A Rider Kick in Marvel Rewrite

[Museum - Day]

Sunlight streams through the tall windows of the Musutafu Museum, illuminating ancient artifacts. But the calm shatters.

CRASH!

Display cases explode, sending shards of glass flying. Patrons scream and scramble for cover as a hulking figure bursts through the exhibit, its form a grotesque mockery of an ant.

The Ant Imagin.

Its mandibles snap, and chitinous armor gleams under the museum lights. It swipes at a display of samurai armor, sending it crashing to the floor. The Imagin's target? A priceless diamond necklace.

A red blur streaks across the hall. Ace, in Kuuga's Mighty Form, slams into the Imagin, knocking it back.

"Guess you haven't heard of Museum Mondays." Ace quips, settling into a fighting stance. "This is a no-go zone for giant bugs."

The Ant Imagin screeches, its multifaceted eyes glinting with malice. It lunges, its claws tearing at Kuuga's armor. Ace ducks and weaves, the familiar weight of the Arcle belt a comfort against his waist.

Time to dance.

He meets the Imagin's charge with a powerful punch, channeling energy into his fist. The Imagin staggers, but quickly recovers, its segmented body surprisingly agile. It retaliates with a flurry of blows, forcing Ace to block.

Not bad for an ant, Ace thinks, but I've tangled with worse.

The Imagin skitters across the floor, its claws clicking against the marble. It leaps onto a towering display case, using its height to its advantage. From its perch, it unleashes a barrage of acidic spit.

[PSSSH]

Ace rolls to the side, narrowly avoiding the corrosive spray that melts the floor where it lands. He glances at the fleeing civilians, their faces etched with terror.

Gotta end this fast.

Ace focuses, channeling energy into his legs. He leaps, propelled by a surge of power, soaring towards the Imagin.

His foot connects with the Imagin's chest, a thunderous impact that sends the creature spiraling through the air. It crashes through a wall, leaving a gaping hole in the museum's facade.

[KABOOM]

The Ant Imagin explodes in a shower of sand and shattered chitin, leaving behind a lingering scent of ozone and something vaguely…ant-like. Ace lands gracefully, exhaling a relieved sigh. One more bug squashed.

He surveys the damage—a scene of carnage. Display cases are overturned, priceless artifacts are broken, and the air is thick with dust. Civilians huddle together, their faces a mixture of shock and gratitude.

Ace turns to leave, ready to disappear back into the anonymity of Musutafu, when a voice cuts through the air.

"Hold it right there, Kamen Rider!"

Mirko.

The Rabbit Hero stands at the edge of the chaos, her crimson eyes narrowed, her expression a mixture of anger and determination. She takes in the aftermath of the battle, the hole in the wall, the scattered debris, the lingering smoke. A muscle twitches in her cheek.

"Damn it," she mutters, "too late."

She turns her gaze back to Ace, her voice hardening. "You're not going anywhere this time."

Ace raises an eyebrow, a wry smile playing on his lips despite the gravity of the situation. He adjusts his stance, the red armor of Kuuga gleaming under the broken sunlight.

"Still haven't given up, huh, Rabbit Hero?" he asks, his tone laced with amusement.

It had been a month since the Hippo Imagin had caused all that trouble. Now, Musutafu was both safer and a bigger mess, thanks to Ace and the Taros doing their thing. They were taking care of Imagin super quick, and there were definitely fewer bad-guy incidents happening around town.

But being Kamen Rider had turned Ace into a bit of a celebrity, but also kinda infamous. Everyone was buzzing about who he could be. The whole Imagin situation had people freaked out, thinking they were just normal folks getting offed. And Ace's habit of vanishing after every fight? Yeah, that just made the mystery even juicier. The Pro Heroes had tried to catch him a bunch of times, but they always struck out because of Ace escaping to the DenLiner.

Still, Mirko was the real pain in the neck. It seemed like she always showed up whenever Ace was doing his Kamen Rider gig.

Is this girl stalking me or something? Ace thought, finding a bit of dark humour in the situation.

"Seriously, is this all you do? Got nothing else going on but chasing after me?" Ace questions.

Mirko's eye twitches. "I'm a Pro Hero! I'm super busy," she snaps, her voice laced with irritation. "Patrolling, stopping villains, saving lives—you know, actual hero stuff."

"Oh really? Then how come you always seem to pop up every time I'm around?" Ace retorts, a teasing glint in his eyes. "It's almost like you have a sixth sense for Kamen Riders or something."

A faint blush creeps up Mirko's neck, quickly masked by a scowl. "Don't flatter yourself," she growls, her fists clenching. "I'm just good at my job, unlike you, running around playing vigilante and making a mess."

Without another word, she launches herself at Ace, a blur of white and tan. He dodges her kick with practiced ease, the force of it shattering a nearby display case.

[CRASH]

"Hey! Watch where you're swinging those things, lady!" Ace exclaims, feigning indignation as he backpedals, putting distance between himself and the furious rabbit. "Those artifacts are probably worth more than my entire life!"

Mirko snarls, her red eyes blazing. "Get back here, you masked menace!" she yells, her voice echoing through the damaged hall. "I'm not letting you get away this time!"

Ace grins, a surge of adrenaline coursing through him. "Sorry, Rabbit Hero, but I've got a train to catch!"

With a burst of speed, he sprints away, weaving through the chaos of overturned displays and fleeing patrons. Mirko is hot on his heels, her powerful leaps closing the gap with alarming speed.

Time to bounce.

He spots a doorway, a nondescript exit sign above it. Ace glances at a nearby clock; it reads 11:11:01.

Perfect.

He sprints towards the portal, his armored footsteps pounding on the marble floor. Reaching the threshold, he pauses, checking the time again. 11:11:08… 11:11:09… 11:11:10…

With a final surge of effort, Ace grabs the handle and throws the door open at precisely 11:11:11.

[SCREEEECH]

Time stops. The entire world freezes—Mirko mid-leap, her fist outstretched; fleeing museum patrons suspended in mid-scream; even the dust motes hanging in the air stand still. He sees the DenLiner, the portal humming with temporal energy. He steps through, not bothering to look back, and then pulls the door shut behind him.

[CLICK]

Time resumes its relentless march forward. Mirko, her body still in mid-air, lands awkwardly, stumbling as her momentum throws her off balance.

"What the—?!"

She rights herself, scanning the area, but Kuuga is gone. Vanished. Nothing but an empty hallway, a closed door, and the lingering scent of sandalwood and motor oil. She approaches the door and throws it open, only to find a broom closet.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! AGAIN?!"

Mirko slams the door shut, her frustration reaching a boiling point. Dust falls from the ceiling. She kicks the door with the force of a jackhammer, leaving a sizable dent in the metal.

[BANG]

"That's it!" she snarls, her voice echoing through the museum. "I'm gonna catch that masked freak if it's the last thing I do!"

She marches off, muttering about paperwork, insurance claims, and the infuriatingly elusive Kamen Rider. Her white rabbit ears twitch, scanning the surroundings for any sign of her quarry. She's more determined than ever to bring the vigilante to justice, or at least figure out how he keeps disappearing into thin air.

Back inside the DenLiner, Ace shrugs off the Kuuga armor, reverting to his usual attire. He pushes open the door to the dining car, the familiar scene greeting him. The Taros were gathered around a table, engrossed in a game of UNO. Cards littered the surface, a chaotic tableau of colors and numbers.

Kintaros, with his characteristic stoicism, slammed down a +4 card. Urataros, ever the schemer, followed suit with another. Then Ryutaros, giggling, added yet another, completing a devastating chain that all landed squarely on Momotaros.

Momotaros roared, slamming his fist on the table. "You jerks! What kinda cheap trick is this?! You're all ganging up on me!"

Ryutaros stuck his tongue out, "You're just an idiot, Bakataros! Shoulda saved a card, not my fault!"

"Shut up, Snot-Nosed Brat!" Momotaros fired back, his face turning an even deeper shade of red. "I'll show you who's an idiot! This isn't over!"

The bickering was typical. Ace smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. Their constant squabbling used to grate on him, but he'd grown weirdly fond of their dynamic. He had developed good camaraderie with the Imagin and got accustomed to their actions.

Urataros, ever perceptive, noticed Ace first. "Ah, Ace-chan! Welcome back. You did a fine job with the Imagin back there. Care to join us? Maybe you'll have better luck than our dear senpai."

Ace hesitated for only a moment. Before his stint as a time-traveling Kamen Rider, playing card games wasn't exactly high on his to-do list. But things had changed. His bond with the Taros grew closer, and he found himself enjoying their company.

"Sure, why not?" Ace said, walking towards the table. "Mind if I cut in?"

Momotaros glared. "Don't expect me to go easy on you," he grumbled, scooping up the massive pile of cards. "This time, I'm going to win for sure."

Naomi walked in and placed a steaming mug of coffee in front of Ace.

"Here, Ace. I thought you might want something to drink." Naomi says with a warm smile.

"Thanks, Naomi-san."

Ace returns a smile and nods, grabbing a set of cards, and joins in.

Maybe things in this world won't be so bad after all.

***

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Advance chapters are in my P@|r3on - Najicablitz