Dreams

Author Note: So I sat down and REALLY watched Episode 4, and...now I love Joe/Ahim. There. I have admitted it. :D They ARE adorable, I'm tellin' ya'! So, here is one of my first one-shots about them. Enjoy!

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"Haaaaa..." Gokai Blue rolled backwards before thrusting one sword into the tree's middle and slicing towards the top of it, as if aiming for a neck. Jerking back, he threw his swords into the air and kicked off the peice of nature, easily catching his weapons and landing in a crouching postion.

A few seconds ticked by before the tree collasped into three peices, and he nodded slowly to himself. Exhaustion filled his being, the adrieline burst gone as quick as it had come, and he dropped all the wall. Sweat sheeted his face, and he heard a small gasp.

"Joe-san!" Ahim's eyes were lined with extreme worry and fear as she knelt by his side, hands on his back.

Why must he take such measures every time? It is hurting him! she thought as she sat back on her heels, watching him struggle to his hands and knees.

"I'm...fine..." he grunted, hefting himself up and stumbling his way towards the ship, "esco..."

"Joe-san..." she tried to assist him in walking, hands on his ribs, and he allowed it reluctantly.

The small princess was a fragile Pirate, and he didn't want to hurt her. The two finally managed to get back on board, and she eased him onto the couch gingerly. As she scurried off the make some tea, he slumped over onto one the rests on the furniture, sighing deeply. Marvelous glanced up from his chair, his eyes only half-open, since he'd been asleep, as usaul.

"Another training session?" he didn't have to get an answer to know, "she's goin' get worryin' about ya'."

"I really wish she wouldn't..." his eyes glazed a bit as he slipped into his own thinking, trying to block out the rest of the world as he always did. Some subjects were just too touche'.

The daylight hours quickly passed, and Gokai Blue was once more training himself in the forest. A two-sword fighting style was something that took patience and practice, and he wouldn't let himself believe he'd mastered it.

CRACK! His sword edge ripped the bark once more as he thought in the once serene silence of night.

He mused on how much he trained. In Ahim's mind, he did this to himself far too often. In his frame of mind, he did this too himself far from enough. Being imprisined by the Zangyack did have some advantages. For a short time, he'd had Cid. His friend had been a leader and paved the way for him to be in the position he was in now. The camp had also made him realize he was a citizin of the universe. Sure, he was a Pirate now. He rebelled against the universe because the Zangyack were the universe.

Temporarily, of course.

If he could possibly take down their forces for good...maybe then his debt would be paid. That constant debt he'd held to himself for so long. Somewhere deep in his heart and soul, though...

He knew this wasn't a debt that you could pay.

SLASH!

Because of him, Cid was turned into Barizorg. He had saved his soul, demo...not him. If he had refused to ever leave his side...he wouldn't have ever been put through that torturous hell. In his frame of mind, he'd always thought he should've been the one to go through that.

CRACK!

On the run had been a quiet, lonely place. In the forests...or really, whatever he'd happened to be at that paticular night, it always seemed to be cold. His heart had been shattered beyond repair and been fixed with a layer of ice. Underneath that ice, there was pain. Horrible, unbearable pain that he'd refused to show to the rest of the world. Nothing had broken that layer of ice yet.

SLAM!

When he'd first met Marvelous, he'd thought he was a bit crazy in the head. After all, he'd ripped off that electric collar with almost no qualms. But when he'd become a crew member to him...he'd seen that there was so much to him. He'd never admit to it, but he cared for those who were weaker than him. It was lonely on that ship, even with the company of Navi, and having him along made it easier on himself.

Both of them had lost people they considered family. For Marvelous, it was AkaRed and Basco. For Joe, it was Cid, of course. This was how their bond got close. They'd sworn to not loose each other because they were best friends. The heartache would kill the other if one was killed. But personally, to the Blue Pirate, he was more intersted in watching the captain's back. Not only because he was impulsive and cocky, but because he didn't think he needed or deserved anyone to watch over him.

Cid had made that mistake. He wasn't going to let his best friend to the same.

RIP! The tree was down by this point, but his thoughts were overpowering him now. He kept beating on it, feeling every muscle in his arms groan and strain.

Then his thought lingered to Ahim. She was an ex-princess, and had been forced to flee powerlessly from her planet. To have that pain...he could only imigane. But she never acted like it bothered her. She didn't go berzerk when the Zangyzack brought it up...well, minus the time the guy who destroyed her previous life came to town. Any other time, though...it was as if it'd never happened.

He would never understand that. It was like...it really didn't bother her.

CRACK, SNAP!

Then again, she'd made this new life for herself. Her scars had faded because she still trust and innocence. The crew was her family now, and she'd avenged herself. She was able to let the past go.

But he wasn't.

The tree was history at this point, and he lowered his two swords, breathing hard and slowly returning to the world. It was then he saw a birds nest on the ground, and three cracked eggs. By destroying the tree...he'd destroyed three lives. A grown bird, probably the mother, fluttered down and landed on the nest. She went perfectly still, and he knew inside she was greiving.

"I'm sorry..." he dropped his weapons. Maybe it was a little stupid to most to worry over animals, but to him...

He got to his knees and screamed.

"You are going to catch a cold," a voice spoke behind him, and he felt his jacket be draped on his shoulders.

"Thanks," he mumbled, keeping his eyes on the pitch night sky. It was new moon, and even the stars seemed to have left.

"Joe-san..." she didn't leave, which he'd hoped she would, "what is bothering you?"

He didn't really know how to answer that. My life, he thought as he didn't met her gaze. Both just stood there for quite a time, lost in there on thoughts.

"I understand your past may not be the most pleasent..." she spoke slowly as she squeezed his hand, "...did...did you once loose somebody you cared for?"

He was silent, shocked, for quite a time before speaking, "Hai. Demo...I'd rather..."

"I understand," she assured softly, and he could see by her eyes she was remembering that night, "I realize...my parents' deaths were not my fault. I have avenged them...this is how I let go of my past."

Her eyes asked the question, So how will you let go of yours?

He just couldn't answer that question.

It was the next morning he got his answer.

The Zangyzack sent a surprise attack on the Gallen, and now the crew was fighting Scormin and Gormin, as usaul. He grunted, kicking a Gormin in the chest and slashing at a few more with his sword. It was easier, honestly, with two swords, but for the time being this would work. Suddenly, he heard a scream that he knew all too familar, and he whirled around.

To his horror, Ahim was demorphed on the ground, clutching her weapons and breathing heavily. A couple of Scormin had unleashed their signiture attack on her, and this certain attack had put poison in her system. As it entered her bloodstream, it sent electricty through her body, and the others gasped in horror. Marvelous launched himself at them instantly, Luka close behind him, but before he could blink, they'd met the same fate.

"Marvelous-san, Ahim-san!" Gai cried, rushing to the two as Doc frantically called Luka's name.

Anger coursed through the Blue Pirate's veins. He quietly grabbed Marvelous' sword, gripping it with his own, and gathered the other three's swords without a word. His face was twisted into true hate, and his eyes flashed as he put in their Ranger Keys.

Final Wave!

He slashed out with his all, letting two of the swords go, and they sliced through the remaining Gormin as the Final Wave finished off the Scomrin. The two swords returned to his grasp like a boomerang, and he sighed, trying to regain his control of his emotions.

"Joe-san...that was..." Gai was obviously astountied, but that's when the Scormin grew to mega-size, "I've got this one. Hakasae, help Joe-san get the others fixed up."

"Hai..." Gokai Green nodded, "don't worry, guys...all we'll have to do is drain the poison out..."

As the ship's doctor, Gokai Blue trusted him. It didn't keep him from shadowing his eyes as he scooped Ahim into his arms and nudged Marvelous awake.

Marvelous and Luka had recovered pretty quickly, but Ahim was having more trouble. She laid in bed, knitting a little as the others kept a watch over her. Now it Joe's shift, and he watched her sleep. He was thumbing her open palm, blaming himself mentally. He hadn't been close enough, and she'd been killed.

"Joe-san..." she suddenly moaned, and he quickly let go of her hand.

"Hai?" he inquired, "how do you...feel?"

"I am feeling much more refreshed," much to his alarm, she grasped his hand once, "do not leave my side, Joe-san."

And that's when it hit him. He wasn't by Cid's side when he was turned into Barizorg, and now he stayed at Marvelous' side to keep him out of trouble. To repay his debt...

"Hai," he agreed to her request, squeezing her hand.

He'd told himself his dreams were stupid and unobtainable. He'd said he didn't deserve to have dreams of his own. He was more focused on helping his crew...no, his family's dreams come true. Sometimes he had the feeling, though, Ahim might have a dream other than rebuilding her planet.

Maybe it was a nice thing to dream. Even if you knew you couldn't achieve it...it wasn't bad to fantasize. It gave you hope and stregnth within yourself...that was why Ahim was able to let go of her past. And it was about time for Joe to do the same.

He didn't know what his personal dream was now, since he knew Cid would never come back. That was the only dream he'd really ever had. And then all these years of refusing to...he would have to find it.

But he already had a pretty good idea of what it was.

Author Note: Please review! :D