The GATE Academy [Please read description]

Chapter 22: Before the Leave

The Headmaster had arranged for Keita, Riku, and I to depart for America on Friday to enter Hell via a secret dimensional gap somewhere in LA. This being said, it was only Wednesday and we still had a little bit of time before Friday, word had also gotten out of our journey.

"Hey Shizuo, heard about your trip to Hell to take on a Demon King," Mizu said as he walked up besides me, squeezing in between Riku and I on my left on the way to Professor Cloud's class that morning.

I looked down at Mizu, "Yeah, but who told you?" I asked him.

"Had to ask your fan girls, it seems like Professor Hiyaba told them, which could only mean that Professor Cloud told her," Mizu said, chuckling a bit at his last statement. I grinned and did the same, knowing how obvious it was that Professor Cloud and Hiyaba had a thing for each other.

"Sorry you had to do so, Mizu, but you could've just asked me," I told him.

"Yeah, about that..."

I looked back at Mizu, "What's up?" I asked.

"It's... I don't know, Shizuo, but if you want help, I'll be glad to come along with you. I'd imagine that Hell is going to be a tough place..." Mizu said, lowering his head a bit, avoiding my eyes.

"Don't worry about it, Mizu. We know how dangerous it'll be, but that's a risk that we're taking willingly," I told him, smiling. Riku, who had just been listening, pitched in.

"Yeah, don't worry about us, dude! Shizuo, Keita, and I are plenty strong and can handle things ourselves!" Riku added cheerily.

Mizu raised his head, "Are you sure, Shizuo? I mean, I don't want anything to happen to you... You're our class president and stuff, it would be an unfortunate thing if you didn't... Come back..."

"Alright, Mizu," I said to him, moved by his consideration for me, "I'll let you think about it for a bit and you can tell me tomorrow if you still want to come then, alright?"

"Got it!" Mizu said, opening the door to our class for Keita, Riku, and I. I said "Thank you" as the three of us walked past him and into the class, where some of the students that were already there stopped talking to look at us. Falen, Iris, Faith, and Yuki were of these students.

My friends and I took our seats in front of the girls and I turned around to my right to say something to Faith, who was expecting me and was already looking in my direction.

"So Hell, eh?" She said, a sarcastic look on her face.

"Yeah, what about it?" I asked her.

"Nothing," she said, "Just promise me nothing happens to you down there, alright?"

I grinned as I reached across and placed my hand on her desk, "Hey, don't worry about me, I'm a tough guy," I said, laughing after.

Faith surprisingly took my hand with her left and smiled gently at me, "I know."

Faith looked up at the front of the class and I knew that meant Professor Cloud was getting ready to start. Faith let go of my hand and I took it back, bringing my body around to face the front of the classroom and pay attention to Professor Cloud, who was in a seemingly light mood today. In front of me I watched Ake take out his school materials, most notably, a pack of colored pens which he set at the top right corner of his desk.

I looked to my right at Keita, who too was prepared for class, but carried a distant air with him, more so than usual. He looked over at me and grinned, breaking his air, "Can I help you, Shizuo?"

"No," I said, grinning back to him, glad to see that he wasn't thinking too hard about his brother.

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"C'mon Keita, you said you'd be packed by now!" Riku complained to Keita, who was taking his time packing a bag.

Today was Thursday, meaning that tomorrow we would leave for Hell.

"What difference does it make if I were to have finished packing three hours ago or tomorrow?" Keita simply replied.

Riku was a bit flustered, but he walked over to the kitchen and began to look through the fridge for food, giving up on trying to argue with Keita because he knew he was right. I sat on Keita's bed and watched him as he packed.

"Keita," I called out to him.

"What do you want?" He said, briefly looking up at me before continuing to pack.

"Are you going to kill him?" I asked.

Keita paused. He was still in the middle of packing, but it seemed as if somebody had just pressed the "Pause" button on him. His expression was blank.

"Keita?" I further asked.

Keita blinked his eyes and looked at me, standing up straight, "I will do whatever seems necessary at the time. My brother is powerful and I am unsure if I can defeat him... Much less kill him..."

Keita was telling me that his brother is so strong that he doesn't even think he could defeat him? Keita never did accept losing and his pride would never let him enter a fight without the mindset of winning, but here he was, admitting that his brother was stronger.

"Don't worry, Keita," I said to him, "You will win."

Keita sighed, "I sure hope so..."

I stood up from his bed and walked over to the kitchen where Riku was still looking through the fridge.

"Find anything good?" I asked Riku.

"Nah, remind me to go to the store again when we come back," Riku replied, chuckling a bit before closing the door to the fridge. Just then, Koneko entered the kitchen as well and brushed up against Riku's leg.

I looked down at Koneko and then back up to Riku, "Are you going to leave her with Ake again?"

Riku sat down on the floor and began to pet Koneko, who in turn sat in his lap and purred softly.

"I guess so, I don't want to leave her alone for too long though..." He said, his head trailing down as he spoke.

"It's ok, you know that Ake will take good care of her again, but I know what you mean, we don't know when we're coming back, but..." I smiled at Riku as he looked up at me, "She'll be fine."

Riku smiled back at me and looked back down at Koneko, cheered up now.

"You're going to have to stay with Uncle Ake a little bit longer, ok, Koneko?"

Koneko replied by purring slightly louder with a feel of sadness in it, seeming to understand what Riku meant through his tone.

I looked back at Keita from across the dorm and saw him sitting on his bed, his small duffel bag packed for the trip. His head was hung and his eyes were closed, he seemed to be in deep thought. Whatever he was thinking, I just hoped it was positive.

I checked the time from my phone and saw that it was already 10:06 pm. I made my way across the room and to the door.

"Get a good night's sleep, guys. I'll see you two in the morning."

And with that, I left the two for the night.