It was one of those really pretty nights on the ocean- crisp air, countless stars, a silvery moon; the works. Hell, after that storm, it was twice as stunning.

But, let me tell you, you can get tired of that. I love the sea, I love the crashing of waves on sand- you get the point. I watched what was at least the tenth silver-velvet night, dotted with a tapestry of prismatic stars, trying to find whatever part of my brain told me to sleep when the Sun went down.

"Aren't you bored of this, Andrew?" And right on cue, here's Anna. Maybe she'd stolen my ability to sleep?

"Bored of what?" I replied dully, "You'll have to be more specific." Getting jostled around by sailors to do 'actor stuff', going out here every night, fiddling with cloth... I was bored of lots of things. I decided that this was as good a time as any to dangle over the side of the helm, staring at the now upside-down rigging.

She snorted, joining me in my dangling. "You too, huh."

I rolled my head so I could get a better look at her. Watching her long red hair go completely vertical was pretty funny, and I stifled a chuckle. "Not even the promise of money's gonna get you going?"

She'd been enthusiastic about that for a few days. Then she got bored, and ended up getting really into making those clothes with Tiki. That lasted until she got into some sort of spat with her, but at least they'd both come away from it with red tunics that were impressively flattering.

"Money," Anna drawled, managing to flick me on the nose, "Is easily the most important thing there is. And I plan to make a lot of it. That tea, though," she sighed, smirking as I rubbed my nose, "Isn't going anywhere right now, unless it's into the ocean. And who would waste perfectly good tea?"

That managed to make me laugh. "I don't know, Anna. Maybe someone was really upset about taxes?"

Regarding me with a raised eyebrow, Anna rolled her eyes. "You're strange, Andrew. There are easier ways to protest taxes."

"Call me crazy," I started, still chuckling, "But-"

"Crazy."

I pinched my nose, doing a quick and somewhat painful vertical sit-up to get the blood out of my head. "Thanks, Anna."

Her eyes twinkled in the flickering moonlight. "Any time. You were saying?"

I paused for a heartbeat, watching the stars gleam off Anna's irises. "Uh. Right. Rebellion isn't easy, maybe they're..." I frowned, "Skipping to something more difficult?"

"Crazy," Anna repeated, performing a very graceful, handless sit-up.

"Well, it happened where I come from," I grumbled, coughing, "So. What brings you here?"

"It was..." she trailed off, chewing her lip. "Too loud inside." That wasn't the whole truth- the hardness of her expression told me that easily enough.

So, feeling particularly brave, I took a deep breath. "Is this about the cart and horse, Anna?"

Should not have done that. Her expression made me regret opening my mouth, hell, it made me wish I'd stayed in bed. "That's- that's none of your business," she snapped, looking away and crossing her arms.

It looked ridiculous, what with both of us being upside-down. More to the point, she didn't move to leave. "I think I get it, though. It was kinda..." I trailed off as the strange gleam in her eyes intensified. "Your home?" I forced it out.

Anna pulled herself up, spinning around so her legs dangled instead. "You wouldn't understand."

Okay, come on. With considerably more effort, I got myself seated properly next to Anna, rubbing my sore back. "I think I do, Anna. I'm..." My throat constricted, a painful knot forming in my stomach as something welled up. "I'm pretty far from home."

Her expression was unreadable, if a touch cold, and it stung more than it should have. "Well, uh," I started, working my jaw and forcing a smile onto my face. "I'll be here if you want to talk about it."

And her stony visage warmed, just slightly, as she shuffled in place. "Maybe I will," she murmured, looking away. "Do you have any siblings?"

I blinked owlishly, the knot in my stomach retying itself in a strange new way. "Two younger brothers, actually," I sighed, gripping the edges of the planks tightly, "I miss 'em."

We sat there for a long time, listening to sea and sailor alike as they chattered through the night. The knot in my stomach slowly unwound itself, matching the cadence of my breath. A comfortable, but distant, silence.

"Three sisters," Anna bit out suddenly, making me jump in place. She raised an eyebrow at that, lips twitching. "Triplets, too. All younger."

"Do they all get called Anna, too?" I mused, "Seems confusing to me."

"That's what we want, yes," she sighed, chewing her lip as she looked back. Lit by moonlight, her face took on stark shadows that lit her eyes radiantly, all of it framed by rolling waves of red hair. "...Thank you, Andrew," she finished quietly.

Looking away, forcing the welling warmth back down, I smiled. "Any time, Anna. We're in this together, somehow."

The quietness snapped away, banished by a rising flow of laughter from belowdecks. Anna put a finger to her chin, giving me lopsided smile, "I think I'm okay with that," she said cheerfully.

A conversation had drawn to a natural close, and yet here we were. "Well, that fixed my boredom for a bit," I remarked drily, "How many days left, do you think?"

Stifling a yawn, Anna shrugged. "Dunno. Maybe nine days?"

"Nine days on this boat, huh," I paused for a moment, digging through my mind. "You said the views are different in Archa-something, right? Less mist and stuff." Brilliant. Archa-something, 'stuff'. Really showing her that I'm paying attention.

"You have such a way with words, Andrew," Anna smirked, batting her eyes dramatically, "And it's Arch-an-e-ah, Archanea."

I gave her the best mock bow I could manage. "Only the best for you, Anna. What about the view, though?"

"At the moment, I see a doofus and a boat," she started drily, stifling a chuckle, "But the views in Archanea are less 'misty and stuff', yeah. Lots of really pretty forests- haven't I already told you this?"

Casting my mind back, I frowned. "In the faraway land of two weeks ago, maybe? We'll just have to see the views ourselves, huh."

"Hopefully war-free and with lots of gullible pilgrims, but that sounds nice," Anna agreed, chewing on her lip slightly. "Lady Tiki and I don't always get along," she paused, rolling her eyes at me, "Don't give me that, Andrew. We can play nice, and as long as she's willing to stick around, she's both extra security and a business opportunity."

"That's a very different tune from when we picked her up," I snarked, the words rolling off my tongue before I could stop them. Oh boy, this wasn't going to go well.

All I got was a flick in the nose. "I might have overreacted, but I was right. We just got lucky, and once we're in Archanea there's not so much to worry about." Never mind me and my worries, then.

"She's still a business opportunity that may literally bite your head off if..." I paused, flushing. "Tiki doesn't like being merchandised, you get the point. But you'll-"

Anna put both of her hands on the deck, leaning back to look straight up. "-toe the line as much as possible, mhm," she hummed, "You're the one that wanted to bring her along, and I'm going to get returns on this somehow."

"The stories talk about someone- an Anna, maybe you-selling Tiki's autograph and then charging for tickets to... a sermon, I think?" I tapped my chin, "Tiki threatened to eat her."

"And here I thought the stories didn't talk about me," Anna remarked, "But you weren't lying then, so you're either remembering, or..."

I nodded. "The stories say there are a lot of Annas, but they embellish. That Anna didn't act anything like you, either," I paused, watching her expression, "She pretty much willingly joined the Shepherds. They're the ones that save the world."

"And you're implying I wouldn't be the hero?" she drawled, eyes sparkling, "That sounds like Ad-" she paused for a heartbeat, fumbling, "Anna alright."

Mentally filing that away, I shrugged. "I'm no hero, Anna, and I doubt you want to be one, either."

"She was always the most adventurous..." Anna trailed off, looking up at the sky with a strange expression.

A question bubbled up. "Does she love soup, too?"

Straightening, Anna put her hands to the hem of her tunic to neaten it. "She doesn't, the heathen," she spat out dramatically, full of false vitriol, "There's being adventurous, and then there's claiming sandwiches are superior."

"You're kidding," I panned, "I may be wrong in your eyes, but at least we have common ground."

"Mhm. I don't know how Mom raised such a problem child," Anna rolled her eyes, fidgeting with her tunic, "Does anything look wrong with this to you?"

I glanced at her awkwardly, trying not to be a creep. Look, people just looked pretty in this world, okay? "The collar's folded weirdly on the left, I think- unless you're trying to expose a lot of collarbone. So what's her argument for sandwiches?"

"It's too chilly for that and I'm not trying to seduce a buyer, so no," Anna muttered, pulling the collar of her tunic, "Would you believe that her argument is condiments?"

Mentally, I added 'see if ketchup exists' to the top of my list of weird things to do. "That's barely an argument. She's just making excuses, if you ask me."

"Mayo is best used in small amounts, salt is a keystone of soup, and butter..." Anna made a face. "Eugh."

"Butter and what?" I asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

"Buttered bread with eggs and ham. But she goes heavy on the butter, you know?" Anna brought up a hand, holding two fingers about a centimeter apart. "Pure fat. It's going to go straight to her thighs."

"I'm not going to try and tell you apart that way, that's how I get stabbed," I concluded, "But I'll take your word for it."

Anna laughed at that, tossing her hair over one shoulder and flashing me a toothy grin. "Good call. There's no easy way out of that one." She kicked her legs as they dangled over the side, moving her hands forward to grip the edge. As her laugher died down, she let out a contented sigh. "Sandwiches. Honestly. Good food, but not-"

"Nowhere near as good as soup or stir fry," I agreed, shuffling a little bit so my hand wasn't nearly touching hers, "Even if you do have the order wrong."

She huffed, and though I didn't catch it, I was pretty sure she was rolling her eyes. "Andrew. I-"

And a wood door slammed open, carrying the roar of carousing with it. Anna winced, then winced again as Boris stumbled through. "Andrew!" he roared joyously, carrying a tankard of something, "Where is Andrew?"

I shrugged, glancing at Anna. Boris staggered forward a little bit, and I took the opportunity to stand up. "Right here, Boris," I announced, clearing my throat, "What's up?"

The mountain of a man pivoted, long white coat swirling around him as the russian fur cap stayed firmly planted on his head. Eyes twinkling drunkenly, he grinned. "Ah! Andrew! There is you! Come, time to ener- entertain."

"Looks like this is where I get off," I muttered to Anna, "Try not to fall asleep out here, huh?"

Anna rolled her eyes, gesturing with her chin as Boris leaned forward dramatically. "Off you go, then."

Boris cocked his head, bringing one hand up to cup his ear. It almost worked, save for the tankard in his hand. "Speak up, friend! Am too drunk to hear quiet words."

I paced around to the side of the boat and took the stairs down, clearing my throat again. There was no use fighting Boris on this, and I was feeling musical tonight. "Coming," I enunciated, "I can't do skit comedy, but..." I frowned, pausing. "If anyone has a guitar, I guess I could sing."

"Did not know Andrew could sing, da!" Boris chuckled, slamming a hand down on my shoulder and taking a swig out of his tankard, "Hm, Anatoli has guitar. Come, come!"

Anna waved at me as I was dragged down the stairs, far too amused for my tastes.

[][][][][][][][]

Anatoli did have a guitar. A horribly out of tune guitar, but a guitar. Sitting in Boris' cabin, trying to tune a string instrument after nearly a month of downtime, I finally realised I'd agreed to perform for an audience.

And I had no idea what to sing. Now, if I had a partner- no, I'd need to teach them to sing the song too.

Hey, hey, teach me to sing...

"That might work," I murmured, strumming the guitar. It seemed mostly in tune- just a few adjustments, and the worst that could happen is a sore thumb. Or screwing up the guitar solo. Or the whole song, because it was a solo performance.

I played a few chords- simple ones, to get a read on the time of the song. I might be playing an octave higher than I wanted, but... "Yeah, this'll work. Not the most relevant song, but I know it well."

"Then get on it."

I jumped nearly a foot in the air, easily identifying Anna's voice as she slid through the door. Putting a hand to my chest as I balanced the guitar, I let out a huff. "That door creaks, Anna, and I wanted that as a warning if Boris came back early."

She shrugged, tossing her hair over one shoulder. "Not my problem. You should get going, the crowd's restless."

"You don't know that," I countered with a grin as I stood up, "You're just trying to be nice." In your own way, that is.

Crossing her arms, Anna left in a huff. "Just get on it."

[][][][][][][][]

At the stern of the ship, under Boris' cabin, was a long hall that could fit most of the crew. Lanterns lined the side, creaking as the ship rocked and casting broad, gold pools of light. A dining area I never used, because the sailors down here drank and boasted about their conquests more than I'd like. Hell, they were drinking at that very moment, waiting for me to start. Ignoring that as best I could, I took a seat at the far end, giving me a good distance to see everyone from.

I cleared my throat, pulling my voice from my stomach and taking a few long breaths. I'd done musicals before, and I was damn well going to put that skill to work. "Not ten minutes ago," I began, dropping my voice and smirking as I caught more than enough attention, "Your captain, Boris, asked me to perform for you boys."

A drunken response of consensus, some of it in an entirely different language. Good enough. "Now, I know it's been a long trip-"

More drunken rambling, though this time with a more coherent chorus of 'aye' and 'yea', among other such things. You get the point.

"So of course I agreed- but with such short notice, I'll only have one or two songs for you tonight. Maybe three," I finished apologetically, "And before you get bored, let's get on with it, eh? First up, a little song called How to Let it Go by a duo calling themselves Ryanhood."

And I shut the world out, letting the music flow through my thoughts. I tapped my foot, giving me my metronome and beat. A partner would have made this much easier, but- here we are. My hand drifted across the guitar, playing the opening chords of a song I loved. Pull them in, let them connect with the tune.

Deep breaths, speak from the stomach. Concentrate, don't worry too much. Just keep going.

I got a feeling, inside of me-

There we go. Stop the guitar, but I need percussion. Slap the guitar, keep tapping my foot.

It's a jealousy, and it gets me every time

I take a look around, check my bank account

And then I start to doubt, that I'm getting what is mine

I stepped out of my little world for a moment. Good, they were interested. I had to keep track of my words here, though; these next few lines came fast and could only take half a measure per phrase, wait no, that's wrong. Mentally, I flicked myself. Focus on the song.

It's a fear view, all skewed

Upside downward spiral bounded set perspective

Let's give up the game, give up the fame

Give up ourselves and say…

And here's the drop. Or whatever you call it. I need percussion next time I do this.

Hey Hey, teach me to sing

To paint my pain into prettier things

Hey Hey, would you let me know how to let it go?

I got a feeling, inside of me

Anxiety, and it keeps me up at night

I try to wait it out, but it's all around

Like a dust cloud, and it's crowding up my mind

A lesson in social obsession

Always checking all directions

Please just let me be here, set me free

To be myself and say…

Some of them looked like they wanted to sing along. That brought a smile to my face as I took a short, deep breath.

Hey Hey, teach me to sing

To paint my pain into prettier things

Hey Hey, would you let me know how to let it go?

Hey Hey, help me walk away

'Cause it hurts to leave but it's worse to stay

Hey Hey, would you let me know how to let it go?

Time to prepare for that guitar solo, because my thumb already felt sore for some reason.

How to let it...

Let it...

Let it...

Let it...

And now into the guitar solo. My fingers flew across the strings, sliding up and down with the shifting of notes and making my thumb feel sore with each strum. Short but sweet, leading right into the last verse.

Hey Hey, teach me to sing

To paint my pain into prettier things

Hey Hey, would you let me know how to let it go?

Hey Hey, help me walk away

'Cause it hurts to leave but it's worse to stay

Hey Hey, would you let me know how to let it go?

I'd worried too much, that was certain. If I had enough time to have an internal commentary, I had enough time to screw up. As I wrapped up the final chords, I finally looked up for more than a heartbeat-

And they didn't seem to mind at all. A few of them were clapping, and only one extra person was passed out. I cleared my throat, putting on a smile and a thespian's bravado. "So, did our illustrious captain make the right call?"

Their drunken- but enthusiastic- response told me all I needed to know. "Sorry, I didn't catch that," I started with a far toothier grin, "Should I play another?"

Maybe not my wisest choice, because now I wasn't sure if I'd be able to hear the guitar after that shouting. Hooked on a Feeling? Not my best, but it was pretty easy and they'd catch on. "This next one isn't my best, but I'm sure you'll like it- A little song called Hooked on a Feeling. And a one, two, three-"

[][][][][][][][]

I took a long sip of hot tea, feeling the press of vapor on my skin. "Ahh," I croaked out, "Thanks for this, Tiki."

"You must be more cautious in your performances, Andrew," Tiki chided, taking a sip of her own tea. Her green eyes shimmered, the skin around them wrinkling in a subtle smile. "It is a pity I slept through it. Captain Boris tells me it was quite impressive."

We were seated at a table in Boris' cabin, listening to the groan of wood and the muffled chatter of afternoon bustle. Taking a second sip, I smiled thinly. "I wasn't-" I coughed into my fist, "I should know my limits, you're right."

She shook her head, closing her eyes briefly. "Now, Andrew, that's not what I meant and you know it quite well. You must take more caution in the future."

"Y-yeah," I whispered, "Didn't expect it to do a number on my throat, though. I'm an actor, you know?"

Tiki tilted her head, interlacing her fingers and resting her arms on the table. "And how long has it been since you did vocation exercise?"

"Just hours before the performance," I explained, "I was mid-play before I ended up here, you know."

She hummed, nodding. "And?"

I blinked owlishly, tracing backwards through time. "That was, what, nineteen days ago? That's not enough time to lose ground so long as I... keep up my practice. Damn." I did my best to glower at Tiki's expression. "Stop looking so smug."

Her lips twitched as she took a sip of tea. "The Voice, smug? Nay, child of man, I am beyond such emotions."

"Of course, my lady," I nodded, putting on my best french accent, "It must have been my flawed imagination. Forg-" my cough interrupted me, and I rolled my eyes at Tiki's increasingly bemused expression.

She chuckled, her strangely sharp canines flashing in the light. "I did nothing. You defeated yourself." Placing her teacup down, she frowned. "Is the tea hot enough for you, Andrew?"

I took another sip, letting out a contented sigh as it eased my sore throat. "It's a little hot," I admitted, "But the vapor feels nice on my face. Keeps my-" I paused to cough, grimacing slightly, "Keeps my pores clean."

Humming again, Tiki tilted her head, and my heart clenched as her eyes flashed white. For a heartbeat, they were slit like a reptile's and framed by faint white scales. She lifted her teacup, spat a barely-visible ball of hot air at it, and smiled as hit steamed. "Much better," she nodded to herself, eyes returning to normal as she blinked.

"You've done that before, but-" I snapped my mouth shut as she raised an eyebrow. "Fine. I can talk comfortably this way," I muttered, "Drinking tea that is literally boiling seems unnatural."

"The boiling of water is a perfectly natural process," Tiki smirked, taking a sip of her tea, "I am just helping it along."

"My tongue is made of water," I protested quietly, "I don't want it to boil. Doesn't it get your face wet, too?"

Picking up a fabric towelette, Tiki winked. "It keeps my face clean and clear, as you said. You cannot argue with results."

Working my jaw as she wiped the dampness off her face, I really looked at her. It can't be understated- Tiki is a very pretty woman. Sharpish features, high cheekbones, and subtly slanted green eyes gave her an oddly elven feel, and with her long pointed ears, she completed the fantasy elf look. I felt like a bit of a creep, staring at her like that, but I pushed that aside.

"I guess I can't," I admitted, flushing and looking away, "Do Manaketes even get acne? Does anyone?"

"If I did not know you were an Outlander, I would think you mad," Tiki mused, tilting her head, "I had it for a number of years, but it was subtle and easy to mask. Now, though, I find makeup a chore; I am lucky I no longer need it."

"How does makeup work with the..." I gestured at her eyes and then my own. "Scaley thing? Does it stick at all?"

Tiki shrugged, taking another sip of tea. "I do not know. I discovered the," she brought up her hands to make air quotes, "Scaley thing, as you put it, after my preferred mixers of foundation fell with their kingdom. That was, ah," she paused, drumming her fingers on the table.

"Tiki, your claws," I pointed, wincing as her nails literally dug into the wood.

"One thousand nine-hundred and three, perhaps?" Tiki frowned, glancing at the table. "So I was. I hope Captain Boris does not mind."

I gestured to the knife sticking out of the table. "Probably not, but wood is probably sucky to get out of your fingernails."

Inspecting her fingernails, Tiki reached for the pot. "None today, luckily. Would you like another cup as well?"

I took a long sip, wincing as the slightly too-hot water rushed down my throat. Coughing, I nodded.

She responded with an unladylike snort, switching hands and continuing to prepare two cups of tea one-handed. "You are allowed to decline, Andrew."

"I know," I agreed, talking between coughs, "Just wanted another cup."

Nodding, she handed me another cup, which I accepted. "Thanks," I whispered, "I really appreciate this, Tiki."

"It is not entirely selfless," she shrugged gracefully, her lips twitching into another smile, "I enjoy casual company."

"I enjoy your company," I shot back, "And you're making me tea."

Quirking an eyebrow, Tiki took a long sip of tea. "Better company than General Moustache and his human, Cervantes," she replied drily.

I snorted, sputtering and coughing as hot tea went somewhere it shouldn't. Before I could manage a response to her comment, Boris came bursting through the door with a thump of heavy boots and a blast of sailor chatter.

"Ah! Lady Tiki, and man of hour!" He chuckled, adjusting his fur hat and straightening his long white coat, "Is good tea, hm? Comes from the homeland!"

So that's where she got it from. If she'd nicked it from Anna, there would have been no saving us from her wrath. I watched Tiki take a delicate sip, closing her eyes and humming. "Earthy, sweet, and a touch dry. Cinnamon and dried cherry?"

Wrapping up my coughing fit, I shrugged. "I tasted a bit of clove, honestly."

"Hm," his bright blue eyes twinkled as he lumbered over to the table, seating himself closer to me than to Tiki. "Is special mix from Babushka," he explained, his tone brightening, "Cinnamon, cherry, and nutmeg- best had with splash of rum!"

"Nutmeg," I muttered before raising my voice carefully, "It's doing wonders for my throat, Boris. Thank you."

"Captain Boris is a generous host," Tiki nodded, giving the man a gentle smile, "We are in your debt. Allow me to prepare you a cup, perhaps?"

Barking out a laugh, Boris slapped his belly. "Voice of Naga, offering lowly captain tea? No, no. Cannot accept, have too much to do!" He grinned toothily, grabbing the knife stuck into the table and yanking it out. "You two will be good for Anna, yes."

"How-" I caught Tiki's expression and nodded. "You go first, Tiki. Sorry." I couldn't remember who it was, but someone had said Anna didn't have companions that stuck around- so I doubted many people really knew her that well.

Taking a short sip and placing her cup down, Tiki tilted her head. "I am sure we had similar questions of our good Captain. Boris, how long have you known Anna?"

"Pretty much what I was gonna ask, yeah," I confirmed, looking at Boris. The man flipped the dagger in his hand before slipping it into a sheathe sewn into his coat.

He stroked his black beard, eyes staring into the middle distance. "Many years ago, First Mate Boris met small woman with red hair," he lifted a large hand, holding it flat at about five feet above the floor, "Ten years, maybe. But rest of story is not mine to tell, eh?" He chuckled, gesturing at the door. "Now, must go watch crew. Anatoli still sleeping after Andrew's songs!" Giving Tiki a nod, he lumbered out of the cabin.

My ears thumped in the sudden silence. "He's a loud man," I mused, taking a sip of tea, "Comes in and out like a storm." Pausing for a moment, I frowned. "Hey, Tiki. Why'd you ask about Anna?"

She shrugged, tenting her fingers. "I was- and am- curious. The Anna family has a long history, and I have never gotten the chance to learn much about them."

"Huh," I took a sip of tea, putting a hand to my throat and coughing. "Makes sense. Do you-"

Tiki raised an eyebrow, parting her lips in a sharp smile. "Drink your tea and let your throat heal, Andrew. We are not pressed for time."

I promptly shut up. Her tone was soft, but her teeth told a different story.

[][][][][][][][]

No more than half an hour later, I found myself belowdecks in the main area with a slightly healed throat and an out-of-tune guitar. Without tea to soothe my voice, Tiki's gentle 'shut up' reminder had a lot more weight to it.

Well, it already had a lot of weight, but it was nice to see reason behind the subtle threat. With songs running silently through my thoughts, I strummed the guitar and winced. The note was a little flat, and it wasn't the nice kind.

I looked up to see Anna gliding down the steps, silently approaching. I waved at her, pointing at my throat.

Once she got closer, she gave me a curt nod, eyes steely and glinting with hidden motivation. "There you are, Andrew," she huffed, crossing her arms, "You'd think finding people would be easier on this ship."

"Have you-" I coughed, startled at the hoarse sound of my own voice. "Did you ask for directions?"

She rolled her eyes, pulling up a seat next to me. "Boris said you were having tea with Lady Tiki," she explained, "And I'm not really that interested in the Voice trying to dissect my morality."

Snorting, I watched her use the seat as a footrest as she sat herself on the table. Once her eyes were back on me, I shrugged. "Fair," I whispered, making sure I was loud enough for her to hear.

Blinking, Anna put a finger to her chin. "That's right. You could make a clean copper if you charged for performances, you know," she smirked, "Handy with math, decent con partner, and now you turn out to be a singer? You're already turning out to be a decent investment."

I shifted in place, something knotting in my stomach. "I try," I forced out, flashing a smile, "Maybe a little too hard, if we-" I coughed, clearing my throat, "If we count last night."

"Mhm," Anna nodded, working her jaw, "Speaking of, how do bank accounts work?"

My mind threw an error as it ground to a halt, trying to turn around and catch whatever train of thought Anna had just thrown my way. "Uh," I frowned, "What?"

Chewing her lip, Anna smirked. After a brief pause, she opened her mouth and sang-

I take a look around, check my bank account

And then I start to doubt, that I'm getting what is mine

And, of course, my brain caught up just in time to derail entirely. Her singing voice was lower than expected, and a little rough from inexperience- but damn could she deliver a line. I'd helped coach people before on their singing, and I was certain she could do well if she had some practice. Shaking my head, I finally started to drink in what she'd actually sung.

Through this, of course, Anna was looking at me with vague amusement. "Spacing out again? Is my voice too inexperienced for your thespian ears?"

I took a long, embarrassed moment to get my thoughts together. There was a muffled shout from above that drew my attention, but Anna didn't seem concerned.

Flushing, I shook my head again. "One question at a time, one question at a time," I grumbled, clearing my throat. Taking a deep breath, I looked up at her. "A bank account is... something from my world, because, y'know, I'm not from here. It's a way for people to store money safely- I thought you'd have them here, but I guess that was-"

Anna coughed into her fist, making me pause. "I know what a bank account is, thanks. I'm asking what the difference is for your... world. Most people don't have money stored in an account- just merchants and nobles who frequent the cities a bank happens to operate in."

"Oh, yeah!" I said a little too loudly, wincing. Rubbing the back of my head as Anna smirked, I continued, "It was a weird question, and I got confused. Most people have them where I'm from. You can get your job to deposit directly to the account- so 'I start to doubt, that I'm getting what is mine', and all that."

Chewing her lip, Anna visibly turned the information over in her head. "Neat idea. The logistics seem too expensive for me- but you have a lot of interesting ideas we might be able to use. All you need now is to learn how to fight, and we're golden."

"I'd rather not fight," I said quietly, the bottom dropping out of my stomach, "Can't I help in other ways?"

I couldn't meet Anna's eyes, but I heard her frustrated sigh. "Andrew, you've got a good foundation. You just need to-"

A thunderous slamming of boots shattered the moment as Boris barreled down the stairs. "To arms, friends!" He bellowed, hefting a massive cutlass in one hand and balancing a dagger in the other, "Ship is on horizon! Have many crew, and not looking to play nice! To arms!" His voice didn't fade much as he tromped down the stairs, further into the ship.

If I hadn't been worried before, I was worried now. Anna had already sprung to her feet, a long dagger balanced in her right hand. "Well," she said, voice cutting like cold iron, "Looks like you don't have much of a choice."

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Author's Note

This chapter was finished on June 23rd, quite literally the day of release. Sorry for any roughness, just drop a review or PM and I'll get it fixed ASAP. Also, I'm going to pause chapter releases until I have a backlog that satisfies me- I'll spare you the details; check my profile if you want to find out more. Or join the Fictendo Treehouse, I'm there a lot: discord . gg [slash] 9XG3U7a or you can just enter the string of letters at the end into your 'join server' window.

Alright, specifically addressing the content of the chapter- A semi-return to form for Andrew and Anna's banter, an experimental section involving a song (How to Let it Go by Ryanhood), tea with Tiki and Boris, and also pirate stuff. Make sure to leave a review if you have anything to say- I love it when I get feedback!

Cheers,

Narwhal Lord