Chapter Seven

Author Note: Ok so not doing so good with third person so I am going to try a mixed first person of each character and see if that helps. That way for my own writing it gives more description and is going to be a short chapter this time. Just a quick update to see what the next arc is going to be. Introducing my favorite Gokaiger of my team: Gokai Purple.

Boom

Boom

Boom

The sound of cannon fire fill the air between the Gokai-o and the navy ship that pursued them like Ishmael chasing the white whale. Sweat soaks Duncan's clothes and make his hidden phone morpher slippery. Ellie fires the cannon at vital points of the battleship while Armin charts them towards unexplored islands to help hide out.

All because the pirates managed to kill an action commander two days ago. Retribution had come swiftly for them all. Duncan's bounty now went up to $15,000 while Armin's sit at $12,000. Even Ellie got a small one of $150. Which she was upset about since they took her age as a factor and thought she wasn't much of a threat. Hench this very moment of her unleashing the cannons on them.

"Why can't we just get away instead?" Duncan said to Armin when she first opened fire.

"Armin sighs and rubs his forehead. The skin around it raw and a dark red color from all the palm slapping hh has done since being around Duncan. Armin thought Ellie was insufferable when he helped raise her. After putting her with Duncan in the same ship he now rethinks moments of his life of why he stuck with her.

"Because the thought of her being a non threat is a big insult. For her ego to get over it she has to rain hell upon the marines in revenge." Armin explained. His eyes twitch at the thought of him being the only reasonable person on the ship.

He knew Duncan would be trouble from the start. He wasn't ignorant to his Captain's behavior. Instead he figured he could ignore it and make the best of their time together. How wrong Armin was on that first night.

He made a delicious spaghetti and meatball dinner for them. He may have a dislike for Duncan but he still respected him a small bit for helping them. Not that he will say that to Duncan's face. The stuck up prick can eat a dozen dicks in hell before he admit it. Instead, he felt a welcome dinner would work best.

It didn't take five minutes for insults to be thrown followed by meatballs and spaghetti noodles. It finally ended with a black eye and everyone confined to their rooms. Armin's right hand still hurt from the force he put behind the blow.

Unless they get some more members soon their so called crew will not last long. In fact Armin felt someone else should be first mate. He did not like dealing with Duncan more than necessary.

Boom! An explosion threw Armin to the floor. Smoke billows from a wound in the ship followed by the crackle and pop of a fire.

"We've been hit." Duncan said. He steers the ship to an angle and fires the cannons remotely. He managed to wound the enemy ship in the rear and slow it down. Bullets fire around them and both boys dodge with caution.

"At this rate we are screwed." Armin groaned. He morphs into his ranger form. He taps the side of his helmet and activates the AI system built in. Duncan explained to Armin earlier that when a ranger morph into it the AI reads their minds and comes up with a system tailored to them. Duncan turns his off since it tried to boss him around. Even the AI can tell his sense of planning needed work. Armin on the other hand let his analyze the situation.

Blue diagrams and icons blaze on the inside of his helmet. A scanner feature looks through the floor of the ship and helps Armin locate his sister. She leans against the far wall away from the damage below. Blood drips through her hair, but other than a dazed look she was fine.

For now Armin focus on the enemy ship. His helmet identifies the weak points while Armin cuts bullets out of the air. He jabs his finger at an ideal point. "Duncan hit them there. They stored gunpowder below and a good strike would blow it up."

"Aye Aye Captain." Duncan mocked in response. He twist the boat around so they were going backwards instead with the undamaged side facing the enemy ship. Duncan press buttons built into the wheel and pulls out his ranger key. He twist it into a console of the wheel and howls. The cannons on the ship fire up with crimson energy and divert half the energy in the core to their output. This is a move Sasuke warned him about when Duncan still was in training.

"If you are ever in a bind the ship has a Special Attack: Barrage Of Death built into it." Sasuke said. He leaned against the inner walls of the kitchen at the time. His hair long in waves down his back. A black robe covers his black shirt and blue jeans hidden underneath. His morpher clipped to his left hand as always.

"Just understand the drawback. If you miss there is a thirty minute delay where you are on slow speed. Not even the winds can make it faster as the ship will gain weight. So make sure it hits or else you will closer to doom." Sasuke warned his nephew.

A loud bang echos off the top deck. Sasuke and Duncan sigh in unison. Nothing needed to be said when it was clear Kono did something stupid yet again. Duncan had to keep the kid from breaking his neck when he occasionally climbed the sails. Duncan swore his morphing form correlated with his inner spirit. "If I don't get in trouble he sure makes up for it in my place." Duncan thought at the time. He lead the way upwards to see what new hell Kono caused."

Duncan held his breath and aim the cannons just like Armin planned before he fired. Five cannons explode in sync and unleash the beams of energy. It hits the target point on the enemy ships and blows them to pieces.

The shockwave shakes the Gokai-o and makes the crew stumble. Fire spread across the enemy ship and the crew jump overboard to avoid it. A loud crack rends the air before the ship split itself in half and sinks.

"Checkmate." Duncan said. He pumps his fist in the air.

"Yeah but that is only the first of many ships." Armin sighed. He demorphs and rush downstairs to check on his sister. Smoke fills the room and blurs Armin's vision. He listen for the hacks of his Sister and helps drag her up on deck. Her face was slightly dark from the ash and gunpowder that sprayed her in the blast.

"We need to make repairs while we can. They hit us hard in the sides and back. If we push forward we risk sinking." Armin commanded. He pats his sister on the back to make sure her airways were cleared. "Being a local, I know of some islands nearby. It's risky to go near them to be fair. But its our best shot."

"Lead the way." Duncan agreed. He chugs the ship in the direction Armin gives him. The motor of the ship putters along at a slow speed. Akin to an old person on a motor scooter going 25 mph. The sun starts to set on the journey to their temporary destination. The newly formed pirate crew is unaware of the fight ahead of them.

"Oh, I want to go outside, outside." A warm voice echoes on the wind that travels around a medium size island full of trees with warm summer leaves and flowers in various places. A long beach runs on the north side of the island with medium size wooden boats with red sails. The icon of a Crab with jewels encrusted into its shell glares at the sailors with black cold eyes. A hot climate covers the island on a yearly basis and keeps the islanders on it warm and happy. Tall mountain ranges jut out around the island. The volcano in the center of the island is long vacant from activity. It is not used as an emergency storage/ retreat center in case of an attack from the outside world. The leader and chief of the island had long decreed that no one shall leave the island in any generation. He used a ancient wooden hook gifted with the power of the sea to create a magical water barrier. It keeps anyone from leaving the island and crashes all ships who try to breach the barrier. Sharks were also summoned by the hook to ensure the survivors of those crashes were eaten soon after. Despite being a small population, the Chief and his people have kept the Republic out of their waters for years. If you look out into the eastern and southern parts of the island you would see a shipwreck graveyard and rusty bones and clothes of failed invaders. So much bleed has been shed in the water that the coral underneath was now a unique red color. Poisonous over the years and used in special darts for stealth attacks on the few attackers who manage to land on the island.

The island chief took all challenges to his island seriously. He lost his right arm and left eye in one epic fight against the Marine Admiral. Both parties battered and bruised up, with the chief only surviving because the hook allowed him to blast the Admiral away with a great deal of power.

Every since that fight the island chief made sure no would ever harm the island again. He would do anything in his power to stop any attackers.

Which leads us to this very moment. On the edge of a peak that overlook a village and the beach below, a young woman stands near the edge. Long black hair flows down her spine like a tidal wave while dark black eyes watch the seas with sorrow. She wears a purple tank top cut off around her breast while a long blue skirt covers her torso down to her knees. Sandals made of wood and coconut fibers sit nearby. Her creamy peanut butter skin echoes with the sign of hardwork and long moments of walking in mud and on young woman sings to the world around her. Her voice light and beautiful. It was a song about being trapped in one place and yearning for freedom.

"Moana!" Her grandmother called behind her. She walks to her granddaughter using a wooden cane that had the head of a mantine for the topper. Wizen eyes gaze at her only grandchild. Wrinkles around her eyes and cheeks revealed so much about her given age. Moana grew up with stories about the outside world from here. Her grandmother was there when the world was still run by Yonko. Their current island didn't exist at the time due to the seas being poisonous. Moana's grandmother was there during the final battle between the Yonko leader and the Go-busters. Every so often she retells the story to the village youth. Moana loved the exaggeration of Power Rangers fighting a man with the power of lava. No matter how Grandma explained it. Despite the efforts of the Island chief to keep talk of the outside world quiet. He rather pretend nothing but the island existed.

"It's because of the hurt." Grandmother explained to Moana in secret a week ago. Moana was having a hard time keeping her curiosity in check. She kept asking the few people that got to leave the island for the rare supplies they needed about the mainland. Each time the traders had to keep quiet as the island chief glared at them. He long made it clear nothing was to be told to Moana. It was a good thing Grandmother had no fear of her own child. She is always the parent no matter how old he gets.

"He doesn't like talking about it but we are not the full tribe child. Thirty years ago we had broken away from them over a power struggle. You see some people in the tribe have a rare but wonderful ability. Your father was unable to unlock his without using the staff. So in theory he was ineligible to lead the true tribe. Our rules are clear. You have to be able use our rare ability if you are royal. Without it, the people can choose someone else. So disgraced, your father stole the staff he uses now and took the loyal tribeman with him. They sailed her and made a living. That is why he doesn't want to talk about it anymore. It reminds him of his failure."

Moana at the time could barely comprehend this. Her father being a reject from a bigger tribe seemed outlandish. But her grandmother never lied to her before. She knew it best not to confront her father about it just yet. But in her heart Moana knew that she would be free one day. Even if she had to run around to do so.

"I'll find the way out of here." Moana vowed. She turns to face her grandmother with a fake smile.

"Yes?" She answered her.

Grandmother closes the distance between them and sighs. Her eyes sad with the news she would have to bring her favorite Granddaughter.

"It's almost time for the trial." Grandmother licks her lips and looks at the sun as it dips below the sea line. "I know it is within you to triumph my child."

"Thank you Grandmother." Moana said. She pulls out a bulk flip phone from a hidden sleeve in the back of her skirt. She made it herself a month ago with the bare minimum metal they had imported from afar. A weird source within helped direct her body in doing it. It went along with a purple key of a pirate themed warrior. So far Moana wasn't able to use the power within it. It needed a power source to complete the construction. Moana kept it on her at all times just in case. The island being so big it had hidden predators waiting to kill anyone who didn't keep a weapon on them. The scars on Moana's back were proof enough that being weak got you killed.

"You either grew strong on the island, or you perish." Her mother once said when Moana was five. Moana wince at the weary smile her mother gave her at that time. Her lips were scarred badly from a battle with a wild beast. A wooden eye replaced her left one glossed over with lotion to hide the scratches around the wounded eye socket. "Our people will rise up again soon. We will show the world why we were to be feared."

Moana's mother directs her gaze to a worn out map of the world. It shows the Elemental Nations fully formed over time after the Yonko years. The strong Cloud country held the military and leadership that protected the country from outside threats. The barren Rock country held the labor forces for mineral removal and helped provide raw resources such as gold, silver, oil, and basic metals. The Ice country in the far north held an isolated tribe of warriors allied with the Republic. They were left alone by the nation and free to do as they pleased. The Water country, where their island was closes, held the powerful Navy of the country that helped keep outsiders from other nations out. This country was also the harshest to live in next to Rock country due to the rise of pirates and bandits on the more isolated islands. The Navy tried to keep them in line, but were doing a horrible job. Nine times out of ten the Navy ships were sunk in battle and required a higher up of military to step in. Despite their best efforts the pirates manage to stalemate the battle and keep a small part of the country roped off. Anyone who crosses into that territory risk death at their hands. The final country in the Nation was the Fire country. They held the technological advancements, royalty, and merchant shops of the land. If you had the money you could get a flying ship with great defensive capabilities. It required a high status as well that most people in the nation would be unable to earn.

Moana enjoyed these lessons of the world outside. Despite the inability to actually explore it like her heart desired. Her father forbade even the idea of contact with the Wave country. After the war bad blood flowed between the country and the smaller island. But all this will change soon. Moana could feel it in her bones. She clutches her morpher inside her pocket and takes a deep breath. She would see the outside world. Even if it killed her.

First, she must take the Trials of Adulthood. Once she earns her recognition then she can hope to be free of this island and to finally see what the world itself has to offer her.