3) For Whom the Haunted Bell Tolls

Part 4

At Asuna, Konoka, and Negi's dorm room, the gang, including Matt, finished their dinner and wash the dishes. After cleaning up, Matt got today's newspaper and reads the headline and article of the clock tower incident. He sits near a table that's close to the window. As he was reading, a thought came to Matt. "It is odd how, in the middle of the night, the victims go into the clock tower. But the thing is: who would stay at the clock tower around midnight. I don't think there was a person who could do a nightshift at a clock tower."

Konoka and Asuna are washing and drying the dishes. Konoka begins to worry about the people being taken in the clock tower. Asuna spots Konoka's worried look. "Hey, are you okay Konoka?" Asuna asked.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine," Konoka replied. "It's just that I'm a little bit scared and worried about what happened to all those people that were taken inside the tower."

"Don't you worry, Konoka. Tomorrow, all of us of the mystery club will check the clock tower and get to the bottom of it." Asuna patted Konoka on her left shoulder. Konoka smiled.

A moment later, Matt lifts his head from his newspaper and looks out the window. While he's looking out the dark scenery, he begins to think of what dangers and secrets lay in the clock tower. Just then, Matt spotted something out in the opening ground of the street. He spotted two white lights flashing repeating every second. Matt calls the girls, Negi, and Chamo to come over to the window.

"Hey guys, do you see that?" Matt said as he pointed out where the light is coming from.

"Yeah, what is that?" Chamo wondered as he looked out the window.

"I'm not sure," said Negi putting his left hand on his chin.

"It looks like a light signal," Matt said as he observes the lights. "Maybe it's asking for help."

"Maybe, I guess," said Asuna putting her hands on her waist and raising her eyebrows.

"C'mon guys, let's check it out," Matt demanded.

Matt, Asuna, Negi, and Chamo left the dorm room while Konoka stayed behind cleaning up the dishes. They took the stairs and down the hallways to reach the ground floor. When they did, they exited the dormitory and looked for the lights. Matt spots them ahead and the gang walks towards it. As they got closer, they not only see the lights flashing but also a shadowy silhouette that's shaped like a teenage girl wearing a maid's outfit.

"What is that?" Matt asked.

As the dark sky is clearing up from the clouds, the full moon appeared, and its bright shine revealed the identity of the silhouette. It was none other than Chachamaru.

"Oh, it's Chachamaru," Negi stated.

"Good evening to you, professor Negi," Chachamaru replied as she bows at the three. "And you too, Asuna and Matthew."

Matt was a little bit scared of her because she looks like a real girl, despite that Matt knew she's only a robot with superior artificial intelligence. "Oh hi there, miss uh… Chachamaru." said Matt in a calm matter. "Are you the one making those lights flashing on and off?"

"Indeed, Oda-san," Chachamaru replied.

"Please, just call me Matt."

"Yes, Matt." The robot girl bowed at Matt again. "I called you here because my master wants to see you tonight."

"Your… master?"

"Yes, she should be arriving anytime right now."

Matt turned around to Negi and Asuna, who are both standing behind him and all confused. "Uh, okay… I don't know what's going on, why Chachamaru brought here to see this 'master' of hers. But I think we should get back to the dorm."

Suddenly out of the blue, a large silhouette dropped down behind Matt Oda without him noticing it. It looked like a woman wearing a cape around her. Negi and Asuna jolted as they gave both little shocking faces to Matt. Matt was confused and raised one eyebrow. "What's a matter?" Matt asked. Negi and Asuna slowly pointed in the direction of what's behind him. Matt blinked and starts to sweat. In a frightening look, and used by the light of the moon, he slowly looked down on the ground to see not only his shadow but another one right next to his, only bigger and taller. And by analyzing the shape, he discovers the head and hairstyle belonged to a woman. Matt started to shake in fright and breathes rapidly as he slowly turns his head to the woman who is right behind him. He looked at her face and head that had long blonde hair and an evil smirk with fang teeth sticking out. She was staring at Matt with an evil look. Matt turned white, jumped, and screamed. Matt started to run away, but the woman quickly grabbed Matt's shoulders before he escaped.

"Now is that any way to treat to a woman?" said the wicked lady in a British accent.

"Let go of me, you scary woman!" Matt yelled in a great fright. "LET ME GO!"

"My, you look so good and tasty." The woman got closer to Matt's neck on his left side. "I wonder what a gentleman's blood taste like?" Matt's eyes widen so hugely, and he sweated a lot. "If you hold still, it won't hurt as much."

"Master, aren't you going a bit too far?" Chachamaru asked as she sticks her hand out to try to stop her.

"Oh Chachamaru, I just want to taste a little blood from Matt; that's all." The lady wrapped around Matt's body, and he was chilling more than normal of his gynophobia. "Now relax Matt, this won't hurt a–"

WHACK!

Then in a snap, Asuna came to the rescue when she got out her harisen and smacked the lady on her right cheek. Matt is freed again, and he rushes behind Negi's back and covered his body behind the boy professor.

"Jeez Eva, you're such a sadist!" Asuna yelled.

"Curse you, Asuna! Quit ignoring my barrier." said the woman rubbing her right cheek. "Is that any way to treat a lady?"

"Shut up, you stupid brat! You're only just an old hag living in a girl's body!"

"Old hag!? How dare you, Kagurazaka-san!"

The two girls continue to bicker and fight, while Negi, Matt, and Chachamaru watch them from a safe distance.

Matt slowly stood up and continues to watch the two girls wrestle as if it was a horrible catfight. Matt couldn't take much more of this slugfest sight, so he walks towards them.

"Girls, stop!" Matt cried to reach them. But the two didn't hear Matt the first time. "GIRLS, I SAID STOP!" And that did it, the two of them froze. Both were holding each other's hair, and both girls are covered up with scratches on their bodies. They all looked at Matt seeing how firm and bold he was to stop the two girls fighting. "Thank you, I appreciate that." Matt wiped his shirt, and he breathes and exhales. "Now Asuna, you mean to tell me you know who this woman is?"

"Of course, Matt," Asuna replied wiping herself. "This woman here is no other than Evangeline."

"Evangeline!?" surprised Matt, and he looks at the woman. "You mean… you're the little girl I met this late afternoon?"

"Hmph." In a snap, the woman turned into her true self, Evangeline, the little blonde-haired girl. "I see you're not slow," Eva said calmly.

"What the…? Alright, what's going on?" Matt moaned as he was also confused.

"My master wanted to see you again since we left in a hurry this afternoon," Chachamaru explained.

"I was impressed by how well you did on solving the kidnap and mob incidents," Evangeline continued. "No ordinary human could do those superior things. Therefore, you pique my interest. But I heard you have this fear of girls that I couldn't help myself to take this advantage and mess around with ya."

Chamo popped up on Negi's right shoulder. "So… you like Matt, but you like to tease him, huh Eva?" Chamo said in exasperation.

"More or less, Chamo," said Eva as she closed her eyes and shrugged.

"Well, I can see why they call you 'The Dark evangel' and etcetera," said Matt as he scratches his head.

"Hmm? How did you know about that?" she replied when she opens her right eye to Matt.

"Negi and Asuna told me all about you." Matt crossed his arms. "You were just an ordinary girl when in a dramatic event, this mage gave you a curse, a curse that you can't grow old or die. Yet you obtained this powerful dark magic. Another high-powerful mage put another curse on ya that you can't leave the academy. But over time when Negi came along, you learned your lesson and changed your behavior. You're free, but you want to stay Negi's side… for a little while."

"I see you been doing some history lessons, Matt," Eva smirked. As Eva turned away from Matt, he looks closely at Eva and sensed something wrong within her. Eva looked back at Matt and noticed his observance. "Is something wrong, Matt?" she asked.

"Uh, no. Nothing," Matt replied as he shook his head and his right hand out to Eva. "I was just thinking something about the clock tower."

"The clock tower? I heard about it. I've read that people have gone missing in that tower." Eva sticks her right index finger out to the side. "Tell you what, since I'm interested in you, and I'm curious about that tower, Chachamaru and I will aid you in helping and figuring out the mysteries inside that tower you guys are going to investigate."

"Wait, Eva," Asuna speaks, "Are you sure about that?"

Eva giggled a little. "What? Can a little vampire girl have some fun?"

Just then, the gang heard bells ringing in the middle of the night. They were looking at the direction of where the bells came from. From a far distance, they all can see the clock tower. Matt looks at his watch and makes quick and quiet jolt. "Midnight," he said. And the bells kept ringing throughout the whole night.