A day went by without the Crow Imagin showing his face. The streets had begun to return to normal, and the lingering smell of Helheim was gone. Still, Ace knew that the Imagin was far from gone. Dai-Shocker's plans were slow to unravel, and he needed to find the source, the reason why the Crow was so focused on this particular district.
Time to retrace my steps, Ace thinks, straddling the Sakura Hurricane. Maybe I missed something.
As the pink motorcycle roared to life, Ace headed back to the district, the Taros chattering in his mind. Kintaros mused about the challenge ahead. Momotaros just wanted something to hit. Ryutaros was thinking about new dance moves. Ace tried to focus, but the Imagin's presence was beginning to annoy him.
He rounds a corner, the sun glinting off the bike's chrome, and there he is, that darn Asahi kid. The kid looked too eager, eyes shining with that hero-worship that made Ace want to groan. Not this again.
"Ace-san!" Asahi shouts, waving his arms. "Wait up!"
Ace sighs inwardly. This was getting ridiculous.
Why is this kid so persistent?! Momotaros barks in his head.
Ace stops the bike, feigning a smile. "Asahi-kun," he says, trying to keep his tone light. "What a coincidence."
Asahi grins, undeterred by Ace's forced pleasantries. "I knew I'd find you! I've been waiting all morning. I was hoping you'd go here."
Ace's eyebrow rises. "Waiting all morning, huh?"
"Yep! I want to help! I know this district. I used to hang around here a lot" Asahi declares, puffing out his chest. "I can heal people, remember? And I know a lot about heroes."
Ace runs a hand through his hair, frustration building. I can't just shake him off. He'll follow me all day. And what if the kid can actually do something? Ace's always seen how those with pure hearts can affect the world around them.
He glances at Asahi, the earnestness in his eyes almost painful. "Fine, you can come," Ace relents, but immediately adds, "But you listen to me, got it? No heroics, no charging into danger. You stick with me, and you do what I say. Deal?"
Asahi's face lights up like a Christmas tree. "Deal!" he exclaims, nodding enthusiastically. "This is going to be amazing!"
Ace sighs, starting up the Sakura Hurricane. Asahi jumps on behind him, clinging on tight. Well, this is going to be a long day.
The engine rumbled, and the two of them rode into the heart of the ravaged district. Buildings were boarded up, signs torn, and the lingering scent of decay hung heavy in the air.
"So," Asahi began, voice filled with curiosity. "How are we going to find this Imagin, Ukiyo-san?"
Ace steered around a pile of debris, his gaze sweeping across the area. "We need to figure out why it's attacking these places," he says, tone thoughtful. "If we can understand the motivation, we might find its host."
Asahi tilted his head, confused. "Host? You mean, like, it has a person it's following around?"
"Exactly," Ace says. "Imagins make contracts with people, grant their wish. In return, the Imagin gains a physical form and changes the past. If we find the contractor, it becomes easier to stop it."
They cruised slowly, observing each building. Asahi, with his local knowledge, was the one doing most of the talking, pointing at landmarks, buildings, and street corners.
"Hey, Ukiyo-san, look!" Asahi exclaims, pointing at a shattered storefront. "All these places…they're new stores! They only opened in the last few years. The old stores I remember are the untouched ones!"
Ace slows down the Sakura Hurricane, studying the damaged shops. "You sure about that, Asahi?" he asks, not wanting to assume.
"Positive!" Asahi replies, nodding with conviction. "I grew up around here. I know which shops have been around forever and which ones popped up recently. The old stores are mostly untouched! Like Natsumi's shop."
Ace's mind races. New stores…so the Imagin is targeting what exactly? Is the Imagin going for progress? "So, the Imagin is targeting new stores. But why?" He says, more to himself than to Asahi. The pieces are beginning to fall into place, but the picture was far from complete.
The sun climbed higher, and with it, Asahi's stomach began to rumble. "Hey, Ukiyo-san," he says, patting his belly, "it's almost noon. Mind if we grab a bite? I know the perfect place."
Ace glances at Asahi. He was hungry too, so it wasn't a hard choice. "Where to?" he asked, trying to hide his relief.
"Sakura Diner!" Asahi chirps. "It's just around the corner."
They arrived at the diner, its cherry blossom logo faded but welcoming. Asahi hops off the bike and pulls the door open, a bell jingling merrily above.
"Natsumi!" Asahi calls out, waving enthusiastically.
A young woman with long, dark hair ties it back and turns from behind the counter, her eyes widening with a warm smile. "Asahi! Long time, no see!"
"Natsumi, this is Ukiyo-san, a friend from…out of town," Asahi says, stumbling over his words.
Natsumi approaches, her smile genuine. "Welcome! I'm Natsumi, co-owner and head waitress."
Ace nods politely. "Nice to meet you."
"Take any seat!" Natsumi says, grabbing a couple of menus. "What can I get you?"
Asahi grins, sliding into a booth. "The usual, Natsumi! And Ukiyo-san, you gotta try the katsudon. It's the best in town."
As Natsumi takes their orders, an elderly couple emerges from the kitchen. The man, with kind eyes and a warm smile, wipes his hands on his apron. "Asahi! It's good to see you, my boy."
"Hey, Mr. and Mrs. Sakura!" Asahi says, beaming. "This is Ace, a new friend."
Mrs. Sakura, her face etched with wrinkles of time and laughter, nods warmly. "Welcome to Sakura Diner, Ace-kun. Make yourself at home!"
Mr. and Mrs. Sakura returned to the kitchen, leaving Ace and Asahi to settle into their booth. Asahi leans forward, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "So, Ace-san, those armors you have—they're so cool! How do you get them?"
Ace winces, glancing around the diner. Luckily, no one seemed to be paying attention. "Asahi-kun," he hisses, "keep it down, will you?"
Asahi shrinks back, chastened. "Sorry, sorry. But seriously, can anyone get those armors? Is it a Quirk? Or, like, a support item? Can I get one too?"
Ace stares, taken aback. This was not where he expected the conversation to go. Why would Asahi want something like that? He says, "What makes you want something like my…armors?"
Asahi's eyes shone with an intensity that belied his cheerful demeanor. "I always wanted to be a hero, you know? But because of my Quirk—Healing Touch—I can only patch people up after the fight. I can't be that image of a hero. I always dreamed of being, not someone who stays in the back." Asahi continued. "But when I saw you, Kamen Rider, fighting those monsters, I knew. That's the kind of hero I always wanted to be. If I had armor like yours, maybe I could actually do some fighting, too. I want to fight, not stay at the back, healing."
Ace is quiet. Then, "Getting armor like mine isn't easy, Asahi-kun. It's almost…impossible. I'm lucky that I have these powers. When I received Kuuga in my home world, I can't remember how. And it comes with a cost. You have to be ready to fight monsters and have to fulfill your duty."
Ace softened his tone, adding, "There's nothing to be ashamed of being a healer. You're still a hero, even if you're not on the front lines. You're saving people's lives, remember?"
Asahi's expression is still unconvinced, his youthful idealism clashing with Ace's grim reality.
The bell above the door jingles, announcing Natsumi's return. She sets down steaming bowls of katsudon in front of them, the savory aroma filling the air. "Here you go, boys," she says, smiling. "Enjoy!"
Ace and Asahi started eating. When Ace tasted his food, it had a savory and comforting warmth that spread through him. It was the best katsudon he'd tasted in a while.
Asahi nods enthusiastically. "See? I told you it was good!" He grins, taking another bite. "Natsumi's katsudon can solve any problem. I eat this almost every day!"
Natsumi, who's wiping down a nearby table, smiles at their enthusiasm. "Glad you like it, Asahi. Ukiyo-san, be sure to come back anytime!"
"I will," Ace responds sincerely, taking another bite. The pork was tender, the egg coating perfectly crisp, and the rice perfectly seasoned. He could see why Asahi raved about it. He nearly forgot his duties in this world.
"Oh, Natsumi, don't forget about the special blend, Ukiyo-san. I'm sure he wants to know about it!" Asahi promotes.
Natsumi chuckles, walking back to the counter. "Asahi, you're such a salesman. I'll tell him later, after he's finished eating. Can't talk about the special blend on an empty stomach!"
The two continue to eat, enjoying the quiet atmosphere of Sakura Diner. But suddenly, in Ace's mind, Hey, Ace, Ace! This girl, Natsumi, she has an Imagin! Momotaros's voice boomed, nearly causing him to choke on his food in shock.
He coughed, grabbing his glass of water and gulping it down, his eyes darting to Natsumi, who was busy chatting with another customer. What?! Are you sure, Momotaros? Ace asks.
Positive! I can smell it on her! Smells like…sand and old paper? Real weird. But there's no mistake.
***
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Advance chapters are in my P@|r3on - Najicablitz