Befuddlement and a strong case of WTF swirled in Anna's hazy mind which tried to fight off the previous fog of utter emotinal chaos leaving her rather drained and fresh to the raw fear for her new-found awarness of her 'delicate' situation.
Ann tried to dispel the residual nausea with the the freshly mental wounds and insintent whispers in her thoughts that indeed, this was real, the people were real, and she was real, too.
That the world which she knew very little about, had no idea how it even could functionate or what other kind of screwed up people, creatures were lurking around the corner; that everything was indeed real.
One thing for sure, it definitely wasn't her world. Or any she knew of or heard of at least.
Thrown into a place that didn't match any of the various discriptions from novels, books, ideas or whatever else and acknowledging it in front of that many people didn't belong to her most intelligent actions, either.
It was the crushing and down-right scary realization that momentarily froze off her veins.
It was painful to see, hear and feel with new awareness that everything was indeed real, and to top it off her clogged brain managed to assemble her nerves and present a painstakingly clear 3D picture of what was in front of her.
It just hurt.
Everything ached in a way of being subjected to the whole overstimulation.
It certainly didn't help matters that her previous shouts of rising panic verging on a more profound mental breakdown consequently caught the attention of everyone within talking, walking or hearing radius. Even unfortunately gaining the extra pair of eyes of the helping pirates.
Meaning she just made herself a fool or madwoman in front of everyone.
"Nice, very nice," she thought busying herself with the agonizing wrenches to get rid of the awful rests of vomit lingering in her throat and wiping away the tears and snot off her face, thankfully taking a rag from the obviously shaking Erika, though she did a tough job of closing off her own feelings, leaving only her impressive green eyes full of concern as a door to her thoughts.
For now her slow curbs in her mind gradually picked up the pace yet unhurriedly still adjusting to her drowsy state.
Anna made a self-note to remember to get some pills for motion sickness. And some medicine to 'getting-sick-from-realizing-I-am-in-a-new-universe'. Yes, it sounded like a good idea.
After making sure her digested meals weren't furtherly marking the floor with colourful and sickening patters, her shudders minimalized with Erika's careful circular strokes on her back, she reclined into a more comfortable sitting position, having dragged herself from the puke to the railing.
If not for her clearing her mind of yet another wave of haziness, the sick woman would have made sure to jump head-first, consequences be damned, into the sea, in order to get away from the intense stares, the sheer concern which made someone dash to get her some water, the dumbfounded looks seeing for maybe the first time someone getting motion sickness( not counting the feels from the battle) or the curious glances from the pirates.
For now she was busy getting to know her mixed feelings of dizziness and a clearing mind which showed every move in slow motion.
It was good that Anna didn't believe in having much luck to begin with because the next course of action would make her scream murder at whoever put her into this sad joke of reality/universe/whatever else if not for the sheer quickness of movements where suddenly she was yanked by her front hoodie up, her gaze meeting the angry, dare she say, fish-like sea eyes of a man.
Or a creature reminding a man while being a fish.
"Nah, too much thinking," she thought being surprisingly unresponsive to the rude treatment.
It seemed that her state not only caught up with the universe but also the roughly 2 weeks she had been here finally letting fatigue overcome her from her motion sickness to her mental breakdown.
In her daydreaming state she wondered how her mind and body could go on feeling many kinds of emotions flickering from one to another within a split second without a single regard to her mental health. It was like her entire being harboured a current of unresolved emotional distress. At least she her she got a poetic and very creative way of venting about her problems. Her English teacher would be very proud of her. Not that it was much of use for now.
That was how she ended in a rather strange behaviour of passive dullness. Or in a catatonic state of I-don't-give-a-fuck-anymore-whatsoever-screw-everything.
This particularity caught the dark-blue-skinned person by surprise which slowly turned into more anger.
"Oi, are you listening? You just insulted our brother and commander, woman! And now you even have the nerve to ignore me! YOU BITCH-!" he shouted enough for the people around to take a few steps back.
Anna still trying to wrap her head around the situation noticed how the noise didn't seem to have reached the captain who was currently on the other end of the ship as the shouts were rather, well, high-pitched.
Instead her eyes registered or more actually acknowledged enough to give a damn the various onlookers, very much engrossed in the unfolding act.
Especially after she unconsciously made a rude remark to the commandore of the pirate ship who just helped them out. Even more so if they belonged to the crew of the strongest man ever.
The only thing keeping her together was Ann's tiredness of the whole absudity.
Not even allowed to properly get to the self-pitying and cursing out to the world. Or universe.
Her attidute, passive eyes with a bit of weariness, slouched posture, presented quite a contrast to the stiffened people around, merchants and the few pirates alike.
The silence wore on and an uncomfortable layer of horror, exasperation and slight surprise seemed to have enveloped everyone.
Well, everyone expect the lean male who reminded her of a deft mackrel although with broad shoulders, impressive muscles and a pretty pissed off expression that planted itself in the square jaw, long nose and the yellow eyes that only had very small points as irises.
Ann tried to get a more concerned look as it was undoubtedly a frightening situation, though she felt the shivers down her spine, an unconditioned reaction by now, she just wanted to go get some medicine for her tender stomach and painkillers from the self-induced breakdown for her head.
It was too much emotional baggage for one day to carry.
It seemed that the male got all the more angry as time went on that he shouted catching Ann from her stupor.
"Now what are you gonna do, wrench!?"
His voice changed to a audacious sneer. "Feeling too arrogant to consider an apology?! A lady such as yourself feeling too proud and too pure to at least bow in shame. Tell ya' what. Not even a sorry will help you!"
The wrath made her heart pound at a worriying pace, not used to the high decibeles.
Her run-away brain graciously provided her with a 'nice piece of advice'.
'Should have fainted instead of puking out my guts.'
Then an idea dropped out of simply nowhere.
"I insulted his brother, didn't apologise, and presumely he hates my guts. Nice. Not helpful at all with me being stir-fried from everything. Saying sorry will make him more angry. Then again there is nothing else left," she thought, a more sober and determined look on her pale face.
The male realised it and to hinder her from running away he tightened his grip on her hoodie.
It wasn't the most comfortable position with her legs only barely touching the floor.
She took a breath and then spoke aloud, her cracking voice brimming with spiked confidence leaving no room for any doubt. Her words were like bullets coming out from her mouth at high velocity.
"Excuse me, sir. As you see I'm in a not so good dispition right now, my body not used to the sudden changes of the sea, making me suffer from a rather nasty slash of motion sickness thus obstructing me from sensible judgement. And considering the lingering effects of stress accumulating in my mind from all the battle shouts and so other it unfortunately caused the aforementioned insult towards your brother, the commander. I know that it is not even considered as a legitimate excuse for the poor behaviour as you yourself have said it before yet to my defense I'm only a guest on the ship not too used to sudden attacks or gun shots and the like, having led a sheltered lifestyle which made my mental health suffer even more.
You have every right not to belive my words as they come off as a blatant lie but at least let me tell you that I certainly didn't mean to spew out such words. My simple excuse being not by my all senses from the sudden motion sickness and the stress though even I would be angered by such a derogatory lie.
I can understand your hesitation and dare I say anger as this may not be an appropriate way of showing remorse, but I beg you for understanding that the scathing slip of tounge wasn't my intention at all. If anything I can give you evidence of my momentairly lack of comprehansion in form of my dear friend here who helped me lessen the effects of my sickness.
Though I think that actions speak more than my own words. I'm ready to face any consequences stemming from my own ignorance.
If you would like, we can go to the commander and I can, no, I will show my utmost regret for the disrespectful manner I presented to the ones who kindly helped us during the attack. That saying..."
She took advantage from the suddenly loosened death-grip, and got to her feet only to bow down in a 90 degree angle.
"For any rude words, insult spoken through my lack of consideration I'm terribly sorry."
She managed to get some real regret for her insult across altogether with unwavering resolve to make up for her faults.
Although she honestly wasn't sure what she did wrong. But when a tough guy from a pirate crew told you that you were wrong then you simply nod to that and apologize.
Not even once did Ann look around at the gaping people, including the flabbergasted male who in a show of surpise, let her go, his arms limply hanging by his sides.
She was too busy trying to determine whether she used the right wordings, grammar, proper expressions, and scolding her own attidute for losing eye-contact and such other details regarding ettiquete.
She felt the need to hug the living day-lights of her mother for her feiry temper and obsession about the world's various manners but the need vanished at the thought how much she improvised her apology with mixing in the British, Japanese, maybe American and who knows what other culture. Her mother certainly wouldn't appreciate that though considering the circumstances she might forgive her daughter this time.
It was kind of a pity that she didn't witness the absolute plate-shaped eyes that were on the verge of bulging out of the people's sockets.
It may or may not have reassured her.
Slowly, like, really, really, slowly, Anna rose from her bow to get a proper look at the outcome.
What she saw added more confustion than dispel it:
A male, which she dubbed a fish-like man, eyes wide open and a dumbfonded look. Then his, she assumed, crewmates, some like him, partially fish, some normal humans. And at last the merchants. Truthully at this point no one looked that much different from the other in their shell-shocked state. Well, apart from one person, namely Erika, who was getting accustomed to the quirks and behavior of her saviour, leaving her only with a semi-surprised and partially immobilised from the surrounding tension.
Anna raised an eyebrow at that and in order not to jeoperdize her chances for forgiveness (or not getting her body thrashed into the sea) she put on a fairly innocent front.
"Well, if you would like we could go and I can apologise to the commander right now."
As on cue, the male in front of her seemed to rouse from his own stupor.
"Yea, I think, that is not much needed." He himself wasn't sure what to say.
"Does that mean that my apology was accepted? If not, then I really can go and directly apologize. Better now than later or a bigger misunderstanding will appear."
Ann squashed any left-over doubt and stared at him with utmost concentration, her brown eyes widening while trying to convey her determination.
She may not have believed that this kind of persuasion tactic could work on a rougish pirate, but at the moment there was only so much left from her tactical disposal.
She was seriously considering to up her skills at acting, lying, persuading whilst having absolute no idea what was actually happening.
"Yeeeaa, I think that is enough," the guy seemed to have the same issues about the situation.
"Really, it shouldn't be much of a problem to go to the Commander and apologize, that is of course when he is not busy." She straighened her posture to a painful degree that her spine was going to revolt later on.
"No,no,no,no,no… I think that is enough." He shook his head and put up his hands as to prove a point.
"Are you sure?" Anna could have sworn that her voice broke at the end. Well, it truthfully did crack.
"Yea. It wasn't that much, really." He stared at her lond and uncertain, his eyes skirting above her head as if he was looking out for something.
And just like that he took a few steps back, waved rather sheepishly and awkwardly vanished to his friends side.
"Well, if that is not weird then I don't know what is anymore." Ann was left staring at his retreating form, eyes wide and stupified, feeling almost the same awkwardness as him.
Thus the tense aura surrounding them eased and the people around gathered their wits, also looking out-of-mind from the situation. Yet some of them seemed to have realised that the show was over and made their way to their own work (more likely getting shouted at by some other comrade for lazing around instead of working). And like that the magic flushed out with the crowd leaving the two at the railings.
Another surprise was met when Anna turned her head to see the mortified and equally confused green eyes of Erika who seeing the sudden slouch of her quickly put a hand on Ann's left shoulder.
"Thank you," the tired woman breathed out in relief. The pressure almost completely gone and also having sucked out her energy.
In a careful manner Erika dragged her to the side, which ended with Ann leaning on a wall, near the entrance to the main storage, whilst Erika crouched in fornt of her.
"Now, I actually don't want to know, but it seemed that it was rather serious, so could you give me some detail on what just happened, I mean before the whole debacle, as you know I was feeling pretty dizzy and who it was or why he was sure I insulted someone?" As much as she didn't want to bother seeing the problem solved itself, but knowing the whole reason for the rude behaviour wouldn't hurt her. Well, much.
"Huh?" The question frazzeled the redhead.
Ann let out a deep sigh. "If you don't know, then-"
That caused a reaction. Erika stumbling for words, a blush covering her face.
"I-, No, I know, but—Eeeh"
That spured on Ann's sadistic side. She laughed out pretty loudly not in the slightest guilty. It was a freeing action after so much stress.
Unfotunately that couldn't be said about the redhead whose face not for the first time almost matched her hair.
"No,no. I didn't mean it like that. It's just... No, it's really funny. Now don't give me that look. It's my fault. I know that you know. You were by my side when all that happened. I don't even know why but the whole thing is so funny and I'm stupid for laughing," she managed to spew out in-between her chuckles. "I mean that it's ok."
To her own surprise Erika seemed or more like tried to look very affronted by her undignified action going as far as to wrinkle her forehead, but it ended up with Ann laughing even more.
"Seriously that kid can even pull out a cute pout while being angry."
It took some more time to get back some strength and a few people calling out to check whether Anna was ok or bringing some medicine for sickness and glass of water by a lond black-haired woman and some young blond lad.
After a few more moments the concerned looks turned relaxed and some older men even complained about the two having too much time on their hands and if so then they can as easily get to work. Both of the girls vehemently denied any kind of leisure and Anna added that she still had problems walking with her wounds.
At least the guys rolled their eyes before going off. Their badly concealed comment regarding too lazy gals and todays youth being irresponsible managed to elicit a rough chuckle from Erika.
"You know, you really have a cute pout," added Ann absent-mindedly.
And that was how she unconsciously prompted Erika to revert to her previous state.
It was not the first time that Ann cursed her stupidity with words.
After finally calming down, her from all the laughing and the younger girl having achieved to reign in her own stutters, Erika managed to explain what transpired from the moment she had her dizziness and how the roughish brute rudely grabbed her (Ann noted the obvious signs of worship, which she didn't know how to respond to the flames in the blazing green eyes) while also as tactful as possible relaying Ann's breakdown, to which the woman couldn't help but cringe at her own behaviour, and the probable reason for the man-handling.
All in all Anna had a feeling that the rumors would undoubtedly have reached the captain's ears the moment everything went downhill. The captain had more important work on her hands than looking over a squabble that resolved itself.
Of course her sense of doom didn't disappont her though for now her consciousness remained in bissful obliviousness.
Yet a snippet of peace reached her and Erika as they both sat by the entrance to the storage, people loading cargo to trasport it, the injured wailing or huffing in pain as they were escorted to the infimary and the shouts of numerous orders or the like surrounding them.
"Hey, Erika."
The girl turned to her and the woman could swear she saw question marks flowing beside her head. She shook her own head to banish such absurdity, her face screwing up into a rueful smile.
"Think the old lady is going to laugh at us or strangle us for that show."
The horrified look on Erika's face didn't provide her with a definitive answer.