Kamen Rider Ahoy

by MichaelDJ54

Asahi Iwatari is a normal student with a normal life. However, when he's chosen to uphold the title of Kamen Rider Ahoy, he's now on a search to find the legendary Treazures, before the Blackheart Pirates. However, things aren't always so cut and dry...

Welcome one and all to my very first foray into the Kamen Rider universe! This idea has been bouncing around in my head for quite a while now, so I do hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it! Now, onto the good stuff!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kamen Rider, which is owned by Toei and created by Shotaro Ishinomori. All creative credit, inspirations and liberties belong to them. Nor do I own the Theme Song, Kaisei-Joushou-Hallelujah, owned by Jindou.

…

Sailing my sea!
Yeah – Never say die, Gotta go! Go!

Unfold the map to tomorrow and let's go together, Go along along
When you peer through a telescope, we'll head to an unknown harbor, Go along along

Get on the deck! Get on the deck! Take the helm with your hands
Get on the deck! Get on the deck! Sail out to the sea of dawn

Say hallelujah with all your might; now raise the sails with your friends
Beneath the sunny sky, we'll head out on the great voyage known as our dream
There's nothing we can't overcome, so we'll control the wind
and go anywhere as we please

Leap on, Leap on, look at the sky, look at the sea
They're all dyed in blue
Because we want to know more about the things we don't know, GO! GO! Depart

The fuel tank is full, so turn the ignition
Combine with the helm, have a session with the waves
Raise the tension, unfold the map on our adventure
Escape through the danger, ocean liner

Get on the deck! Get on the deck! Head to a new tomorrow
Get on the deck! Get on the deck! Head beyond the horizon

Yeah – Never say die, Gotta go! Go! Go! Go!

Beneath the sunny sky, now raise the sails with your friends
Say hallelujah with all your might; we'll head out on the great voyage known as our dream
There's nothing we can't overcome, so we'll control the wind
and go anywhere as we please

…

The clashing of blades was the only thing louder than the sound of fire crackling amongst the wreckage of the ship.

A curved blade struck a broadsword, erupting in sparks and the loud screeching of metal. The two combatants pushed each other away a few steps, now taking the time to circle around each other.

One was heavily armored. His outfit was dark blue, as blue as the sea itself with long coat-like tails extending behind him, flapping in the sea breeze. He looked to have an open jacket on, even though it was etched into his suit itself, dark blue with white on the undershirt. His face was covered by a mask, with large, fluorescent green bug eyes and a metal mouthpiece. Atop his head was a pirate's hat that seemed molded into the hat itself.

At first glance, the other seemed to be humanoid, but as the firelight licked over his form, it became clear he was anything but. He stood tall in tattered black clothes, both the fabric and his body ragged with holes. His eyes were cold and lifeless, white and glowing in the darkness of the night. Long, ragged strands of beard splayed around his neck and chest, almost writhing. The monster chuckled and raised his right hand menacingly—a hand that was no longer a hand at all, but a hideously glowing black blade, nearly as long as his entire arm.

"You're in over your head, Ahoy," the monster sneered, swinging his blade at him tauntingly. "I'll give ya one more shot...hand over your treasure, and I'll let you walk away from this unharmed."

The armored figure stood still for a moment, before his hand gripped his blade handle tighter. "You and I both know it needs to end here, Blackheart. There's no point in trying to make false promises."

The beast chuckled. "You know me so well, Ahoy...very well then. Only one of us walks away from here! LET THE SEA BE YOUR GRAVE!"

They both dashed towards each other and slashed, ending up on opposite sides of the ship. The mast of Blackheart's ship, cut straight through, fell with a tremendous crash, rocking the ship and creating more waves. Time seemed to stand still, until finally, one of the figures moved.

Blackheart gave a weak rattle and fell face-first into the deck of his ship. A single groan left his throat, and then afterwards, there was nothing.

Ahoy stood there for a moment, contemplating, his face unreadable. Finally, a hand shakily reached down and pressed the button on top of the massive belt he had wrapped around his waist. A bright light surrounded him, and the armor vanished.

"Ahoy" was a handsome older man with long black hair tied in a messy tail, with dark amber eyes. He wore a jacket similar to the one his other form wore. He coughed softly, blood slipping from between his lips as his hand reached down and delicately touched the wound that formed at his side.

He closed his eyes and slowly pulled the belt off of his waist. He looked down at the plain image of what appeared to be a treasure map, with a checkered path leading up to a triangular indent near the top. "Knew it would come to this," he mumbled to himself as he walked to the edge of the ship. The deck burned brighter and brighter, leaving him with no way to get off. His attention went to the pristine and immaculate ship waiting out in the water—a red and blue full-rigged pinnace that floated against the starry back drop of the sky. He smiled and held the belt up high and proud in the direction of the ship.

"Wish it could have ended better than this, old friend," he said, his vision growing blurrier and blurrier. "But we knew it was always a possibility..." He smiled and shook his head. "I don't even know if you can hear me...but if you can..."

He laughed and threw the belt in the direction of the ship. He watched it sail overhead and hit the water with a splash, floating there for a moment, and grinned with as much energy as he could. "Thank you...for being my friend! I hope to see you again soon...!" And then without warning, he fell over the side of the ship, crashing into the water and sinking into the cold, murky depths below.

And slowly, that pinnacle in the distance turned towards the wreckage and sailed forward, the only occupant of that ship knowing exactly what he needed to do...

…

Asahi Iwatari stared up at the sky, as he often did on days like today, waiting for elementary school to be over and done with so he could take his brother and go home already.

Asahi was a young man with short, curly black hair, wearing a simple red t-shirt and a pair of jeans. He sat outside on the quiet street on his bike and hummed to himself as his fingers delicately toyed with a small chain wrapped around his wrist.

The dull ring of a bell from behind him caught his attention. He turned to watch the swarm of younger students begin to file out, but stood off to the side, slumped over his bike, until a younger one (that looked, funny enough, like a younger version of him) came bounding up with a big smile on his face. "Asahi!"

Asahi smiled and reached over, planting a hand on the boy's head and scuffling his hair. "Jirou. Were you a good student today?"

Jirou glaring at him and waved his hands away from his head, before nodding quickly. "Of course I was!" he exclaimed. "I was the best in the whole class! Miss Ayatashi even gave me a good grade in my test!" He held up his paper, pointing to the happy, smiling sun in the corner. "See!"

Asahi smirked down at him and chuckled. "I believe you, kid. Come on, we don't want to let mom wait for us." He hopped off his bike and walked off down the street, Jirou right beside him.

Asahi listened intently as Jirou bounced around the street, regaling him about his day. He smiled and nodded the entire time, mumbling a few "uh huh"s and "sure"s to let him know he WAS still listening. And then, quite suddenly, Jirou stopped in the middle of his hopping around and smiled, waving a hand excitedly behind his brother. "Hi, Kira!"

Asahi blinked and looked over his shoulder to see a young lady with long black hair, tied in pigtails at the base of her skull so they fell over her shoulder, wearing a jean-jacket over a white blouse with a skirt that hung down to her knee caps. A pair of black-rimmed glasses framed her angry eyes as she stomped over to Asahi, marching with intense purpose.

Asahi's eyes went wide. He hopped onto the bike, put both of his feet on the pedals, and pumped his legs as hard as he could…only to find his wheel locked up.

He looked over his shoulder. Kira was effortlessly gripping his back wheel with her hands, an eyebrow cocked in annoyance and amusement. He waved weakly and smiled. "H-Hi…Kira…"

"Asahi," she said calmly. "I thought you were going to help me after class like you said you would."

"I…was…going to!" He said, haltingly. "I just…lost…track of time is all!"

"Mhm," she said, unimpressed. She turned her attention to turning Jirou and smiled. "Hello, Jirou. How are you today?"

"Good!" He smiled and nodded. "Miss Kira? Can you not hurt my big brother? He means well, he's just…ya know." He knocked a knuckle on the side of his head.

Kira paused for a moment, before she rolled her eyes and released the grip on his bike. "Fine…you're lucky your brother cares about you," she said to Asahi, but her tone, unlike her glare, was playful.

"Always." He chuckled nervously and nodded. "Well, how about this? I need to drop Jirou off at home, at least, so my mom doesn't panic. Once I do that, I'll help you with your project, okay?"

Kira glanced off to the side, deep in thought. Then she tilted her head to the side. "And you buy me lunch," she demanded.

Asahi's shoulders slumped. "And I buy you lunch," he mumbled. "Even though it'd be dinner…"

"Deal!" She hooked an arm around Asahi's and dragged him away, chattering about how he needed to grab his bike. Jirou picked up the bike and giggled, chasing down the street after the two of them.

…

The strangest thing anyone could see was the massive ship that seemed to fly amongst the clouds above. It listed from side to side almost lazily, despite the impossibility of a giant pinnace flying through the air the way it was at the moment.

The one at the wheel, however, was even stranger. He had long black hair tied in a pony-tail with enough hanging loose in the front to frame his face perfectly. His jacket hung open to reveal a black undershirt, its tails flapping in the wind around brown pants that hung to his hips. He meandered through the sky, flew through a cloud, and, upon pushing through it, was met with a gorgeous aerial view of Japan.

The man released the wheel and walked to the edge. He looked down and closed his eyes, as if resting for a moment…and then suddenly, a dull buzzing caught his attention.

Looking over his shoulder, he focused on the pillar in the center of the ship, a little bit behind the steering wheel and the mast of the pinnace. It didn't appear to be a normal compass by any means, as the dial was rotating chaotically, as if with no sense of magnetic north.

Finally, it spun in a direction and the golden half of the dial turned black. A small image appeared on it and blinked several times-the image of a small, blue and gold treasure chest, with an exclamation beside it.

"Ham," the man mumbled to himself. "Looks like one of them has finally woken up. Guess it's about time to get started again."

He walked past the compass, past the mast, and reached a door to the underside of the ship. Instead of opening it, he walked straight through it and descended down the stairs, phasing through another door at the bottom of the staircase.

In that room, on a pedestal, laid a belt—a map with a dotted line leading up to an indent at the top. Beside it sat a blue and gold chest, so small it could fit in the palm of your hand with a bright, red X on the front.

"About time to find a new Ahoy, it seems…" He gestured lazily with his hand, and a screen appeared on the left hand side of the wall. On it appeared the images several people going about their day-men and women, old and young.

"But which one…?"

…

"Hello? Earth to Asahi!" A fist reached out and knocked him on the side of his head. "Did you even hear a word I just said?"

"No…no I didn't." Asahi sighed, looking down. "I'm sorry Kira, my minds' been elsewhere lately. "He had expected to see annoyance in her expression, but instead Kira nodded a little bit and shrugged. "That's just you, I guess. Head always in the clouds. What were you thinking about, anyway?"

"…I don't know," he mumbled. "I just have this feeling in the back of my head that…something's going to happen. Something big."

She stared at the ground for a moment, before she nodded her head as well. "I get that feeling too."

"Well, no matter what it is, Asahi will be here to save us!" Jirou cheered, throwing his hands up in the air. "He promised me he'd always be here for me!"

Kira smiled and nudged Asahi in the side with her elbow. "You big softy."

Asahi chuckled and waved his hands at her in dismissal Then he looked back up at the sky—and blinked in surprise, pausing mid-step. Kira and Jirou continued down the street for several paces without him before realizing he had stopped. Both of them looked over their shoulder at him, brows furrowed in varying states of confusion.

"Asahi?" Jirou asked.

"What is it this time?" Kira sighed.

Asahi put his hand over his eyes to block the sun and stared more intently, moving his head a little bit. Was that…no, it couldn't be…could it…?

"Asahi!" Kira shouted, louder this time.

…Was that…a ship in the sky…?

"ASAHI!"

The scream was less frustrated…and more horrified, and it caught Asahi's attention immediately. He looked down, and upon seeing the horrified look on Kira's face, turned his attention behind him, to see what could only be described as a monster.

It looked like a pirate, but long since dead. Half of its skin was missing, revealing the bony makings of the skeleton only partially covered by rotting cloth. Its right eye was covered in an eyepatch, but the most noticeable thing about it was the fact that almost random parts of it were covered in gold plating. Its grimacing mouth was covered in just as much gold, and in its right hand it held a cutlass.

It gave a low grumble as it stomped forward, its head lolling to the side as the surrounding populace noticed the monster amongst them and screamed. Running in different directions, the monster gave a loud, howling, cackling scream.

"That's right! Run! Run all of you!" He laughed as he swung his cutlass, releasing a massive slice of purple energy from it. The energy struck a nearby building and exploded sending the upper half of the building flying high into the air and raining down on the street below. "Makes it easier for me to find the Treazure!"

Kira grabbed Jirou in a panic and pulled him back away from the falling rubble as he screamed in fear. Asahi was frozen in place as he looked at the monster, his eyes wide as he released another wave of energy from his blade, another building exploding into flaming rubble as he did.

"Now! Where would it be…where would it be…?" the monster mused. It approached the now destroyed building and kicked the rubble out of the way, glancing down at the floor. "It has to be here! It has to be!" He cackled and lifted his blade up again, letting it charge with energy.

"Momma…momma!" shouted a young voice from to the side, catching the monster's attention. He looked to see a young girl kneeling before the unmoving figure of what could only be her mother, on her side and unresponsive. "Momma…wake up, momma…!"

"Hrm," the monster mumbled. He looked from his blade to the girl, and then chuckled and threw his head to the side. "Treazure's not going anywhere…may as well have a little fun while I'm waiting…!" He approached the girl slowly, holding his blade up high in the air to reflect the sun as he did. "What's a pirate…without bloodshed!?"

CLANG! With an almost comical noise, Asahi swung his bike at the monster with as much force as he could. The impact dented in his front tire, but it barely moved the monster at all. It stood frozen mid-swing and turned his attention to Asahi. even with as unresponsive and rotting as the monster's face was, its expression could only be described as annoyance. "What are you doing…?" he asked Asahi, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Get away from her!" Asahi shouted. He swung his bike again with all his might, only resulting in an almost destroyed tire and barely scuffing the gold on the pirate.

Growling, the pirate grabbed the front of Asahi's shirt and lifted him up off the ground.

"You little pest! Do you have any idea what you're messing with!?" he shouted, throwing him to the ground hard enough that he skipped once before landing on his side. He looked up as the monster menaced upon him, blade held up to his face menacingly. "Maybe if you beg, I'll let your death be swift and merciless, you land-lubber!"

A rock struck the beast in the side of the head. Its head tilted very slightly as another rock hit his shoulder. it looked lazily to the side, and both it and Asahi saw Jirou pick up another rock with a fierce look on his face. "Get away from my brother!" he shouted, throwing it with all his might.

"Jirou, no, get away from him!" Kira rushed over to grab Jirou's shoulders and yank him back, but the monster swung his blade, striking the earth before the two of them and causing another explosion to rip the ground apart. Their screams echoed as they were thrown back, landing on their sides and bleeding profusely.

"Jirou! Kira!" Asahi attempted to scramble over to them but, the pirate slammed his foot into his back, causing him to yell in pain. It kicked him over onto his back and pressed its blade against Asahi's neck.

"You won't need to worry about them…" chuckled the monster. "You're going to join them soon enough!" It watched, amused, as Asahi swung his fist against its arm. "Still got some fight in you, huh…I'm impressed, lad. Ya got a fire in you…a fire I'm about to snuff out!" He lifted his blade, and swung…

And was struck in the chest with a cannonball. It's one good eye bugged out of its skull as the force cracked something in its chest and sent it flying backwards, creating an impressive skid mark across the ground. It bounced once, and then was flung even higher in the air by the explosion of a second cannonball. Asahi watched in shock as the monster was sent flying several feet away from him, and then looked behind him to see an impressive sight.

A full-rigged pinnace hovered high in the air above him. The cannons along the sides remained exposed for a few more moments, smoking, before they retracted back to the interior of the ship. Then, the ship flew forward so the underside was more directly above Asahi. A panel on the belly opened up to reveal the dark interior of the ship. And then a bright, sky blue beam shot from the hole and surrounded Asahi. He suddenly felt as though his body weighed less than nothing. For a moment he simply floated up ward into the air. Then he was forcefully flung upward into the opening, screaming all the while as the ship swallowed him and flew back up into the air.

Jirou looked weakly up from his prone spot on the ground, groaning quietly as he held his stomach. "Brother…?" he asked softly, watching the ship becoming more and more of a speck…before his vision went black, and his body went limp.

…

Asahi didn't know how to explain where he was, but it looked like the interior of a ship. The wood looked new. The portholes scattered around gave him the view of the sky—from what little he could see, as he was lying on his back in a stunned stupor. The other strange thing he noticed was the bright blue panels scattered haphazardly around the room, panels that reminded him of circuit boards. And in the center of the room was a panel with a strange, map-like belt, and a small treasure chest that sat beside He scrambled to his feet and looked around, heart hammering away in his chest and threatening to break his rib cage with how strong it was going. "Hello!?" he shouted to the darkness, gulping and taking another deep breath. "Hello…?" He sounded less panicked as he walked to the porthole and looked outside…to see nothing but blue sky.

Eyes wide and hand over his chest, he slid down the wall, his breathing growing more and more panicked, his body shivering as he did. "Where…where am I!?"

"You're aboard the Legacy."

With a scream, Asahi looked around in a panic and found…nothing. There was no one there, from what he could see. His eyes wide still, he spun around in a circle. "Who's there!?"

"That would be me." The sound seemed to be coming from...everywhere. He watched, amazed, as a figure dressed all in blue walked straight through the solid door and looked at him for a moment, his gaze dull and lifeless. "You look scared," he said in a monotone voice.

"Of course I'm scared! What's going on!? Where am I!? Who are you!?" The man in blue rolled his eyes. He gestured as he spoke, and lights flickered to life overhead. "I suppose the easiest one to answer would be where you are," he said as he approached. "You're aboard the Legacy, the ship belonging to Kamen Rider Ahoy."

"…Kamen Rider…Ahoy…?" Asahi asked, his head tilting to the side.

The man's shoulders squared and his chin lifted as he stepped up to the pedestal. "The strongest, bravest man to ever sail the seas and the sky! He found the world's greatest treasures and made it his journey to share his wealth, his power, with future generations! Hiding them around the world, he made sure those in the future could find them. To achieve their destiny!" He pointed upward and a spotlight sprang to life, shining down on him.

"Where's that light coming from…?" Asahi asked, looking up at the ceiling.

The man brought his arm down, pointing directly at Asahi. "You, boy! You have been chosen to uphold the mantle as this generation's Kamen Rider Ahoy!"

Asahi stood stock-still for the longest time, before he lifted a shaky hand and pointed to himself. "…Me…?"

The glowing man sighed and rolled his eyes. "Great. Another stupid one." He beckoned Asahi forward. "Let's just get this over with. Get over here." He gestured towards the pedestal, still floodlit from the invisible spotlight overhead. "As Kamen Rider Ahoy, these will be your— "

"Wait, wait, wait." Asahi shook his head and waved his hands. "That doesn't answer anything! Who are YOU? Why was I chosen to be this Kamen…Rider…guy? I'm just Asahi! There's nothing special about me, to go around and pick up treasure and crazy stuff like that!"

The man pinched the bridge of his nose and released a long-suffering sigh. He waved a hand and large screen appeared on the opposite side of them, displaying recorded footage of Asahi attacking the earlier monster. "Because, apparently, through your own thick-headed recklessness and inability to run from danger— "

"You could also just say 'bravery'— "

"—the Map Driver has chosen you to be the upholder of the name Ahoy." He gestured back to the belt. "The original Ahoy…was a brave man. He was as reckless and as thick-headed as you, and knew when to fight. The Driver sensed those qualities in you. It sensed your desire to help that girl. It sensed your desire to save those other people. So, in short, it's chosen YOU to be its current owner."

"Have…other people like me, shown that before?"

The man's expression went grim. "Often."

"And…how many Ahoy's have there been before me…?"

The man turned his head away and placed a hand atop the pedestal. "Here is the Map Driver. It goes onto your waist, much like what you people call a belt. And this…" He pointed to the small chest beside it. "…is called a Treazure. By putting the Treazure in the slot up top, you're allowed access to the Ahoy powers. You'll find your strength, speed, and durability increased." He turned back to Asahi. "Using these powers, and these strengths, you will find Ahoy's hidden Treazures. Then…and only then…will a miracle happen."

"What…kind of miracle…?" Asahi asked, his voice filled with wonder.

The man paused, and his brows furrowed. One hand reached up and gently scratched at the side of his head, deep in thought. "I…can't remember…" he mumbled, mostly to himself. "But it doesn't change the fact that we must find them, before anyone with the wrong intentions finds them first."

"You mean like that monster?" Asahi asked.

"Yes. The Blackheart Pirates are vicious and will do anything to gain the power of the Treazures for themselves."

A loud scream echoed from the side of the room, causing Asahi to jump a good, solid foot in the air, though the man seemed unfazed. The screen changed from the recording from earlier to show a new one, one that made Asahi's stomach drop. The Pirate monster from before, the Blackheart Pirate, swung crescent blade after crescent blade through the air, but this time, less at the buildings around him…and more at the two targets he was focused on, Kira and Jirou.

Kira had Jirou's body shielded with her own, covering him from the explosions erupting around them. She screamed as the fire and flames burned at her skin and clothes. The monster cackled and snarled, growing closer and closer, as though relishing in their torment and pain…

"Kira! Jirou!" screamed Asahi, rushing over to the screen. "We— We have to do something!"

"And we will." The man nodded. "The beast will leave once we find the Treazure. That's the most important goal right now."

Asahi turned to face him, anger flaring in his eyes. "Finding the Treazure!? I need to save my friend and brother! THAT'S the most important goal right now!"

Another annoyed sigh escaped the man's lips. "The monster will only grow stronger if we defeat him. What we need to do is—"

"Why can't I fight the monster and save my friends!? Would that much time really cut into finding the treasure itself!?" Asahi shouted, storming over to the man. "Why waste time finding something so small, if the immediate threat can be handled now, and then have plenty of time to work-"

"YOU will not instruct me on how to do YOUR job!" The man shouted. "The work of Ahoy is to find the Treazure! To waste time fighting monsters will only cut into whatever precious time you humans have! Do you want that on your conscious!? Every moment WE don't find one of the Treazure is one of the Blackheart Pirates finding them in your stead!"

The man and Asahi glowered at each other. The sound of Kira screaming again made Asahi's head jerk to the side. Then, with one sudden movement, he reached around the man to snatch the Belt and the Treazure and made a bee-line for the door on the other side of the room.

"What do you think you're doing?!" the man screamed after him.

Asahi slowed to a halt just before the door. "It may be the job of every other Ahoy to find the Treazure first and help people second…" He stared down at the door handle for a moment. Then his grip on the belt tightened, and he nodded. "But not this Ahoy! I'm doing what I want! Helping people!" He flung the door open and ran outside, the belt and trinket both clasped firmly against his chest.

The man growled loudly and gripped a fist. Foolish. Reckless. Thick headed. Ignores basic rules. Ignores common sense! He's going to get us all killed!

The man stood silent for a long moment. Then he glared down at the floor and waved a defeated hand, and the ship began to descend from the sky.

…Just…like…you…

…

"Jirou, just stay down, okay…?" Kira hissed through her teeth, making sure her back was to the monster.

"Kira…you're hurt…" Jirou whimpered, looking at the burnt flesh on her shoulders, tears welling up in his eyes.

The Blackheart Pirate chortled as he approached. "This is what happens, humans!" He leveled his blade at the two of them. "This is the fate of all those who get in the way of the Blackheart Pirates! Suffering! Torture! And DEATH! May your souls find torment in the depths of Davy Jones Locker! NOW DIE!" He reeled his blade back, preparing for one final swing…

…when a boot connected with his face. He went reeling back with a cry, more out of surprise than pain, and toppled over onto his back. The owner of the foot landed on the ground in a kneeling position. Then he rose to his feet, his eyes flaring with brand new fires of passion, gripping the belt and the Treazures in his hands.

"…Asahi…?" Kira asked weakly, looking over her shoulder as she slowly lifted herself up to her knees.

"Big brother!" Jirou cheered, a wide smile breaking across his face. "You came back!"

"Of course." Asahi looked over his shoulder and smiled, giving the two of them a thumbs up. "I promised I would always be there for you, didn't I?"

"Stupid child!" The monster screamed as it scrambled to its feet. "You should have stayed where you were! Now you'll only end up dying like the rest of them!"

"I don't think so, this time," Asahi snapped. He raised the belt and swung it around his waist, where it clicked into place. Then he looked at the Treazure in his hand, running his thumb over it, and held it up in front of him, pointing his thumb, middle, and index finger towards the Pirate. "Not when I have this to even the odds!" He lifted it up over his head, and then slammed it into the open slot on the top of the map with all his strength.

X! MARKS! THE! SPOT! CHEST! OPEN!

The little plastic chest's lid snapped open to reveal the interior, filled with blue and gold doubloons, and what appeared to be a miniature outfit etched onto the inside of the lid. Suddenly, water began to rise from the ground until it reaches Asahi's waist. Then, a massive wave swept up from behind, crashing into him.

"What the—GAH!" he shouted as the wave entirely overtook him, surrounding him in holographic water and obscuring his form.

ALL HANDS ON DECK! MAKE WAY! KAMEN RIDER! AHOY! YAR HAR!

The wave exploded, sending cannon-ball sized orbs of water careening out and striking the pirate, knocking him back several paces.. And there, left standing in the middle of the pile, stood a figure clad all in blue and darker blue, coat-tails catching the wind, shining in the light as though the armor were brand new.

Jirou and Kira stood there in slack-jawed awe. "Asahi?" Kira said softly.

Jirou gawked. "My brother…is a SUPER HERO?" he said, excitement bubbling up in his voice.

"Wh-Ga-How!?" The pirate leveled a shaking blade towards Asahi, his eyes wide. "Kamen Rider Ahoy! But— But you can't be! You— "

Asahi looked down at himself. "Whoa…so this is what it's like to be a Kamen Rider?" He gripped fists in his new gloves. "I feel strong…powerful! Like I can do anything!"

The pirate gave a low growl. "Well… Well no matter! If I can defeat Ahoy…then Blackheart will give me his blessing!" He raised the cutlass up over his head. "Come on, Kamen Rider! Face your death!" he roared, and then rushed towards Ahoy, bringing his blade down with all his might.

Asahi managed to duck out of the way of the first swing, sidestepped the second swing, and delivered an impressive right hook to the monster's face. Much to both of their surprise, the pirate reeled backwards clutching at what remained of its jaw. "Ow! That-That hurt!"

"Whoa…" Asahi looked down at his fist and gripped it tightly, and then looked back up at the monster, the compound eyes of his mask flaring bright red. "Let's see how you like it, huh!?" He rushed forward and delivered another powerful uppercut to the creature's jaw, sending it staggering back. But Asahi remained up close on the undead fiend, because as soon as it landed again, he released another side clock to the monster's head, and then a third to his gut. He grabbed the base of the monster's shirt and the top of its head, effortlessly lifting it off his feet and holding it over his head!

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Put me down, you landlubber!" The monster screamed, flailing his limbs around in a desperate effort to land even a single blow.

"You want to be put down!? Gladly!" Asahi threw the monster off to the side. It landed with a loud thud, knocking the air from its nonexistent lungs and sending its sword skittering off into the rubble.

"Go, big brother!" Jirou cheered from the sidelines, hopping up and down.

"Stupid…no-good…" the monster snarled, grabbing his sword. He struggled to his feet and let it gather with energy again. "I'm done playin' games! Take THIS!" He swung the blade, shooting a wide crescent of energy towards Ahoy.

Even he couldn't tank a blow like that, as he learned when it struck him directly in the gut with an impressive explosion of sparks. He let out a cry of pain as the impact lifted him clean off his feet and sent him flying.

"Asahi!" Kira cried. She started as if to make a run for him, but found herself gripping the burn on her shoulder instead, hissing in frustration and pain.

"Ow…" Asahi grunted picked himself up. "That hurt…"

Perhaps it would be a good idea not to fight the monsters until you're prepared for them, snapped a voice in his ear.

Asahi let out a yelp and swung his head wildly around. "What—Who—" A faint crackle of static buzzed in his ear, and he tapped the side of the helmet, furrowing his brows. "Oh…is it you? From the ship?"

That's right. Apparently I need to help you on your very first day of being Ahoy. Pathetic, yet predictable. Stand by. And take a few steps back.

The pirate growled and raised his blade. "Still kicking, are ya!? Maybe this'll finally finish—"

Another explosion rocked the ground directly in front of him. He screamed as the impact sent him tumbling a solid ten feet back. Asahi squinted through the smoke and saw, not the crater of a cannonball, but the silhouette of a slender object embedded point-down in the tarmac.

I suggest you go pick up that sword. It'll make this whole fight a lot easier.

"Sword…?" Asahi's eyes widened as the smoke cleared. The object was indeed a sword, half of its length sunk deep in the concrete. Asahi rushed over and effortlessly ripped it out of the ground. He held it up, tilting it to the side to inspect it. It looked like a basic broadsword with a blue gem set in the center of the cross guard. From the pommel hung a long chain, clinking faintly with each movement. The edges of the blade curved from the point back inward along its length, giving it a rounded look and leaving about an inch of open space on either side.

"What a weird-looking sword…"

It's the Anchor Blade, and I suggest you get used to it. Now, the creature's getting up again. Finish it off—we don't have all day.

Asahi looked up and saw the pirate's sword swinging downward at his head. He gasped and swung his own up, just barely catching the blade with his own. The blades slid down to the hilts, sending an eruption of sparks in every direction. Asahi lifted a leg and kicked it as hard as he could into the monster's solar plexus, knocking it back further.

That was the opening Asahi needed. He rushed forward and sliced once and twice, one diagonally to the left and the other to the right, leaving a glowing X on the pirate's chest. With a loud shout, he swung harder and harder, gripping his hilt tightly. The hilt compressed a little bit, and the sides of the blade sprang outward into a T-position. Asahi stumbled, nearly dropping the sword at the increase in weight.

"Whoa! What the…" He stared at the blade for a moment, before comprehension hit him like a brick wall. "Ooooh…Anchor Blade! I get it now!"

You're quite the slow learner, aren't you?

He looked down at the blade in his hand and nodded, then let it drop to the ground with a loud BANG! He took the chain hanging from the pommel and wrapped it around his wrist and forearm. Then he took a step back and gripped the chain, using it to lift the entire sword off the ground. Swinging it around in a circle, he gave loud shout and swung it as hard as he could towards the monster. It did a double-take, then tried to scramble out of the way—but too late, as the anchor crashed into its ribs and pinned it to the ground.

"What the…!?" It kicked and flailed, struggling against the weight of the anchor. "Get off me! Get off!"

Now, finish it off, came the voice again. Close the lid on the Treazure and press the button on the side. Then, just follow your instincts.

Asahi did as he was instructed, pressing the lid down and feeling along the side for the button. The moment he pressed it, the lid flew open again with a loud shout, making Asahi jump in surprise.

TIME TO WALK THE PLANK! PREPARE THE VOYAGE!

He felt energy beginning to build his foot and looked down to see his boot glowing bright blue.

"Follow my instincts, huh…?" he mused, and then nodded. "Fine! Let's do it!" He sprinted forward and leaped into the air, aiming a kick at the downed pirate. As he did, the energy around his foot rippled outward and shifted into what appeared to be massive boat shape. The bow of the ship came screaming down and crashed into the pirate with a massive explosion, throwing up enough smoke and dust and rubble that Kira and Jirou both had to cover their faces with their arms.

By the time the two of them could uncover their faces and look again, the pirate had been reduced to a flaming crater, leaving only a smoking cutlass and Asahi alone in the middle of the road. Asahi rose to his feet and removed the Treazure from its slot. The armor vanished, and he took a deep breath, releasing it as a shaky gasp. "Whoa…"

"BIG BROTHER!" Jirou launched himself at Asahi's legs, damn near taking him down. "YOU WERE AMAZING! YOU WERE LIKE A REAL-LIFE SUPER HERO!"

"Whoa, Jirou, be careful, I just got done fighting!" Asahi shouted, trying to balance himself.

"Asahi…that was amazing," Kira said, approaching and holding her shoulder. "How did you…?"

Asahi would have kept his attention on her, but he noticed a little glimmer in the ground where the monster had been pinned down by the anchor. He crouched down and brushed some of the rubble away, and saw what appeared to be a Treazure like the one he was holding, only red and silver instead of blue and gold. He brushed it off, inspecting it in the light. Then he looked up at the sky and held it up. "Hey! Is this it!?"

As if to answer his question, the blue beam from earlier shot down and surrounded him. He let out a surprised yelp as he was pulled back into the sky.

"Big brother!"

"Asahi!"

There was a moment's pause, and then the same blue beam shot down and wrapped around Kira and Jirou. With shouts of panic and concern, they were pulled up as well…

And as they left, the abandoned cutlass rattled on the ground, and then flew off into the sky.

Asahi landed first with a dull thud and a grunt. He picked himself up immediately and rubbed his lower back, and then jumped back in surprise as Jirou and Kira fell down beside him in a small pile.

"Ow…"

"Ooph…"

The man in blue appeared in front of Asahi in a blink of blue light and plucked the red and silver chest out of Asahi's hands. "So, you managed to acquire the Treazure," he said, turning it over and inspecting every side. "Very good. Maybe you're not completely hopeless after all."

"Thanks!" Asahi paused. "Hey, wait a minute."

"This is only the first of many." The man motioned off to the side. The wall disengaged and slid down into the floor to reveal an inner wall with five rows of empty slots inset into the wooden paneling. Scattered across these rows were several small Treazures of varying colors, slotted perfectly into the spaces meant to contain them. The man extended his hand, and the red and silver chest drifted from his palm to slot itself between two other empty slots along the top row. "We have quite a way to go…"

"I guess, but…" Asahi paused for a moment. "If we're going to be working together…I want to know one thing."

"Of course you do," the man sighed. "What is it?"

"Who ARE you?"

The man paused. Then he winked out of existence. The wall across from them retracted up into the ceiling to reveal a large screen, where the man appeared once more.

"I am an idea given a shape similar to what you humans call a body. That which was simply an object given sentience. I am everything you are, and more." He flicked one hand and the lights all turned to shine down on the three visitors. "In other words…I am not just the controller of this ship…I AM the Ship."

"….Ehhhhh…!?" Asahi exclaimed in surprise.

…

"Gold John has fallen."

The lone figure on the bow of the rotting, desolated ship barely looked up in surprise. His attire was as ragged as the beast who spoke to him, but none of his flesh looked rotten-simply grey and lifeless. He lifted his head towards the sky, revealing no visible face, but rather, a pirate flag wrapped around his head, with the Jolly Roger taking its place.

"It's not surprising. Gold John was brave, but reckless." His voice was deep and booming and echoed off the softly-rushing waves. He turned to face the pirate who had spoken—one who looked more like a collection of pearls than he did an actual person. The largest pearl took the same of a hideous eye, which he met without flinching. "I should have sent someone else…"

"What do we do now, sir?" asked the pearl creature.

"We keep on the beaten path." The cloaked figure turned away and held a hand out to the darkness that surrounded the boat. "We continue to gather as much energy as we can. The darkness that dwells in Captain Blackheart's possessions is strong. It's powerful. And the more we use them…"

The cutlass that had once been wielded by Gold John materialized from the darkness and flew towards him. The faceless man caught it expertly it by the handle. He held it up to the air and turned it over and over, inspecting the dim, sickly light reflected off its blade.

"…the sooner Captain Blackheart will return."

…

A young man leaned against a dumpster, his eyes heavy and his stomach rumbling louder and louder. His clothes were far too big for his frame, his hair greasy, black and unmanageable. His eyes were dull and grey, and his expression seemed empty, all life in his eyes and face completely and utterly gone. He put a hand on his stomach and gripped it tightly as its growling taunted him, and squeezed his eyes shut.

He pulled his clothes closer to his skinny frame as a chilly gust of wind blew over him. He opened his eyes, and then moved his hair out of his face, squinting in disbelief.

The figure who had appeared before him was gorgeous, with long, flowing black hair and a tight-fitting, seafoam green dress that cascaded down from her like ocean waves. Her eyes were green as well, soft, and yet harsh and vicious. She had a strange scent of salt around her, one that the cold breeze carried to him in an overwhelming wave. For the longest time she simply stared at him, silent. Then she tilted her head to the side and spoke in a soft, melodic voice. "Let me help you." She reached behind her back. "You're destined for so much more than this…"

And pulled out a Map Driver, holding it out to the young man.

"Time to show us exactly what."

…

Kamen Rider Ahoy!

"Wow, big brother, I can't believe we get to find treasures!"

"Where do we start?"

"Just follow my lead…"

"Hey, do you even have a name?"

Voyage 2: The Crew of Ahoy!

"There's no need for a name, not when I am who I am."