Café Pole Pole is quiet. Dim light bathes the tables. The morning sun casts long shadows across the floor. Ace hits the floor. Push-ups. Each rep is a struggle. He grunts, pushing through.
Scissors… The name echoes in his mind. Ace felt outmatched. Vulnerable. He slams his palms against the floor. Another push-up. He thinks of the Mirror World. Anything could happen. Every battle is different. Every monster is unique. A bead of sweat rolls down his brow. He grits his teeth.
Am I strong enough? Doubts nag at him. Another rep. Then another. He pours all his strength into each movement. Ace isn't sure if training will help him to be stronger, but he knows he has to try.
[🔔 Ding Dong 🔔] The café door chimes. The sound breaks the silence.
Nico and Berto walk in, and they see Pops, who is behind the counter, wiping it down.
"Hey, Pops," Nico says.
"Morning," Berto says, voice bright.
Pops smiles. "You two need anything?"
"Nah, we're good," Nico says.
"Just came to say hi," Berto adds.
Pops nods. "Ace is in the back. Taking care of the place." He turns to Ace. "Ace! I'm stepping out to grab some supplies. Can you handle things here?"
Ace rises from the floor. Wipes his brow. "Yeah, Pops. No problem."
"Thanks, Ace!" Pops grabs his coat. "See you kids later." He exits the café, and Ace returns to his push-ups.
Nico and Berto exchange glances. They watch Ace with curiosity.
Nico raises an eyebrow. "Someone's working hard."
"What are you doing?" Berto laughs. "Trying out for the Olympics?"
Ace stops his push-ups. He looks up at them, grinning. "Just trying to stay in shape."
Nico folds her arms. "Seriously, though. What's with the boot camp routine?"
Ace sits up. He shrugs. "I ran into someone the other day. Made me realize I needed to step up my game."
Berto frowns. "Who was it? A supervillain?"
"Kind of," Ace says. "He was a Kamen Rider, like me, but… darker. He invited me to join Dai-Shocker."
Nico's eyes widen. "Dai-Shocker? Seriously? That's heavy."
"Who is it?" Berto asks.
"Scissors. Kamen Rider Scissors," Ace explains. "A Dark Rider."
"Scissors, a Dark Rider?" Nico repeats, "Well no kidding you are training so hard! Sounds intense."
Ace nods. "Yeah. It left me feeling… inadequate."
Berto claps Ace on the shoulder. "Hey, man, don't beat yourself up. At least you're doing something about it. It's good you're preparing yourself for future confrontations."
A small smile appears on Ace's face. "Thanks, Berto."
The three of them relax into the cozy ambiance of the café. Laughter fills the air as they share stories, trading jokes and friendly jabs. Ace, Berto, and Nico reminisce about their high school escapades, their voices blending with the soft jazz playing on the speakers.
Nico glances at her watch. "Okay, okay," she says. "As fun as this is, Berto and I have a mission."
Berto stretches, yawning. "Yeah, we promised we'd help my mom unpack some boxes. Archaeology stuff. It's gonna be a long day."
They start gathering their things. Nico slings her bag over her shoulder. Berto adjusts his glasses.
Ace leans against the counter. He smiles. "Thanks for stopping by, guys. It means a lot."
"Anytime, Ace," Berto replies.
"Yeah, don't be a stranger," Nico adds.
Ace nods. "You two stay safe out there."
Nico rolls her eyes playfully. "Please. What could possibly happen?"
"Don't jinx it!" Berto exclaims, then gives Nico a look of mock exasperation. "You know that kind of thing always comes back to bite you."
Nico shrugs, grinning. "Whatever. See ya, Ace."
Berto waves. "Later, man." They head toward the door, their playful banter echoing behind them.
Nico and Berto step out of the café. They walk down the street, heading east.
"So, are we hitting the library first?" Berto asks.
"Nah," Nico says. "Let's grab some boba. I need a caffeine boost for box duty."
Suddenly, a man approaches them.
"Excuse me," he says, flashing a badge. "Detective Koji, NYPD. Do you two have a moment?"
Nico and Berto stop. They exchange a quick glance.
"We're kind of in a hurry," Nico says, her voice tight.
Koji smiles, a little too wide. "It'll just take a minute. We've had some… unusual incidents in the area lately. Just routine questioning."
"Unusual?" Berto repeats.
"Just trying to gauge if anyone has observed suspicious behavior," Koji explains.
"Like what kind of suspicious behavior?" Nico asks.
Koji shrugs, spreading his hands. "Anything out of the ordinary. Strange people. Strange noises. Anything that doesn't feel right."
Nico glances at Berto, then back at Koji. She sighs. "I guess we haven't seen anything."
"Not really," Berto adds, shifting his weight.
"Hmm," Koji says, narrowing his eyes. "Are you sure? Think hard."
"We would tell you if we knew anything," Nico said.
"Perhaps a little jog of your memory will do." Koji leads them down a narrow alley, the shadows deepening around them. The air is thick with tension. Nico and Berto exchange another uneasy glance.
The alley is narrow. The sun doesn't reach here. Shadows cling to the brick walls. The air is cool. Damp. It smells of stale garbage.
Nico glances around. She frowns. "Detective, are you sure this is the right way?"
Koji smiles. "Just a shortcut. Gets us off the main street. Less noise."
Berto shivers. He pulls his jacket tighter. "It's kind of creepy back here."
[CRACK!]
The sound echoes through the alley. A mirror. It shatters.
From the darkness, something emerges.
Volcancer.
The Mirror Monster towers over them. A hulking crab-like beast. Its pincers snap. Its eyes glow red.
Nico gasps. She stumbles back.
Berto screams. He raises his hands.
Volcancer moves with surprising speed. Its claws reach out. They close around Nico and Berto.
Their screams are cut short. The alley walls amplify the sound. Fear is pungent.
Koji watches.
His face is calm.
His eyes are cold.
He takes a step back. He lets Volcancer take them. His smile is predatory. He enjoys it.
Volcancer's pincers tighten. Nico and Berto go limp. Their bodies hang in the monster's grasp, fragile and broken. Koji watches, satisfied.
Volcancer turns. It lumbers away, deeper into the alley. Koji follows. He walks with purpose, his footsteps echoing on the pavement. The shattered mirror shimmers, then fades.
As Nico succumbs to the darkness, a faint light emanates from her chest. The purple amulet, nestled beneath her dress, glows. It pulses with soft, ethereal energy.
The struggle ends quickly. Volcancer disappears, leaving only silence and a lingering sense of dread.
…
Ace continues his training, oblivious to the horrors outside. He pushes himself harder, his muscles burning. He tries to focus, but a nagging feeling gnaws at the back of his mind.
[RING RING]
His phone rings. It's Nico. He stops his exercises, grabs the phone, and answers.
"Hey, Nico," Ace says, his voice breathless. "Did you guys forget something?"
Silence.
Then, a voice. Cold. Calculating.
"Not Nico, Kamen Rider."
Ace freezes. He knows that voice. Scissors.
His blood runs cold.
"Where are my friends?" Ace demands, his voice tight.
"Your friends?" Scissors chuckles. "They're… safe. For now."
Panic flares in Ace's chest.
"What did you do to them?" Ace yells, his grip tightening on the phone.
"If you want to see them again," Scissors continues, his voice devoid of emotion, "come to the abandoned warehouse on Pier 82. Come alone. No cops. No heroes. Just you. And be quick. Their lives depend on it."
"What have you done to them?" Ace asks in a panic.
"Tick tock," Scissors sneers.
[ BOOP BOOP BOOP]
Ace stares at his phone. His mind races. Scissors has Nico and Berto. He knows who he is. He knows everything.
He clenches his fists. His friends are in danger. He can't hesitate.
He runs out of Pole Pole and gets on the Trychaser.
"Don't worry, Nico, Berto. I'll save you."
***
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Advance chapters are in my P@|r3on - Najicablitz