Marvelous was a Kaizoku. He was Captain Marvelous, the last surviving member of the Red Pirate Gang. At one point, the now-defunct Zangyack Empire had an "UNLIMITED REWARD" for his head. He was GokaiRed, he had taken on emperors, princes, generals, etc….. and he was, taking measurements for his clothes by Don and Gai in his own room so they can get him a tailor-made suit for his date with Ahim de Famille tonight. Although this wasn't as mind-numbing as predicting Basco's next move, or as physically exhausting as going up God-knows-how-many levels of a maximum security prison, this was…. a pain, to say the least.
"Marvelous", said Joe. He turned to GokaiBlue who point to the clothing on the table. "You'll be wearing a crisp new pair of blue jeans, some black dress shoes, your white button-up with the flared cuff-links and collar, and a black blazer. Got it?" He didn't respond. "Oooooooo," chuckled Gai." Now Marvelous-san will be know as the romantic rogue, sailing with his crew and woman, to the stars beyond, his recklessness only matched by his heart!" The only thing more repulsive than that statement was Gai's gestures while saying it. "Let it go," said Joe. "Now go cook something romantic, or he'll have you're head." "Ai-Yai, Sir!" saluted Don and Gai, and as they turned to leave Marvelous snapped, "You pull a prank tonight and I WILL have you HEAD!"
"Marvelous." The Captain turned to who was perhaps his most trusted crew member. "About tonight….." Oh shit, more rules, thought the captain. "The most important thing to remember about tonight…." He looked Marvelous dead straight in his eyes. "Do NOT…. start stuffing all the food. Take your time with it. Okay?" Well, at least it wasn't said like an order. "I'll remember… " "Seriously, Marvelous, don't eat like a pig. Woman hate that. Second, talk simply. Small talk, but let it grow." Marvelous looked confused. "Compliment her clothes and jewelry," he advised Marvelous as the captain put on his jeans and shoes.
In another room, Luka was watching Ahim check herself in the mirror. She knew how to pick locks, swindle poker, find ten shooting stars, but one thing was certain: Ahim could dress - to IMPRESS.
"Ask simple questions about why he likes certain things. And when he asks something answer question, and then say why you felt that way about it", instructed Luka. Ahim made sure to listen and learn from Luka. Luka always had her best intentions in mind, and would never give any advice that would ultimately hurt her.
"Be honest," Joe said as Marvelous buttoned his collar, "but hold back really BIG stuff." "Be respectful" said Luka as she helped put on Ahim's earrings. Ahim looked at Luka and Marvelous look at Joe. "That's a lot to remember. Seems complicated." they said. Joe and Luka shrugged and commented, "Love always is".
Later, that night, Marvelous walked up to main room and rested his arm onto the navigation system. The lights were slightly dimmed, and white Christmas Lights decorated the room. The table was folded in half, with only two chairs underneath. The was a red and pink tablecloth covering the table, with one half being red and the other half completely pink. It was clever, he admitted. There was a lit candle in the center of the table, and jazz ballads were playing in the background. So Navi could be useful after all….
Marvelous heard the staircase creak, and walking down the stairs - out of a romantic teen comedy, or the heavens - was Ahim. Dressed in a silk, purple dress that went to her knees, with matching color high heels, and golden earrings dangling from her ears, Marvelous was awestruck. Her hair was long yet wavy, with a parted separation on her forehead with bangs that slightly went over her eyes. In spite of her diva-esque appearance, Marvelous noticed that she seemed somewhat unsure. "Ahim-san….." He walked over to the staircase and held her hands. He smiled, but didn't know what to say. Ahim for her part, was astonished. Marvelous could have passed for a male model in the chic fashion magazines she read as a child. His look was one of confidence and danger, yet sweet, ravishing, and modern. After stammering for a bit, Marvelous finally calmed his nerve enough to finally say, "You look wonderful tonight." Her illuminating smile was a beacon of joy in the dark lit room.
He walked her to the table and yes, he pulled out her chair for her, on the pink side of the table. As he went to his chair she commented, "Everyone certainly has put a lot into this, just for us." "I know. They may be a pain, but they are the only crew for this vessel."
Taking Luka's advice, Ahim asked simply, "Why is that?" Marvelous looked confused. "Why are they a pain, and why are they the…only crew?"
Marvelous realized Luka gave her the same advice Joe gave him, but decided not reveal it. "Well….."he stammered. "I'm….. used to the rough play…" He looked into the candle, and then into Ahim's eyes. The way she looked at you with those eyes, you could never lie. "I'm not used to the sincere goofiness, I guess."
"What about honest emotion?" "Hm?" "Well, Gai's outward expression of…. joy and Don's…. own way of thinking are what make them who they are. What makes them unique." she concluded.
Marvelous grinned. " If I couldn't like that….. they would not have joined us. YOU would not have joined us. I just love….. my OWN idea….. of excitement. I can't stand still. How can you do that? I mean, you're so….. prim, and …..proper….. and, sincere."
Ahim looked down, then held her hands on the table as she explained with a smile. "As a princess, I was always sheltered. I knew it. I know I'm not the most intelligent, like Don, or the strongest, like Joe…" her face seemed to fall. "I just…. can not break out of who I am. Some my call me naive, or 'useless'….."she crept at that word. "….. But will always stand by my convictions, by who I am. No matter what. If it's fighting the Zangyack, or standing by friends…" She was growing uncomfortable, he could tell.
"Ahim-san….."She looked up, and their eyes met. "I didn't mean for you to explain any faults you feel that you have. Arrigato. I simply meant that…. I marvel at who you are. You have the biggest guts out of all of us. You left your previous life to join us. You had a biggest learning curve, to learn to fight, to learn to take care of yourself. And yet…. you're still the same. Authentically strong and lovely. Don't ever feel shame for that. Not from Joe, not from Luka…. and especially not from me." Her eyes glowed again, and for the rest of the evening they would remain that way, he was sure of it.
"Dinner!" Out of the kitchen came out Don and Gai, with their cooking aprons and chef hats'. They laid out a pasta-and-Italian-bread serving. Navi came out, dressed in a suit and tie, to poor some wine into their glasses. "Only the finest for the captain and his princess!" Even Marvelous made a small smile as his glass was filled with the dark red liquid. Don, Gai, and Navi stood side-by-side and bowed. Both Marvelous and Ahim raised their glasses in thanks. The trio went back to the kitchen, giggling amongst themselves as to how well everything was going.
Now, Marvelous looked at his plate, and realized why Joe had explained the food thing first. He took one bite, and wanted to just stuff his face. He didn't, and soon, Ahim helped it pay off. "Marvelous-san, would you please pass the bread?" "Ha!" He could talk to her if he didn't eat ALL the time. It actually helped to set the mood. "It makes me feel like a kaizoku king! All the attention, the service, all at my whim and fancy." he grinned. "Well…. gratitude is also part of royalty. That's what keeps it prim and proper." explained Ahim with a sweet smile. "Heh. What could you do for fun as a princess?" "Well,"she thought hard about this. "I loved to walk in the gardens, and ride horses from the royal stable. I just loved being outside." "Outside?" asked an interested Marvelous. For some odd reason, the side of him that swung himself and Ahim off the night before was taking hold. "You still feel that way about the outdoors?" "Oh, hai. All activities are better outside." "Well then," he grinned, "Meet in the crow's nest ASAP. Dress the way you normally do." "Temou…. can we do that? Leave this wonderfully decorated environment that everyone worked so hard for the both of us?" She was authentic in her worry. "Heh, they didn't say we couldn't." She seemed uneasy, but she couldn't help but laugh when he dragged her off.
"Joe! It's been fifteen minutes since their date, and it's so quiet!" "Hm. Let them be, Luka" said Joe as they played poker in Luka's room. "It doesn't matter if they do or don't end up together - or stay together. It's their decision. And their decisions about what they do should not be our business." "Still, were you surprised? I mean, Marvelous and Ahim-san are so… so….." "Not each other?" completed Joe. "Hai!" laughed Luka. "I mean, Marvelous and Ahim. It's like, night and day. He's a kaizoku, born and raised, and she's a princess, born and raised. He's sarcastic and wild, and she's so prim and proper, and…. innocent." "I know, but, Marvelous-san is just intrigued, "explained Joe. "He always has been. I guess now, he searched and little more, and liked what he found." "Hauu…. I know what you mean. It's just so… fascinating. I would never have believed those two would like each other when I first met them. It's Beauty and the Beast, you know?" Joe simply grinned, knowing how spot-on that statement was. Suddenly both Joe and Luka's cellulars went off. They picked up in surprise. "Ah-ah-ahhhhhh! Joe-san! Luka-san!" "DON! Calm down. Ugh, I almost forgot what your whining was like. What is wrong with you?" Gai spoke next. "Our couple is nowhere to be found!" "Ehhh?" shrieked Joe and Luka.
"You try." Marvelous put his Gokai Gun away. Ahim walked to the the center of the Galleon's roof and took out her Gokai Gun. She had never conceived the notion of this idea before. She knew what shooting stars were, and Luka always stressed how beautiful they were - but actually shooting a shooting star? Even when she first joined the Gokaigers, this was well beyond her imagination. She pointed at the shoot star in the distance, and with much hesitation, she fired. The bullet connected, and the star bounced off into another direction. "Nice!" laughed Marvelous. "You're a natural!" Ahim looked at her date with some anxiety. "Marvelous-san…. is this okay?" "I dunno," he shrugged. She looked somewhat disappointed. "I mean, there's no Dekaranger arresting us….. expect for that one time. Anyway, if they're not supposed be shot…." he pointed his gun out to his right without looking and fired, hitting another shooting star, "why are they called shooting stars? I mean, it's in the title!" he laughed. Even Ahim giggled at that notion. "You laughed, that means you approve." "Does not, Marvelous-san!" "Then why are you still smiling? If you don't like it, then why are you still smiling?" Even Ahim couldn't deny THAT. Looking for some way out of this, she turned it on him. "Where in the world did you come up with such an activity?" Marvelous simply put his gun on his shoulder and thought. "Well, no where on a world, cause I was in space….." She simply looked unamused and shook her head whilst Marvelous simply smiled in pride at his little quip at her phrasing. "When it was just me and Joe, we did this when we were bored. "
"We also found the gun has this." He turned the safety knob past the safety position, and pointed down on the roof. When he fired, the gun let out a simple spark that popped. Ahim jumped when the spark lit. "Don't worry. It doesn't do anything. Watch." He point it to his arm, fired, and besides the flash, his skin was unscathed. That didn't stop Ahim from covering her mouth with her hands. "And we used to do this all the time." Without thinking, he point at her feet and fired. The spark made Ahim jump and Marvelous giggle.
Ahim, however, was not amused. "Marvelous! That is not how you treat your girlfriend on a first date!" And without even instinct on her side, she turned the safety knob on her Gokai Gun like his, and fired at his chest. Marvelous staggered back, in utter shock. " Not so Marvelous now, huh Captain?" Her gun was on her shoulder, and sass was in her smirk. "Ahim-san…." his shock soon turned sly. "I like it!" He got on one knee at shot at Ahim's leg. She shot back at his chest. Without even thinking about it, they were paying tag with their guns, Marvelous getting the back of Ahim's head and her feet, while in turn she got his neck and belly. "You won't get away THAT easy!" Marvelous laughed. "What do you mean?" Ahim posed enthusiastically. "I'm making this showy!"She shot the gun out of his hand, and proceeded to bombard his chest with shots. Not to be outdone, he ran up to her and grabbed the gun and her hands, her back against his chest. "No fair, Marvelous-san!" she laughed. "That's cheating!" "We're Kaizoku, it's how we roll!" Both fell stumbled and "fell", with Marvelous' back as a cushion.
Ahim simply rested looked up to Marvelous' eyes. Their eyes and smiles - small and round, Cheshire and angelic - met and matched. "Marvelous-san." "Yes, Ahim-san?" She didn't know quite how to explain it. "Did we do it right?" He was thrown by the question. "I mean, did we proceed the right way with the relationship steps?" Once again, after an initial pause, he found himself laughing like the night before. "We did, I think," answered the Captain. "But I don't think it matters. We're Kaizoku. We take what we want, and do what we want, the way we want to do it." They smiled together, and staring into each others' eyes, they leaned towards each other….like the night before. Only this time, neither one was surprised, or wanted to let go. After what seemed like an eternity of heaven, their lips finally parted, and she turned on her right side, resting her head on his chest.
"Marvelous-so…." "Ahim-san….." Nothing could possibly make this moment or the memory of this night any better. And then, out of the bloom….
BBOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!