Disclaimer: I do not own Super Sentai or anything associated with it.
Rating: K+ (for one swearword)
Summary: She was walking into the greatest danger they'd faced yet, and for the first time, he couldn't be by her side. Marv/Ahim
A/N: So, as I'm stuck halfway through the other fic request (Expressions of Interest), pinkwildcat94 has suggested a new story for me to write. It's set post-epsiode 47, prior to episode 48 airing. It's a bit dialogue-heavy early on, but that's apparently just how my mind is working at the moment … Hope you enjoy!
CONCERN
It was white. Bright white. Then the red filtered through. At last, the remnants of the explosion faded from his vision as he began to stir. Blackness. Dark. He could hear faint sounds, a great distance away. Muffled, as though his head lay on a pillow. The sounds were persistent, growing ever closer. His brows furrowed in concentration, and he realised the sound he could hear was voices. He strained to make out what was being said. One word, over and over again. As they grew closer, he could at last make it out.
"Marvelous!"
"Marvelous!"
"Marvelous-san!"
The word was familiar. A few moments and many pleas more, and he recognised it for what it was. A name. His name.
"Marvelous! Wake-up!" Luka begged.
"Ah, it's hopeless!" Doc wailed. "He's dead! Basco killed him!"
"He's not dead, idiot!" Joe snarled. "He's still breathing."
"Joe's right." Everyone went silent, returning their gazes to Marvelous, whose broken voice they'd just heard.
"Marvelous?" Doc asked tentatively.
Marvelous forced one eye open, glaring at Doc. "You are an idiot. Help me up!"
"Marvelous-san, you shouldn't move!" Ahim said, concern battling with relief as the captain began to stir.
"I'm fine," Marvelous said, sitting up himself when he realised no one was going to help him. Gai and Joe rushed to assist him, although the latter may have 'accidentally' punched Marvelous in the shoulder as he did so. "What happened? Where's Basco?"
No one said anything, casting furtive glances at each other. Marvelous groaned in frustration, trying and failing to get to his feet. "You all look awful," he said. "Tell me what happened."
"It was Basco," Ahim said at last in a hushed voice.
"He betrayed Sally, just like you said he would," Doc said in a rush to break the tension Ahim's statement created. "He blew her up. You were standing too close."
"I remember that, you idiot," Marvelous groaned in pain, halting all movement. "What happened to you lot?"
"Well, we fought him," Gai said uncertainly. "Basco. And he, well…"
"He was too strong for us, Marvelous-san," Ahim said with a bowed head. "We regained consciousness not too long before you."
"And Basco?" Marvelous demanded, wincing the sudden movement of his head sent pain down his spine. Joe and Gai gently lowered him to the ground, and for once he did not protest.
"He called your Mobirate," Luka said, looking at her feet. "I answered. He—he's got the Ranger Keys. The Galleon. Nav'i. Everything."
Everyone was silent once more. Marvelous didn't really need to hear their answer. He already knew it. Luka's words just confirmed the obvious conclusion. "That bastard."
"We'll find him," Doc said, mustering up his courage.
"We'll make that low-life pay," Luka vowed.
"Indeed," Ahim assented. Marvelous was growing ever more aware of his surroundings, and noticed a certain coarseness to her usually refined voice.
"Ahim," he began. "What's happened to your voice?"
"Nothing, Marvelous-san," Ahim tried to say clearly, but failed.
"That must be from Basco's stranglehold!" Doc exclaimed, only realising himself that Ahim sounded different.
"Stranglehold?" Marvelous exclaimed, trying to sit up again. Luka elbowed Doc painfully in the ribs.
"It was nothing to worry about," Ahim said hastily. "I'll be fine before too long."
"Yeah right it was nothing!" Marvelous exclaimed indignantly. "When I get my hands on that—"
"Marvelous-san!" Ahim frowned. "You should be resting."
"Ahim's right," Joe said. "We'll deal with Basco and get the Ranger Keys back. You rest."
"Take care, Marvelous-san," Ahim said, giving him a brief hug as the others retreated. "We'll be back before you know it."
You take care, Ahim, Marvelous thought miserably. Feigning his usual bravado, he said: "Make sure everyone gets back okay. It's all hands on deck when I look for the greatest treasure in the universe. Make sure Hakase doesn't get himself killed."
"Indeed," Ahim smiled happily at him, before running to catch up with the others.
"It'll be okay," Marvelous said aloud, to no one in particular. But he wasn't okay. He was so far from being okay …
Before he had left, Doc had rolled his jacket up into a pillow for Marvelous to use. Marvelous was still lying where they had left him nearly an hour ago now. He knew these things couldn't be rushed, but still glanced up eagerly each time he heard a noise. The hour stretched out, feeling like days to Marvelous.
He wasn't worried. No, certainly not. Merely … concerned. Yes. That was it. He was concerned. About the Ranger Keys. About Basco, and what he would do with the Greatest Treasure—the treasure that was rightfully Marvelous'. Hadn't it been Marvelous who had gone to all the trouble to find the planet the treasure was on, and then gather the 34 ultimate powers?
Yet he hadn't been thinking about the Ranger Keys this past hour. He'd been thinking about his crew. They were the ones in danger now. Joe was a good fighter, but he didn't have Marvelous there to watch his back. Luka could hold her own, but she and Gai probably had their hands full looking after Doc. And Ahim …
Ahim had come a long way since she first joined the crew. Not only could she wield her weapons without falling over, she was now quite proficient in the use of them. But still, he'd liked to look out for her. She was too quick to put herself at risk to help her friends. If he wasn't there to make sure she didn't do anything stupid, who'd look out for her?
It was the not knowing what was happening that was so hard for him to take. He vowed then and there that he would never let the crew be separated again. It wasn't worth it.
Days passed—or was it merely hours?—and finally, Marvelous saw something. Gai limping towards him, a grim look on his face.
What had happened?
Luka followed soon after, supporting a battered looking Doc. She did not look so crash hot herself. Marvelous tried to sit up straighter, straining his neck to look past them. There were still two missing.
Marvelous felt his breath catch in his throat. No. No, no, no!
But then a pink jacket appeared between the trees. When she saw him looking at her, Ahim beamed. "Marvelous-san!" she called out to him. She picked up her pace, jogging so that she reached him at the same time as the others, who were now wearing tired grins.
"You're alright," Ahim said, embracing the captain.
"I'm alright?" Marvelous looked at her as she straightened herself. "What about you lot? What happened? Where's Joe?"
"Guarding the ship," Doc said. "He didn't think it was a good idea to leave it unattended again."
"Plus, Nav'i begged for a bodyguard," Luka laughed. "Hakase offered to stay back, but Nav'i demanded it be Joe." Marvelous smirked at the insulted look on Doc's face.
"So, Basco," Marvelous left the question hanging in the air.
"Gone," Ahim said gently. "Forever."
"Good," Marvelous said, his face expressionless. After all this time, he still didn't know how to think about Basco. He was relieved he was gone, after all that. But still …
"Well, don't just stand there," Marvelous said sternly. "Help me up! What didn't you bring the Galleon here to get me?"
Gai stabbed a finger in Luka's direction. When she grabbed that wrist, he brought up the other to point at her, while the Lookout scowled. "You should teach someone else how to steer that thing!" she complained. "It's impossible!"
"We would've been here hours ago but Luka got us lost," Gai said. He cried out in pain when Luka punched him in the stomach. "I mean, she took the scenic route. Then we decided to get some fresh air, so we thought we'd walk the rest of the way."
"Better," Luka huffed.
"Do you think you can move, Marvelous-san?" Ahim asked while the others argued behind her.
"I think I'm ready to go home," Marvelous smiled, wincing as he aggravated a pain in his side while trying to stand. Ahim moved silently to his side, propping him up and helping him take a few steps.
"So," Marvelous began once the others at last fell to silence. "How far away is the ship?"
"Are you good for a few hours?" Doc asked.
Marvelous groaned. What a completely useless crew.
Yes, yes. I know. Marvelous will be the one to defeat Basco. HOWEVER, for the sake of my story, I went with this (incorrect) version of events. Because it was too hard to write otherwise.
Hope it wasn't too bad, it's not often that I venture into Ahim/Marv territory (mainly because the captain is a pain and so difficult to keep in character in that scenario! I salute those of you who can do it!) :-p
Hope you enjoy the last few episodes,
Little Goose