). When Nana asks why he didn't just keep one (...To wear on a string?), Husky says if she wants them that much, then buy her own. Don't depend on him for everything. He tries to let her down gently with the fact that nuts and berries look better on her anyway but she understandably took it as more of a "stay in your place" insult and snaps at him. Angry, she decides to take his first piece of advice and runs off to find a way to earn the pearls herself, leaving the group behind.
Still fuming (while mentally acknowledging that, as mean as he is, Husky can definitely slay in those earrings better than she can), Nana spots some jewels and walks off, still determined. Husky catches up and spots the jewel himself only for Cooro to interrupt him, asking what happened to the 1000 Gillers that he earned in the coliseum. Turns out our resident fish hunty saw a beautiful jewel in the last city and spent it all but he doesn't want to tell Cooro that. (Un)Luckily, Cooro says what Husky does with his money is his own business and Husky uses that as an excuse to yell at him, telling him to get a job.
So, Nana gets a job as a waitress and dishwasher at a small restaurant. Nana gets to work and so does Cooro and Senri, who get jobs cleaning the irrigation canals (they get to sleep in a shed!). What is Husky doing? "Fuck off" is the gist of his answer. But whatever, the group are working their jobs, competently I might add. At night, Nana is tired but proud. She gets 100 Gillers a week and she wants a coat, a hat...but it looks like jewelry is out of the question at the moment. She's still mad about Husky's poorly worded comment, remembering that he hates girls and that while she shared her past, none of them have told her about how they turned into +Animas.
The next day, Payday for Nana so she can buy clothes now. At the store, she thinks of buying fabric so she can make them for herself before she overhears two girls discussing one of them making a present for a guy "until he gets the hint". That gives Nana an idea...
Two boys are trying to fish but Husky beats them to it, unintentionally scaring them off. Turns out he's hunting for jewels. Who knew? Meanwhile, Cooro and Senri are buying food when Nana comes up asking for Husky. Cooro says he's fishing...and the two boys have come back and caught him in a net. Senri saves him but Husky sulks instead of thanking him and doesn't talk to anyone for the next few days.
Senri is decorating a flower expertly while Nana admires him, asking if he's gonna sell it in a store. Husky comes by and snatches it, pissing off Nana until he gives it back, revealing he made it into a necklace for her along with the stone he caught in the water the other day. In his typical tsundere fashion, he says he thought it would look better on her than some pearls. Finally understanding what he meant, Nana happily accepts the gift and works on making her present for him.