Chapter 23

Ace is in Kuuga's Mighty Form, tying up a bunch of teens on a rooftop. They were causing a ruckus, lighting up a bunch of fireworks illegally, and causing a disturbance.

"Stay put," he instructed firmly. "The police will be here soon to handle this."

The teens remained silent, partially out of fear and partially out of embarrassment at being caught setting off illegal fireworks so early in the morning. Ace glanced at his wrist, realizing he was cutting it close to being late for school.

"I'm going to be late."

With practiced efficiency, he moved to the edge of the rooftop and jumped down into the nearby alleyway where the Trychaser 2000 was parked. In a quick motion, he canceled his transformation, reverting to his civilian clothes.

Ace swung his leg over the Trychaser, revved the engine, and sped out of the alley. The streets blurred around him as he navigated through the morning traffic, determined to make it to Midtown High before the first bell rang.

The motorcycle's engine hummed as Ace weaved through the city streets, his mind already shifting from the morning's heroics to the day's upcoming classes.

Ace skidded the Trychaser 2000 into the school parking lot, quickly locking it and sprinting toward the main building. His backpack bounced against his shoulder as he dodged clusters of students congregating near the entrance.

The hallways buzzed with morning activity. Ace weaved between groups, muttering quick apologies when he accidentally bumped shoulders. A teacher near the lockers gave him a stern look, but he was moving too quickly to engage in any potential conversation.

He checked his watch - seven minutes until first period. The classroom was three corridors away, and the hallways were packed with slow-moving students chatting and moving at a leisurely pace.

"Excuse me," Ace called out, sliding between two seniors blocking the hallway. He ducked under a raised arm, pivoted around a group of freshmen, and maintained his momentum.

The bell would ring soon. Ace's athletic training from his Kamen Rider experiences gave him an edge in navigating the crowded hallways. He moved with precision, each step calculated to avoid collision while maintaining maximum speed.

Just ahead, the classroom door came into view.

Ace slid into the classroom just as the bell rang, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. He dropped into the seat between Berto and Nico, breathing slightly heavily from his rushed arrival.

"Safe~" he muttered, catching his breath.

Berto turned to him with a playful smirk. "You know, most people actually arrive before the bell rings. This is like your signature move now."

Nico raised an eyebrow, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Seriously. How do you always manage to cut it this close?"

Ace leaned back in his chair, a casual shrug accompanying his response. "Maybe I just have good luck."

The science teacher, Mr. Henderson, walked into the classroom carrying a stack of papers and a determined expression. He set his briefcase down with a loud thunk that immediately silenced the room.

"Today," he announced, "we'll be starting our semester-long science project. This will be a significant portion of your grade, and everyone will be working in pairs."

Berto immediately leaned toward Ace, whispering urgently. "Dude, we should totally be partners."

Nico, overhearing, leaned across Ace from the other side. "No way. Ace is teaming up with me."

Both looked at Ace expectantly. He glanced between them, looking slightly overwhelmed by their enthusiasm.

Mr. Henderson cleared his throat. "To ensure fairness. We'll be drawing lots for your partners."

Berto and Nico's faces fell simultaneously, their hopes of choosing their own partner crushed by the teacher's announcement.

Mr. Henderson reached into the box, pulling out slips of paper and calling out names. Students shuffled around, trading disappointed or excited glances as partnerships were formed.

"Humberto Lopez and Nico Minoru," the teacher announced.

Berto and Nico exchanged looks of mutual disappointment. Berto slumped in his seat while Nico rolled her eyes, muttering something under her breath about bad luck.

Mr. Henderson continued drawing names, pairing students systematically. The classroom buzzed with a mix of whispers and shuffling papers.

When only a few names remained, the teacher pulled out the final slips. "Ace Ukiyo and Peter Parker."

Ace looked up, surprised. He glanced across the classroom, catching sight of Peter Parker - a slim, bespectacled student who seemed equally startled by the pairing. Their eyes met briefly, a moment of mutual curiosity passing between them.

Peter adjusted his glasses, offering a small, nervous smile. Ace returned a more confident nod.

Ace knows about Peter Parker. He is famously known as Spider-Man, which needs no explanation. Ace doesn't recognize him at first because of how normal he looks. He still hasn't been bitten by the spider yet so he was just regular Peter Parker.

Ace stood up and walked across the classroom to Peter's desk. The room buzzed with the sounds of students shuffling papers and discussing their new project partnerships.

"Hey," Ace said, extending his hand. "I'm Ace Ukiyo. Looks like we're going to be science project partners."

Peter looked up, pushing his glasses slightly higher on his nose. He seemed a bit nervous but managed a friendly smile. "Peter Parker," he responded, shaking Ace's hand. "Nice to meet you."

The two stood awkwardly for a moment, surrounded by the classroom's ambient noise. Mr. Henderson continued organizing project materials, paying them no particular attention.

Peter adjusted his glasses and looked at Ace. "So, should we start planning our science project?"

Ace nodded, sensing the awkwardness between them. "Yeah, probably a good idea."

An uncomfortable silence stretched between them. Ace wanted to break the tension, remembering Peter's reputation as a science and comic book enthusiast. He decided to use that as a conversation starter.

"You read comics?" Ace asked, trying to sound casual.

Peter's eyes lit up slightly. "Yeah, I do. Are you into them?"

"Totally," Ace responded. "What kind of comics do you like?"

"I'm a big Star Wars comics fan," Peter said, a bit more animated now. "Especially the ones that explore stories between the movies. Have you read any of the Dark Horse series?"

Ace leaned in, genuinely interested. "The Star Wars comics are awesome. Which series are your favorites?"

They began discussing Star Wars comics, the initial awkwardness melting away as they found common ground in their shared interest.

As the class concluded, Ace and Peter gathered their notebooks and began discussing their science project. They quickly discovered a mutual interest in scientific research and agreed to meet at the school library after classes to start planning their assignment.

"How about Wednesday after school?" Ace suggested.

Peter nodded. "Sounds good. We can review some potential research topics."

They stepped into the hallway, continuing their conversation about potential project ideas. Suddenly, Gwen Stacy walked past them, her blonde hair catching the light. Peter immediately tensed up, his words becoming slightly more jumbled.

Gwen noticed Peter and Ace standing together. "Hey, Peter," she said with a friendly smile.

"H-hi Gwen," Peter stammered.

"I didn't know you two knew each other."

Ace looked between them. "We just met. Peter's my new lab partner for the science project."

Gwen's eyes brightened. "Cool, Peter's an amazing lab partner. He's really smart and always comes up with clever solutions. You're lucky to work with him."

Peter's face flushed at her compliments, a mix of embarrassment and happiness spreading across his cheeks. His stammering increased as he tried to respond.

"Th-thanks, Gwen," he managed.

Gwen waved and continued walking down the hallway. Peter watched her go, his words catching in his throat as he attempted to say goodbye.

Ace grinned, a mischievous glint in his eye as he watched Peter's reaction to Gwen. His teasing tone was light but pointed.

"Looks like somebody's got a little crush~"

Peter immediately began to stammer, his face turning a bright shade of red. "What? No, me liking Gwen? I mean, I do, but it is not like that."

His words tumbled out awkwardly, hands fidgeting with the strap of his backpack. Ace could see Peter was genuinely flustered, and decided to show some mercy.

"Hey, I get it. Gwen is a pretty girl. But I'll stop teasing you. See you on Wednesday, Peter."

Peter's nervous energy seemed to settle slightly at Ace's casual dismissal. "Yeah, see you too, Ace."

***

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