I. First Mysteries

6) In Matt Oda We Trust

Part 1

In the middle of the night and somewhere in the city that's not far from Mahora Academy, a 27-year-old woman stands on top of a building overlooking at Mahora Academy. She has a dark blue collar shirt and long ragged jeans. She has brown hair with a ponytail in the back of her head that stretches to her back. And she has a hime hairstyle. She looks at Mahora Academy for a few moments, then she looks at a newspaper she held in her hand. The headline stated, "Young Gentleman Matthew Oda saves the Athletic Mahora Sports Games." After she read the headline, she makes an evil smirk and looks back at the academy.

"So you're here, Matthew Oda," she said so evilly. "It's been a while since I last saw your wimping face. I wonder if you still remember me since elementary school." She kept staring at the academy and giggled in evil laughter.


It is a sunny morning as the suns shine brightly on the academy. It is the middle of May, and Mahora Academy is getting ready for the exams coming up soon. In Negi's class, all the girls are talking as they are chatting away for the upcoming plan to spend on summer vacation. Sakurako and the other two cheerleaders are going to do more shopping, Satomi and Chao are planning to make more inventions, and Kaede and the twins are anxious to see a movie that has been released. But while most of the girls were talking away about their vacation, Asuna and Konoka are discussing Matt Oda.

"Summer is on the way pretty soon, and I think we should invite Matt-san over for our summer vacation," Konoka said.

"You're right, Konoka," Asuna replied. "I hate to see Matt Oda-san left out and being all alone. We should invite him when we go to a theme park. That'll really please him."

"Hey, are you girls talking about Matt-san?" Yue asked as she leaned close to the two girls for better hearing. Konoka and Asuna both nodded.

"That might not be a bad idea," Chisame said with her laptop open. "I intended to show him how to use a laptop and maybe even play online games with him."

"Are you girls talking about Matt Oda?" Haruna asked as she leaned toward Asuna and the other girls in the conversation. The group nodded in response. "I thought so. I thought this summer I show him how to draw manga, and maybe he can create manga about our adventures so far."

Yuna, along with her seating mates Eva, Chachamaru, and Fei Ku, heard about Matt Oda and decided to join in on the conversation. "Are you guys chatting about Matt for your activities to do with him this summer?" Yuna questioned. The group said yes. "Cool, I was thinking me, Makie and the others, can playing badminton with him."

"I thought he can have a taste with the tea we make at our club," Evangeline suggested. Chachamaru nodded with Eva's suggestion.

Satomi, Nodoka, and Chao heard Asuna and Konoka's conversation and joined in. Then came in Satsuki, then Misora, the twins, Mana, Setsuna, and Kaede, and finally, the athletic girls coming in on the conversation. Soon the whole members of the club are together discussing their plans to do with Matt Oda for their summer vacation.

However, Ayaka and the rest of the girls noticed everyone talking about Matt, and they are feeling a bit rejected. Ayaka couldn't understand and figure out what it is that makes Matt Oda so unique. The class rep is getting annoyed until she makes a command.

"Girls!" she yelled. "May I have your attention?!" The members of the club heard Ayaka and turn toward her. Ayaka took a deep breath and exhaled, "Lately, I been hearing you guys talking about Matt this and Matt that. I need some answers ladies, what makes this Matthew Oda-san so special?" Everyone took a pause, and then they slowly answered.

"Well class rep…it's like we said: Matt is really a good fellow." Makie stated.

"No doubt about it," Haruna followed. "Matt Oda is just one kind guy that really knows how to shine to others."

"Matt may be an average person," Akira noted, "but he's sure is one kind and honest gentleman."

"I know that he's a gentleman, he's kind, and he's a genius," Ayaka said, still in a grump. "But I mean is: what makes him so important to you guys, including our homeroom teacher Negi-sensei?"

Every member of the grouped looked at each other in concern, and then they looked back at the class representative.

"Well, I don't know if you heard," Fei Ku replied, "but Matt Oda-san is really a lone wolf."

"Technically Fei Ku, he's really an only member." Yue corrected.

This made Ayaka and the rest of the girls like Kazumi, Sayo, and Natsumi wondering. "What do you mean?" Ayaka pondered.

"Well Ayaka," Chisame starts to talk, "Matt really is a lonely guy. Truth is he has no family members, and we sort of…you know…uh."

"We joined Matt's club just to keep him company, not just going on mysteries." Satomi finished the statement.

Ayaka and the rest of the girls were so confused about Matt being an only family member. "I never heard of this," Kazumi responded in a little shock. "Matt is a nice guy, but I never expected a gentleman like him to be all alone like that."

"What happened to his family?" Sayo asked as she floated closer to the group.

"Matt's only parents died in an accident," Ako stated with a worried look on her face.

"An accident?" Chizuru wondered.

"Matt's parents were driving on a freeway bridge," Fuka stated.

"Then they hit the wall of the bridge and fell straight into a river," Fumika finished the statement.

Chao continues with Matt's back story, "When Matt heard about this, he was so miserable and lost without them. He took the loss of his parents really hard. When he came here the first day of Mahora Academy, he wanted to pursue a goal that is solving and going on mysterious adventures here in the academy. Still, we sensed deep down inside him that he really needs a good family to watch over him."

Ayaka and the rest girls didn't respond, but they made concerned faces.

Konoka then speaks up, "Despite the fact that Matt Oda-san may be afraid of girls, he is doing his best to make wonderful friends here in the academy, as well as forgetting the painful and sad past about his parents' death. But even if that's true, the Matt Oda we see is just a sad gentleman looking for a good family."

After the members of the club gave the facts and details about Matt Oda, Ayaka, and the other girls, even Zazie, who listened in on the discussion, started to make worried looks on their faces.

Then Asuna calls out to the class rep, "If you want to see him class rep, then I won't stop you, but Matt Oda is really a gentleman. He's not stealing 'your Negi' for anything. He's just a sweet and innocent guy. We all joined him because we felt a little sorry for him."

Ayaka paused for a moment and begins to think clearly in her mind. Kazumi and the others looked at the class rep waiting for the response. Ayaka looked up and slowly replies to the group, "I may not see him today, but I'm free tomorrow. If what all of you saying is the truth, then maybe I should give this Matt Oda guy a try. I will, and I mean it, will see him tomorrow, for sure."

Kazumi and Sayo smiled too. "Well, if the class rep is going to see him, I might as well see Matt Oda one more time too." Ayaka heard Kazumi words, and the class rep is a little bit astounded to hear that.

"I like to meet this Matthew Oda myself too," Sayo suggested.

"Oh my, girls," Chizuru said in surprise. Everyone turned to Chizuru with Natsumi next to her. "If that's the case, then I would like to see him well."

"Count me too," Natsumi followed.

"I like to see Matt Oda again," said Sakurako. "What about you, Misa and Madoka?" The other two leaders nodded in agreement.

Then Ayaka and the rest of the unofficial member girls spotted someone's hand raised into the air. The club members look to see what Ayaka and the other girls were looking at and turned toward their direction. In surprise, they see Zazie's hand in the air.

"Zazie!? You too?" Natsumi said in shock.

"Matt sounds like a good guy," Zazie thought. "I wouldn't mind seeing him, at least this once." Everyone is amazed that the quiet acrobat girl has finally got something interesting in her mind.

"Well, then it's decided," Ayaka commanded. "Those girls who haven't met with Matt yet, I'd say tomorrow right after our classes, we go and meet this Matthew Oda once and for all."

"Sounds good to me." Misa declared.

The other girls who aren't members of the club yet agreed in Ayaka's suggestion and made their final decision. The official club members looked back at each other, and they smiled a little.

"This should be interesting for Matthew-san," Makie noted.

"I just hope class rep doesn't make him too scared due to his phobia," Yue replied quietly.


Later in the afternoon and in the halls of the English Department, Matt, Negi, Makie, Konoka, and Satsuki, are walking together down the hallways and heading towards the Mystery Club. The small group is smiling as they discuss with each other.

"I heard you made the news again, Matt-san," Satsuki noted.

"Yeah, keep it up, and you'll be famous not only in Mahora Academy but throughout the whole nation," Makie stated.

"Oh, I'm not sure I'll be that famous yet," Matt said with little shyness. "But, I'm surprised you told the rest of the girls about my loneliness and my late parents."

"Sorry about that, Matt-san." Konoka regretted. "But Ayaka, our class representative, was so eager to know about you and wanted to know why we care so much about you."

"That's alright Konoka, I'm sure your class rep cares and worries about you."

"I'm not so sure that's it," Satsuki said in little embarrassment.

Negi then told Matt a fact, "Letting you know Matt-san, Ayaka and the rest of the girls are coming to see and meet you tomorrow after their classes and clubs are done."

"Is that so?" Matt questioned. "Well, thanks for the heads up. Even though my phobia is still affecting me, I'll do my best to overcome my fear and try to meet them."

The girls and Negi smiled to see Matt give it his best greetings to Ayaka and the others tomorrow.

Just then, without looking ahead, Makie bumped into an older student girl. She looked and sees the older girl glaring at Makie. She stood and bowed at her in apology, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going."

"Oh really?" said the older student girl. She wore a green long-sleeved student uniform, with two white buttons in the center of her school uniform and a white-collar shirt. She has light brown hair, with her bangs hanging close to her eye level, and her long hair is tied to her neck level. She also has pearl teardrop earrings. She glares more at Makie, "I hope that's an accident because I don't like little people picking on me."

Then two older girls showed up next to the first girl. One girl had long grayish hair, with short bangs, and a hairpin on her right side of her head. The other girl has dark blonde hair with her hair wrapped in buns, and her bangs stick to the side of her forehead. The other two girls glare at Makie as she was more frightened than before.

"Please don't hurt me," Makie whimpered.

"Oh, I won't hurt you." said the student girl with light brown hair. "In fact, you're too scared to fight back with me." She then makes an evil smirk, and so did the other two girls next to her. Negi and the rest of the girls observe this terrible sight, while Matt shivered a little in fright due to his phobia. "Tell you what…since you're such a wimp, I let you slide and take off easy, if you do me one favor."

"What's that?"

"Give me your money."

Makie flinched in surprise. "What? But…but…"

"Oh, so you wanna fight, huh?"

Makie didn't know what to do, but Matt watching this dreadful scene couldn't stand Makie getting picked by the bullies. Even though he is still scared due to his phobia, Matt slowly walks to Makie and the older girls. As Matt got closer, Makie and the older student girls see Matt next to him.

Matt took a breath and says, "Misses, can't you just leave her alone. She said she was sorry, so why don't you just…you know…let her be."

The girl with the brown hair walks to Matt Oda closely and stares at him, direct eye contact. Matt sweated more. "And what are you going to do about it?" she asked evilly. She is close to the same height as Matt, but he is still frightened by girls. "Are you going to stop me, or what?"

Matt shook in fright even more, and he panicked. He took a big step back and shook his head, "Nothing…, just nothing…"

The brown hair girl makes an evil smirk again, as she looks back at Makie. "Now where's my money, or else." Makie didn't want to get hurt, so she handed most of her money to the older girl. The brown hair girl swipes Makie's cash, and she smiled evilly. "Thanks kid, and next time you bump me again, that's going to be double the pay." She looks back at the two girls next to her and tilts her head, telling them to move out. "See ya around, Pipsqueak." The three troublesome girls giggled in evil laughter and left the scene.

"Ah man, there goes my afternoon snack." Makie moaned.

"Man, were they such jerks," Satsuki complained.

"I can't believe they do something horrible like that," Negi said with concern.

Konoka couldn't believe it as well, but she turned to Matt as she sees him in a sad state. Konoka doesn't know what's wrong with Matt, but he feels depressed for letting Makie down.