Pops stood behind the counter of Café Pole Pole, his brow furrowed with concern. A few days had passed since Ace's last shift, and the young man had not returned or left any messages. This was highly unusual, as Ace was always punctual and diligent in his work.
Pops wiped down the counter, his movements slow and thoughtful. He couldn't help but worry about Ace's wellbeing. The boy had become like family to him, and Pops couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that something had happened.
As the café's bell chimed, signaling a new customer, Pops plastered on a welcoming smile. "Welcome to Pole Pole," he greeted, but his heart wasn't fully in it. His mind remained preoccupied with Ace's unexplained absence.
Pops made his way to the kitchen, preparing the day's special curry. He worked methodically, but his eyes kept drifting to the clock, hoping to see Ace walk through the door at any moment. The silence in the café was deafening, a stark contrast to the usual lively atmosphere when Ace was around.
Pops sighed heavily, setting down the ladle. He knew he needed to do something, but he wasn't sure what. All he knew was that he couldn't shake the growing worry for the young man he had come to care for as his own.
Pops looked up as the café's door opened, and Nico and Berto stepped inside. He greeted them with a warm smile, though his eyes betrayed the worry he felt.
"Nico, Berto, good to see you," Pops said. "I was actually hoping you two might know where Ace is. He hasn't been in for his shifts, and I'm starting to get concerned."
Nico and Berto exchanged a worried glance. "We were going to ask you the same thing," Nico admitted. "Ace hasn't been at school either. We figured he might be here with you."
Pops shook his head, the crease between his brows deepening. "No, he hasn't shown up. I was hoping you might have some idea where he is."
Berto's brow furrowed with concern. "The last time we saw him, he said he was going to get groceries for you, Pops. But that was a few days ago."
Pops shook his head, confusion etched on his face. "That can't be right. The store still has plenty of ingredients, and we won't need to restock for at least a month."
Nico's lips pressed into a thin line. "Then where could he be? It's not like Ace to just disappear like this."
The trio exchanged worried glances, the silence in the café suddenly deafening. Pops reached for his phone, his fingers trembling slightly as he scrolled through the contacts.
"I'm going to try calling him," he said, his voice laced with worry. "Maybe he'll pick up and we can figure out what's going on."
Nico and Berto watched anxiously as Pops held the phone to his ear, the ringing echoing through the empty café. After a few moments, Pops' shoulders slumped in defeat.
"No answer," he murmured, his brow furrowed with concern. "This isn't like him at all."
Nico placed a comforting hand on Pops' arm. "We'll find him, Pops. Ace is strong, and he's got to be okay. We just need to figure out where he could be."
Nico caresses the necklace around her neck, which she received from her mother.
Where are you, Ace...
Worry lines her brow as she scans the empty café, hoping to see her friend walk through the door. Pops and Berto remain silent, sharing her concern for Ace's unexplained absence.
Ace felt like he was floating in a deep, dark void. The wounds he had suffered from Balva weighed heavily on him, and his heart had stopped. Faint voices of people surrounded him, desperately trying to save him, but their efforts were in vain.
He couldn't move, couldn't open his eyes. It was as if he was trapped in a dreamless sleep, with no sense of time or place. The world around him had faded away, leaving him in a state of complete and utter stillness.
Ace could hear muffled voices around him, their words barely registering in his foggy mind.
"We lost him, sir."
The gruff response made Ace want to open his eyes, but his body refused to respond.
"His vitals are slowly getting back up."
Ace was surprised to hear this. How was he still alive?
"How is this possible?" the voice asked, laced with disbelief.
"We don't know, sir," came the reply.
"Keep monitoring him," the first voice commanded, and Ace felt a sense of relief wash over him, even as he remained trapped in the darkness.
Ace slowly opened his eyes, blinking as the bright lights of the hospital room came into focus. He felt a sense of disorientation, unsure of how he had ended up here. Gingerly, he lifted his hand, examining it closely. To his astonishment, the wounds he had sustained from his battle with Balva were completely healed, not even a scar remaining.
Ace furrowed his brow, trying to piece together the events that had led him to this place. The last thing he remembered was fighting Balva and two other Grongi before he was skewered. Yet, here he was, alive and seemingly unharmed.
He shifted his weight, wincing slightly as he became aware of the various monitors and tubes connected to his body. The steady beeping of the machines was the only sound in the room, save for the occasional muffled voice from the hallway.
Ace took a deep breath, trying to calm the swirling thoughts in his mind. Where was he? How had he survived? And more importantly, what had happened to the Grongi and the police that was in the raid?
Ace's eyes widened in surprise as the door opened, revealing the imposing figure of Nick Fury, the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Fury's entrance was marked by a sense of suspense, his gaze piercing through Ace.
"Glad to see you awake, Kamen Rider. Or should I say Ace Ukiyo?" Fury's voice was calm, yet carried an underlying authority.
Ace tensed, unsure of how to respond. He had heard the name S.H.I.E.L.D. before, but never expected to come face-to-face with its director, let alone in this vulnerable state.
***
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Advance chapters are in my P@|r3on - Najicablitz