The GATE Academy [Please read description]

Chapter 18: The First AAA-Class Request

Keita, Riku, and I had helped Ake get situated into his new dorm, which was just across the way from Keita and Riku's and mine (which were right besides each other), after his things were flown in from New York, where he had lived before coming to GATE's island.

My first impression after helping Ake unpack his things was that he was very artistic, in every way. Of the things that were sent over, he had at least a dozen painting canvases sent over with an entire duffel bag consisting solely of drawing material, ranging from pastel, to chalk, to colored pencils. In addition to his visual art supplies, he also brought over a clarinet, (electric-)acoustic and electric guitar (a white Epiphone) sent over, complete with a top-of-the-line amp, and a cello.

Ake had told us about how much the arts had effected his life and, even though his parents pushed him in the field, it was something that he truly pursued on his own. Ake was surprised to find out that I played the alto saxophone and suggested that we played some clarinet-saxophone duets someday. I told him that that sounded like a good idea.

I kept my saxophone in my room and took it out at least once a week and would occasionally be enticed to continue to play, sometimes even hours on end, until my chops were shot. I too was artistic and had played the alto saxophone since 4th grade, but dropped it after joining GATE because, well, there was no band, sadly.

Ake thanked us after we helped him move in and asked for some private time in his new dorm as he was placing a record on a record player that he had brought. Keita, Riku, and I left him so and went back to Keita and Riku's dorm.

Koneko, which Riku had named his cheetah, had happily greeted the three of us by purring around our legs and running around happily, seeming to have missed her owner. Riku scooped up Koneko and kissed her lightly on the nose, giggling, and had caused the cat to seem to giggle as well.

Riku sat down on his bed and petted Koneko behind the ears and looked up at Keita and I, "So what's on the agenda? Today's Friday and we don't have any major assignments!"

Keita looked to me, seeming to expect an answer.

I looked down at Koneko and smiled as she seemed to be contently falling asleep with every one of Riku's strokes.

"I was thinking about taking up a request right now, what do you guys say?"

Keita nodded, "I see. Any particular level, Shizuo?"

"Well, we can take AAA, S, and X-Class missions now that we're CL-9! Why don't we do an X-class one??!" Riku suggested.

I motioned Riku to calm down with my right hand and laughed a little, "As fun as that sounds, I think we should start off with the AAA and S-Class requests before we do an X one."

"Mmhm, plus, it would be good to warm us up to harder tasks, as the past three requests we have taken so far have only been local, community service and such requests," Keita agreed.

Riku smiled and shrugged, "Sounds good then!"

And just like, we were off on our first AAA-Class request.

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The request was harder than it was posted to be, but we still got it done.

With GATE's support, we were flown out to Morowa, Australia, a farming city that was not too far from the country's western coast. Upon landing in the airport that was luckily just outside of the city, we travelled some ways by foot in search of the house.

The city of Morowa wasn't that big in comparison in others, a relatively small city set in an intimate environment, and with the help of some locals, we were able to be guided in the direction of the requester's house.