5) Game On, Mystery Club

Part 7

Matt and the gang were unconscious for a while, not knowing how long they were blacked out. Matt slowly regains his consciousness and opens his eyes. When he awoke, all he sees around him are all his members tied up unconsciously and in a locker room. Matt also sees himself tied up as well.

"Wake up! Hey! Wake up, everyone!" Matt called to his team.

The girls slowly regained their consciousness from Matt's shouting and opened their eyes.

"Mmm…what happened?" Fei Ku wondered as she looks around the room.

"Ow, man, my head hurts-degozaru," Kaede said as she shook her head a little.

"What happened, and where are we?" Asuna questioned.

"Why you're trapped like rats in a cage, that's what," said a womanly voice. The mystery team turns to who said that, and it was Kimi with her cohorts next to her. "Have a nice sleep, little pests?"

"Sleep?" Setsuna questioned. "How long have we been knocked out?"

"Why it's already morning, and it's the third and final day of the sports games."

The team flinched. "We slept that long?" Chao said in shock.

"And don't you think you can get away from us. We already confiscated your weapons and disguises, so you won't be able to escape from us easily."

"Just what are you planning to do with that girl you going to kill," Matt commanded in a firm tone, "you don't even know her."

Kimi raised her eyebrow and still makes her evil smile, "Oh, but we do know her." Kimi snaps her fingers as a goon gave her a profile report. Kimi then reads the report, "That girl is Ako Izumi, a Mahora Academy high school student in class 1-A. She is a soccer manager and proficient in Nursing."

Matt's face turned shocked, "How did you get that information?"

"It's thanks to our leader. Because of her, we manage to find out every single athletic student that participates in the games. And Ako here is in the 100-yard dash that's coming up in an hour." She gave the report back to the goons. "And because of her stupid and enlighten speech, this is what we are going to do to her." Matt and his team listened carefully. "As soon as she reaches close to the finishing line, we bobby trapped underneath her lane that it is rigged with an electrical panel sending a thousand volts to fry her. Once she gets extra crispy, everyone in the crowd and the athletes will all start fighting again and that Mahora Sports Games will be no more for good." She makes an evil giggled.

The team was scared about their diabolical plan. "But wait a minute," Matt interrupted, "How can you guys rig the trap on the lane? The security was really tight, and there's no way a criminal could get in."

"Aahh…but our leader has our ways," Kimi said, waving her finger at Matt. "She knows how to control the security, even during the games that are on live." Matt blinked as he clued in from Kimi's words. "Now, if you excuse us, we have a girl to murder." The villians exited the room, and Kimi is about to shut the door. "So sit back and relax, and listen to your little girl suffer. Ta-ta!" she laughed evilly and closed the door.

After a few seconds, Matt turns to his team with a command, "We got to get back to Mahora and Ako fast before it's too late."

"One problem," Mana responded, "We're tied up at the moment."

"Ah, true…but we have something to get us out."

The girls paused and flinched in realization. "Magic!" they shouted.

"Right…Eva." Matt turns to the adult Eva.

"Right, Matthew-san," Eva responded, "these ropes are making my perfect illusion body hurt." Poof! Evangeline then instantly changed back into her normal form, and the ropes that tied to her loosened. Eva stood up and wipes the dust off her clothes.

"Great job Eva," Matt complimented, "now get us untied."

"First though," Eva interrupted, and Matt raised one of his eyebrows, "let me have a taste of your blood and I'll–"

"Eva…" Matt said in an annoying mood, and he glares at her.

"Oh, alright, alright." Eva untied Chacahmaru first, and then the two freed girls untied the rest. Everyone stretched their arms and legs to loosen their muscles from their cramped positions.

Matt reaches the doorknob and makes a quiet command, "Okay, everyone, let's get our stuff back and get out of here." Everyone nodded as the team quietly exited the locker room.


Back at the Mahora Games, Negi and the rest of the club members are walking towards the track and field to find Ako and the others. Some of the girls are worried, including Negi and Chamo, about Matt and the other girls.

"I hope they're okay," Konoka worried. "I haven't heard or seen them come back last night."

"Yeah," Nodoka followed, "I hope they didn't get caught."

"I'm sure with Matthew Oda at their side, those thugs will never catch him and his team while they are on the investigation," Satsuki stated with a smile.

"Let's hope you're right," Chisame said with little concern.

Negi feels worried about Matt and his team, being in one piece. "Asuna, Matt, everyone," Negi said to himself, "please be alright."

"Don't worry, bro," Chamo cheered Negi up. "Big Bro Matt is really a smart man, and I'm sure that not one thug at their headquarters is going to capture and outsmart him and his team."

"Let's hope you are right, Chamo."

Negi and his girls arrived at the track and field, where it contains the 100-yard dash. They looked around to find Ako and her team. After a few seconds, Negi spotted them. Negi calls out to Ako and the others, and the athletic girls heard his voice and see Negi. Ako and her team went up to Negi and the other girls.

"Negi-kun!" Ako shouted in excitement to see her cute teacher, "How you doing?"

"I'm doing great, thanks," Negi replied happily.

"Oh Negi-kun, you're such the sweet and adorable teacher we still have in our class," Yuna said as she cuddles and hugs Negi.

"Okay Yuna, don't get carried away," Misora said, trying to calm Yuna down.

As everyone was happy to see each other, Chika and her team walks up to Ako and her team. Ako and the other athletic girls noticed Chika, and they made mean looks at Chika. Chika, with a glaring look, stood in front of Ako and the girls.

"What do you want from us?" Akira said in a calm but mean mood.

"Are you here to insult us again?" Makie followed.

"Actually girls, we wanted to say…thanks," Chika responded, turning her face in a sincere look. Ako and the other girls blinked in surprise, and so did Negi and his students. "Ako, I really appreciate what you did yesterday to keep the games going. You see, me and my team are eager to play these games, and this is our first time. I didn't want the games to end so awfully. So again, thank you Izumi-san, for saving the Mahora Sports Games." She and her team bowed at Ako and her team.

Ako blushes a little and scratches her head, not knowing what to say. "Um…you're welcome…" Ako replied to Chika. But then Ako makes an honest look. "Chika, I have a confession for you." Chika looked up and sees Ako's honest and sincere face. "I'm sorry too…that I thought you were the ones who rigged and cheated the games."

Chika blinked in confusion. "What makes you say that?" she asked.

"You said that you do anything unthinkable and impossible to win the games. And with the incidents happening the last two days, I thought you were the team that did those terrible stunts. So…I'm sorry again."

Chika and her team looked at each other for a moment, and then they grinned back at Ako. "Ako, I did say we do anything impossible and unthinkable, but that's because we want to push above our limit and do our true best to win the games. I was a bully to others because I was just overconfident." Ako's jaw dropped a little, and her eyes widen a little. "We never intended to cheat, cross my heart." Chika's teammates nodded in agreement.

Ako smiled, and so did her athletic team. Negi, Chamo, and his students also grinned as well. Ako then shook Chika's hand as a friendly shake.

"Well, good luck out there," said Ako.

"You too," Chika said and smiled. "And by the way, I'm in the 100-yard dash as well."

"Really?" Ako said in surprise.

"Yep, so let's do our best."

Ako nodded at Chika as both of them agreed to give it their best on the dash. Chika and her team left, and Ako smiled even more.

"Wow," said the twins in astonishment.

"Yeah," Konoka followed, "what started out as rivals has now become good friends."

"You're darn right," Yuna said with a wink. "And we better get ourselves ready for our next upcoming games." Ako and the other girls agreed on Yuna's statement.

"Well, good luck to you all," Negi said with a smile.

"Thanks, Negi-kun," Ako replied. "By the way, where's Matt-san?"

"Unfortunately, he's not here," Yue answered. "He, along with our classmates, went on a mission to catch the mastermind that's behind the incidents."

Ako and the other girls gasped a little. "Are they going to be okay?" Makie said with concern.

"Yeah, they'll be fine," Satomi replied. "But, we are mostly concerned with Matt-san."

"Why Matt?" Akira wondered.

"To tell you the truth," Chisame responded, "Matt may be the team leader and is very smart, but he doesn't know his true strength."

"What do you mean?" Misora asked.

"You already know that is Matt-san is an only child with his late parents passed away. Sometimes we think that when he's all alone, doing something whether it's dangerous or not, he might not have a chance to handle a situation by himself." Chisame straightens her glasses, "He may be a kind and compassionate gentleman, but we really see is a man who needs help. And that's why we joined him to keep him company and help his loneliness."

"Chisame's right," Satomi stated, "We may have just signed up for the club recently, but we are actually doing something righteous for Matt-san." Negi and the other nodded in agreement. Ako and the other athletic girls looked at each other with a worried look on their faces as they were thinking about Matt Oda.


Back at the enemy's base, Matt and his team are sneaking quietly through the halls, hoping to find their equipment and belongings before they escape. They checked every room they encountered, but no luck.

Just then, they heard footsteps from the goons coming close to the team from both sides of the hallway. The team panicked and don't know what to do until they encountered a door close to them. They went inside and hid to safety as the goons pass by each other.

Inside the room, Matt and his members waited quietly until the coast is clear. Matt hears the footstep sounds fading away, knowing that they are gone.

"All clear," Matt told his members. The girls sigh, relieving themselves that it was a close call.

"Hey Matt," Setsuna calls to him, "look." Matt and the rest of the girls check to see what Setsuna is looking at, and it turns out Setsuna found all of their weapons, cell phones, other stuff that were in a box.

"Sweet." Fei Ku quietly shouted. "Now, we are ready for action."

"Great," Matt followed, "Now let's get–"

"Wait, Matt-san." Mana interrupted. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

Everyone stopped and tries to hear the sound that Mana heard. Everything is quiet, and they couldn't hear the sound. "I don't hear anything…" Matt continued, but he was hushed by Mana again. They tried to listen to the sound again, and then…

Knock! Knock! Matt and the other girls flinched.

"Hear that?" Mana asks again.

"Yeah, but where's it coming from-degozaru?" Kaede asked.

They all looked around in the room to find the source of the sound. Matt then spots another door in the back of the room they are hiding. He stares at the door…Knock! Knock! "It's coming from that door," Matt stated to his members.

Matt and the gang get close to the door, and they opened it. Inside they see in surprise is a chubby man all tied up with his mouth covered and his eyes covered by a white cloth.

"Who's this guy?" Chao wondered.

"I don't know," Matt responded, "but let's remove the cloth from his face." Matt and Mana removed the cloth, revealing the man's face. Everyone suddenly gasped in great shock. "How's this possible!?" Matt said in complete surprise.

"But…what's he doing here?" Eva questioned as she shocked to see the man's face.

Everyone kept staring at the man's face until Asuna calls to Matt. "Hey Matt, come over here."

Matt heard Asuna's voice and went to her. "What is it, Asuna?" he asked.

"Look at this."

Asuna showed Matt another box that contained something inside of it. Matt looked, and then he blinked in another surprise. There Asuna and Matt see a box filled with Vita-bars that look totally new and unused.

"Since when does the enemy eat these vitamin candy bars?" Asuna asked.

Matt stopped for a moment and begins to think in his mind. He thought hard with all the clues he and the team collected so far. And then, Matt twitched as he came to a solution. "Hot Dog! That's it!" Matt shouted, grabbing the girls attention. "I finally figured out who is the leader of this evil organization."

"You do Matt-san?" Chachamaru pondered.

"Yes, and we need to get back to Mahora Academy fast. Because once we do, we're going to save everyone, including Ako, and end this mystery for good."

"So, what do we do?" Kaede asked.

"Here's my plan." Everyone got closer to Matt as he whispered every word of his plan. Once Matt told the whole enchilada about the plan, Matt, with Mana, Fei Ku, Setsuna, Chachamaru, and Chao, stands close to the door ready to put phase one of the plan in motion. Matt turns to Asuna and Eva, who are holding the man securely. "You know what to do."

Asuna and Eva nodded. "Just be careful," Eva warned to Matt and his team. Matt and the girls nodded as they sneakily exited the room and the building.


The mystery team is outside of the building as Matt looks for a window that has the crooks inside. Matt spotted one of them on the second floor and the co-leader. Matt turns to Mana.

"Okay Mana, go." Matt ordered. Mana nodded and loads her gun.

In a room on the second floor, Kimi and her thugs are eating their snacks and beverages. "Ah…this is going to be great." Kimi while she is being relaxed with the other criminals. "With those trouble makers tied up and that Ako girl going to be killed, our plan and revenge will be–" BOOM! CRASH! Everyone ducked to the ground as they heard the gunshot, and the window shattered. "WHAT IN THE…!?"

"Hey, Has-beens!" Matt shouted from the outside of the building. Kimi heard the voice, and she and her goons looked out the window. There they see Matt and girls waving at Kimi. "Sorry that we bust out of your captivity, but we gotta be somewhere right now. Adios!" Matt and his members rushed off into the streets and made their getaway.

"GAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Kimi yelled in complete shock. "How did they escape!?" Kimi is really angry, and she turns towards her minions. "Don't just stand there! After them! GET THEM NOW!" The goons saluted as they all exited the building and got into their black vans, including Kimi on board. They all started the vans and chased after the Mystery Club team on the streets.

As soon as every thug is completely gone from the building, Asuna and Eva, along with the chubby man they freed him, are outside of the building as they watch the vans drive into the streets.

"Let's hope Matt and the others make it there safely," Asuna worried.

"Me too," Eva responded. "But right now, we have a bus to catch to get back to Mahora, so let's not waste time."

Asuna nodded in agreement. "Come with us, mister." Asuna said to the man. "You got a case to solve for Matt." The man nodded, and the three head in the other direction of the streets as they looked and try to find the bus stop to Mahora Academy.