6) In Matt Oda We Trust

Part 6

Meanwhile, at the Mystery Club, Matt and his members discuss the plan to capture the thieves and protect the emblem.

"Alright, are we all clear on our objective?" Matt asks for everyone. The whole team nodded, ready for the patrolling. "Great team, so let's get ourselves prepared for our first night on patrol and guarding the Crowned Emblem." And so everyone gathered their stuff and stocked up for the patrol. But Matt is thinking of something in his mind that concerns him. "Please, oh please, let's hope it's not her that I have to face."

Asuna noticed Matt's troubled look. "Hey Matt, you okay?" She asked.

"Huh? Y-Yeah, just concentrating on tonight's patrol shift."


Somewhere outside and above the academy buildings, Sayo Aisaka is floating around to look for the building that contains Matt's Mystery Club. After a few seconds of looking, she spotted the building that contains Matt's club.

"There it is!" Sayo said.

Sayo flew down as fast as she can to reach the room that contains the club. Sayo arrived at a window and looks inside of the room. In great relief, she sees Negi, the girls, and of course, Matt Oda, all packing their stuff for the night patrol.

Tap! Tap!

The whole club stopped for a second and heard the sound. "What's that?" Matt asked. Tap! Tap! Tap! Everyone turned toward the sound and spotted Sayo outside and on the other side of the window.

"It's Sayo!" Konoka said in surprise.

"Sayo, what is it?" Negi asked as he raised his voice so she can hear him.

Sayo didn't want to yell out loud, so… she went through the wall and got inside the room. "Negi-sensei, it's horrible!" Sayo cried.

Matt jolted in surprise when he saw Sayo go through the wall. "WHAA–!? How did she do that!?"

"Oh! I guess we haven't told you," Setsuna responded.

"You see, our good classmate Sayo Aisaka is actually a ghost," Haruna stated.

"A ghost?" Matt replied with a surprise. But then he makes an exasperation look, "Nah, you're pulling my leg."

"It's the truth, Matt-san," Nodoka declared. "Look." She turned to Setsuna and nodded to her to show her proof.

Setsuna responded back to Nodoka with a nod, and she took out her katana. She slowly thrust her sword through Sayo's torso. Sayo felt nothing as if the blade passes through thin air.

Matt is even more shocked to see this than the first time. "Incredible…" Matt responded calmly but a little bit shocked, "a real-life ghost. Man, being here in Mahora Academy is really a special place for me."

"Well, enough about the facts," Asuna interrupted. "Sayo what's wrong. How come you're scared?"

"It's horrible, everyone," Sayo cried. "Ayaka and the other girls, including Kazumi, are captured by the thieves that are planning to steal the emblem tonight."

Everyone jumped in great shock when they heard what Sayo said.

"WHAT? Are you serious!?" Makie shouted.

"That's horrible!" Misora followed. "I can't believe they would do something terrible like that."

"But why such an awful thing?" Konoka said in shock.

"They're probably using them as ransom," Matt responded to the team. When the gang heard Matt's words, they were frightened. "They want to make sure that they really want the Crowned Emblem by all means." Matt paused for a moment, and then he makes a firm look. "Well, I'm not going to let that happen. Team, let's move out. We'll rescue those girls before those crooks can get away from us. Sayo, I still don't about you as a ghost, but you're coming along with us."

"Is that okay?" Sayo asked with little concern.

"We're going to need all the help we can get, especially to a girl who can look out from a great high view." Sayo smiled and is happy to help Matt Oda and the team.


Later that late night, where the Crowned Emblem is held, the club's team is positioned for the upcoming heist. Negi, Matt, Setsuna, Asuna, Mana, and Fei Ku are in the room that contains the emblem they're guarding. Satomi, Chao, Chisame, Satsuki, and Konoka are in the surveillance room monitoring the video screens. And the librarians, ninja trio, Eva, Chacha, and the athletes are in the hallways and outside the building patrolling the area. They all waited for the arrival of the thieves hoping they would apprehend them in one shot.

Chamo popped onto Negi's shoulder and makes concern question, "Are you sure this is going to work? I'm a little bit nervous."

"It has to work Chamo," Matt replied as he is standing next to Negi and Chamo. The three are right in front of the display case of the Crowned Emblem. "If they get away with this, then it's all over. So we can't mess this up."

"Gotcha Matt bro, just be careful."

"Don't worry, we will." Chamo went back into Negi's pocket. Matt then makes a call to everyone for a status check using his video-talkie. "Team, status report."

"Camera room, nothing out of the ordinary," Chisame replied.

"Hallway patrollers, nothing here either," said Haruna.

"Same with us, ninja trio," Kaede replied.

"Outside patrollers, all good," Misora responded.

"Same here," Chachamaru responded using her antennas for communication.

Matt puts the video-talkie down and speaks to Negi, "It seems the enemy hasn't made a move yet, but I better check the eye in the sky." Negi nodded. Matt picked up his video-talkie and makes contact. "Come in, hawkeye ghost, …anything?"

"Nothing, it's all good," Sayo replied. She was high in the sky looking down at Mahora Academy and looking around for any criminals on the ground. But Sayo begins to make a worrying thought. "I hope Kazumi and the others are okay."


Meanwhile, somewhere in the sewers, just below the academy, two thieves were near a power box and are ready to put their heist into action. A woman crook held a phone in her ear, listening to her leader's words, and the other held a pair of wire cutters.

"When? …Now?" said the thief with the wire cutters.

"Hold on," the other thief responded. She waited for the signal, until…

"Alright, women… Go."

The thief with the phone nods to the thief with the wire cutter. The thief with the cutter nods in response, opens the hatch to the power box, and snips the power line.


Everyone in the camera room kept watching the monitors, when suddenly… the lights and all the electronic equipment went black.

"What the…!? Who turned off the lights!?" Konoka panicked.

"Crap! The power's out!" Chisame groaned. "And the monitors are completely off!"

The hallways are pitch black as well.

"Augh! What happened!?" Fuka cried.

"The lights are off!" Fumika responded in fright.

"A blackout!? No, it must be part of the thieves' plan-degozaru!" Kaede stated.

The room that contained the emblem is blacked out too.

"Waah! The lights!" Negi cried.

"Damn it! I can't see anything!" Asuna shouted.

"Grr! This is bad!" Matt moaned. "But it's a good thing I planned for this kind of situation. Everyone! Get your sticks!"

It was too dark to see, but the group heard, and each one pulled out a tube stick from inside their back pockets. They quickly bend the sticks, and in a flash, a huge bright light appeared on the sticks. The room is bright enough to see everything.

"It's a good thing I asked Satomi and Chao to create these emergency glow sticks," Matt commented. "Now, the thieves will never sneak away with the emblem in the dark." Negi and the girls in the room smiled at Matt Oda, knowing his blackout backup plan is a success. Then Matt pulls out his video-talkie and contacts the other members. "This is Matt Oda, come in everyone. Status report."

"Chisame here," she said, "We're fine, but the monitors are out. I sent Satomi and Chao to find the backup generator for this building."

"Haruna here," she said, "us librarians, Kaede, and the twins are fine. We'll keep our eyes peel for the thieves."

"This is Akira reporting," she called. "We're okay, but the night lights are completely out. It's going to be hard to track the thieves in this situation."

Matt understood everyone's status, and he then contacts Sayo. "Sayo, aerial status."

"It looks pretty bad," Sayo replied as she is hovering high in the sky, "The building containing the emblem and everything around it is totally black. Please be careful, the thieves might already snuck in."

"Thanks, over and out." Matt hangs up his video-talkie and turns to his members. "Well, it looks like the thieves made their first move, so we better be ready for them." Negi and the girls nodded in agreement as they got their arms up and ready.

In the hallways, the librarians checked every spot for the thieves to appear using their huge flashlights.

"See anything?" Yue asked.

"Not yet," Haruna replied, "keep looking."

"I hope the other guys are alright," Nodoka said with concern.

"Don't worry, Honya-chan," Haruna cheered, "They'll be fine, but right now, we have a mission. We can't let the crooks get away from us." Nodoka nodded firmly in response and continues to search the hallways.

After a few seconds of patrolling…

Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!

The sound got Yue's attention. Haruna and Nodoka noticed Yue's flinch.

"Yue, what is it?" Nodoka asked.

Yue shushed Nodoka as she kept hearing the sound. She closed her eyes, letting her hearing do all the work of where the sound is coming from. Few seconds passed, then… Tap! Tap! Tap! TAP! TAP! Yue quickly opened her eyes and shines her light toward the sound. In an instant, she spotted a woman in black in Yue's sight.

"Gotcha, you crook!" Yue shouted.

The thief quickly dashes away, giving chase for the librarians.

Haruna grabs her video-talkie and contacts Matt, "Matt, we found one of the thieves. We're on the pursuit."

"Don't lose her," Matt responded while talking on his video-talkie, "contact the others for support. We'll be on guard for the emblem."

"Got it." Haruna ends the transmission for Matt and calls out to her other patrolling friends.

Matt hangs up his video-talkie and looks at his team. "It looks like the patrolling team is going after the bait. So we know the rest of the thieves are going to show up here next."

"How soon you think that is?" Asuna wondered.

"Well, judging how the situation is, I would say they gang should show up right about..." CRASH! The windows of the room have shattered. "NOW!"

Just then, something from outside the windows was thrown into the room. A few gray balls were landed on the floor. A bowl of white smoke were spread throughout the room.

"Great! Smoke Bombs!" Matt shouted.

Swish! Swoosh! The criminals quickly entered the room.

Matt heard the sounds of interlopers and makes the command, "Gang! The thieves breached in!"

"I'm on it," Mana replied. She then closed her eyes and then opens them up again. Her eyes were glowing yellow, and her iris shrunk into tiny pupils. In her vision, she can see through thick smoke and spots the criminals where they are. "My demon eyes will always see things through thick clouds and smoke." She pulled out her guns and triggers them to shoot at the criminals. The crooks heard the gunshots as they avoided the attack and scurried around the room.

"Careful Mana, we don't want to damage any artifacts in here," Matt noted.

"Don't worry, just protect the emblem."

As the smoke starts to clear up, the team can see the thieves. "Quickly capture them!" Matt ordered. Asuna and the other girls nodded as they got their arms up and dash for the thieves. Matt turns to Negi and says, "Negi, come with me and protect the emblem." Negi nodded response, and the two surrounded the glass case with the emblem inside for protection.

The apprehension of the thieves was simple as Asuna knocked out two crooks with her harisen. Setsuna put sleeping talismans on three bandits. Fei Ku got one knocked down immobilized. And Mana got the last one with a tranquilizer. All the crooks were on the ground feeling weak and sore to move.

"That's the last of them," Asuna said with a cheer.

"Well, that wasn't so hard," Fei Ku commented.

"Yeah, you're right…," Matt responded with a concerned look on his face. "It's almost as if these thieves are too easy to defeat."

Then slowly, a crook lifts her head and sees Matt's face in front of her. "Guh! Hand over the emblem… or else…," she said in pain.

"Or else what?" Matt responded with a little angry. "You know you can't succeed. You thieves are going straight to jail when we turn you to the police."

"I wouldn't be so sure."

A woman called out to Matt and his team. The Mystery team turned toward the sound of the voice and was shocked. There in the team's view are a couple more of crooks, and right beside them is Ayaka and the rest of the girls who were captured and tied up. The two thieves each held a knife sticking towards the captive Mahora girls. This made the mystery team really mad and scared.

"Ayaka!" Negi cried.

"Chizuru! Natsumi!" Setsuna shouted.

"Kazumi! Zazie!" Asuna yelled.

"Hand over the Crowned Emblem, and we'll let these captive girls go," the thief requested. "If not, they're going to get a scar on their bodies."

"Don't do it, you guys!" Natsumi shouted. "We'll be okay, just protect the emblem!"

"But… but…!" Negi panicked.

"We'll be fine!" Kazumi shouted. "We'll make it out!"

"What's your decision?" the thief asked. "The emblem or these girls?"

Negi and the girls looked at Matt with deep concern. "Matt, what do we do?" Asuna said in little fright.

Matt paused and thought for a moment. After that, he came to a decision, "Alright…" he said. The two thieves loosen the grip on the knives a little.

"Mana!"

Tatsumiya heard Matt. She quickly got her two handguns and shot the thieves knives destroying the blades. The two crooks were surprised and outsmarted.

"I always plan these things way ahead of you, vile snakes," Matt retorted to the thieves. "When it comes to a smart person like me to deal with criminals for ransom, I got to know how to let the enemy's guard down."

Ayaka and the other captives were surprised by Matt's sneaky tactic.

"Whoa, incredible," said Natsumi in amazement.

"He really is smart," Kazumi followed and complemented.

"Awesome, Matt!" Asuna complemented, "Your plans really worked."

"Thanks, Asuna," Matt replied with a grin. He then turns to the crooks. "It's over. Give it up and release those girls. Otherwise, we'll escort you rats to the police."

The two crooks gritted their teeth, and it seems everything is going in Matt's way. Unfortunately…

"My, my…, you have been very cunning, you wimpy dog."

When Matt heard that particular voice, he jolted and widens his eyes. Negi and the girls blinked in surprise when they the voice as well. Matt shook in terrible fright, unlike when he met Asuna and the other girls he met. He slowly turned around and sees a shadowy silhouette right in front of him. He then started to sweat like a gushing fountain as he stood, shaking in his utmost terrible and frightening state.

"It's been a while, hasn't it, Matthew Oda," the shadowy woman calmly but evilly said to Matt.

"No… It can't be…" Matt said in fright.

Just then, Matt's video-talkie started to speak. It was Chisame on the other side of the line, "Matt! Come in, Matt! Satomi and Chao found the generator. Shall we turn it on?" Matt didn't say a word but kept shaking in fright. "Matt! Matthew! Are you there? What's wrong!?"

Matt started to breathe heavily as he still kept standing in fright and staring at the silhouette woman. Negi and the girls are worried about Matt's condition.

"Matthew, what's the matter!?" Asuna shouted to get Matt's attention. Matt didn't respond.


Satomi and Chao are in the room with the generator waiting for Matt's cue, but there was still no response. The two scientists began to worry about Matt and the others.

"Matt's not answering," Satomi said in concern.

"You think something bad has happened to him and the others?" Chao asked.

"If that is the truth, then we have to turn the generator on."

"But he said when he gives the command."

"And wait for what happens next!?"

Chao begins to worry more as paused a moment and thought carefully. She looked at Satomi again and makes the decision, "Okay…, go for it."

Satomi nodded and turns on the generator. The machine made a loud noise as it sends its electrical power throughout the whole building. Soon and in a flash, the lights in the hallways and rooms began to light up again.


The lights that contained the room with the emblem started to light up. When the whole room is lit, Matt looked up… and makes a scared and horrified face like never before.

Stood in front of Matt is a woman with 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 cut on her forehead. Matthew Oda is really, really scared, and everyone else blinked in surprise.

The two crooks were happy and relieved.

"Boss! You're here!" said one of the crooks.

"Boss?" Setsuna said curiously.

"Oh no," Chizuru said with fright, "Mieko!"

Matt blinked in fear when he heard that name. "No… way…" Matt frightened. He kept staring at the woman in front of him until he speaks one word to everyone in the room.

"…Anita…"

"ANITA!?" Negi and the girls said in shock.

"So you do remember me, huh Wimpy Dog," said Anita with an evil smirk.

Matt shook like an earthquake in horrible fright, until then… he fell and sat on the floor shivering in great fear. Negi and the girls watched Matt Oda as he trembles turning himself white.

"Matthew… what's wrong?" Asuna wondered. "Why… are you like that?" Matt kept shaking in fear.

In the camera room, Chisame and others watched this frantic scene with concern. "What's wrong with Matt Oda?" Satsuki worried. "He looks like he's petrified."

"I don't know…," Chisame responded with much concern. "But it doesn't look good for Matt. And who is that lady? This is really bad for Matt's gynophobia."

Anita got closer to Matt and looks down on him with her evil look. "So… feel like you want to make this the easy way, I assume?" Anita asked in a cheeky yet evil tone.

"W-W-WWW-What are y-y-y-yyy-you doing here-e-e-ee?" Matt said with fright. "P-P-P-Please-e-e-e-e! D-D-D-Don't hurt me-e-e-e-e!"

"Oh, I won't hurt you and your girly friends, as long as you give us the Crowned Emblem."

Negi and the girls are panicking because of Matt's condition and didn't what to do. But Asuna makes a firm command, "No way ma'am! We're not going to let you take the emblem! Quit teasing Matt and get out of here!"

"Oh, I'm afraid I can't do that." She then quickly grabs and picks Matt up on his feet and uses her left arm to wrap around his neck. Next, she took out a knife and held it close to Matt's left cheek. "Unless you want your frightful friend to die, then hand over the emblem."

Negi and girls jolt in fright to see Matt in his terrible condition. "Matt!" they all shouted.

Chisame and the others in the camera room are scared of this scene too. They watched from the monitors.

Matt couldn't open his eyes as he was still in a terrible phobia state.

"You monster!" Kazumi shouted, "Let him go!"

"Only if give us the emblem, then I'll let him go," Anita responded.

Negi shivered in fright, but the girls groaned as they struggle to free Matt and protect the emblem. Mana thought she would quickly shoot Anita's knife for Matt to get away, but she might hit Matt by mistake.

"So girls, what's the choice?" Anita evilly asked.

"P-P-P-P-Please-e, d-d-d-don't hurt-t-t-t m-m-mm-m-me," Matt said in fright.

Negi and the girls kept watching Matt's frightful condition in worry. With the situation he is in, they had no choice but to drop their weapons and surrender.

"Just don't hurt Matt," Mana said calmly but aggressively.

"Wise choice ladies," Anita evilly smirked and responded.

Anita puts her knife back in her pocket and then snaps her fingers. Then instantly, a group of thieves appeared into the room and surrounded Negi and the girls with their guns. A few crooks went to the Crowned Emblem, opened a hole of the glass, and took the plaque. One thief pulled very hard to remove the emblem from the plaque. Successful, the thief obtained the emblem. She turns to her leader Anita and nods. Anita responded with a nod.

Anita then turns to Negi and the girls, "Looks like our bargain is done." She lets go of Matthew as he dropped straight to the floor, still shivering in fright. Anita slowly walked away from the mystery team.

"Hey!" Asuna shouted to Anita, "What about Ayaka and the others?"

Anita turned around to Asuna with an evil smirk. "Ah, yes, here."

Anita pulls out a silver ball and quickly throws it to the floor. Crash! FLASH! A huge bright light appeared before everyone, and it blinded the mystery team. The bright light also blinded Chisame and the others in the surveillance room. The patrolling team spotted the bright light and headed toward it.

When the light is gone after a few seconds, everyone looked again and discovers not only the crooks and Anita were gone, but Ayaka and the other captive girls as well.

"That ponytail jerk! She tricked us!" Asuna screamed in anger.

"She used a flash bomb on to get away," Setsuna stated.

"I can't believe they got away with not the emblem, but Ayaka and the others as well." Fei Ku said in disappointment.

Negi and the girls are completely sad, then the patrolling team came into the room.

"What happened?" Misora asked.

"Is everything alright?" Makie pondered.

Negi and the girls slowly looked at the patrolling team, and Asuna replies to them, "We're okay, but the thieves got away with emblem and our classmates." The patrolling team was shocked to hear Asuna's report.

Everyone's depressed, then Yuna and Ako spotted Matt on the floor, shivering in fright still. The two girls went up to him and crouch to Matt.

"Oda-san are you alright?" Ako asked in concern.

Matt slowly stood up and looks at Ako. "I-I-Is… she gone?" Matt asked.

"Who is?" Yuna questioned.

Matt looked away from the two girls and responds to them, "That horrifying woman… Anita."

The two girls next to Matt were a bit confused, but Setsuna makes the reply, "Yeah… she got away with the emblem and our friends." After hearing Setsuna's words, Matt looked down and sighed.

"What's wrong, Matt?" Yuna asked. "You look really sad."

"I'm sorry, everyone," Matt replied sadly. "This is all my fault. Our plan would've been successful if only my phobia didn't get in the way. And it's all because… of her."

"You seem to know who that Anita really is," said Negi with a curious look on his expression.

Chamo popped out from Negi's pocket and hopped onto his shoulder. "Yeah, bro, tell us," Chamo commanded. "You were so freaked out, and I mean really freaked out, from that vile chick. So what's your deal with her?"

Everyone kept staring at Matt Oda, waiting for his response. He took a deep breath, exhaled, and begins to talk. "I guess I should've told you this when I had the chance, but I thought it might be a nuisance to our plan, and I thought it would never happen. That woman, who is the ring leader we saw and met, is Anita Mieko. And I have a bad memory from her."

"Why is that?" Asuna pondered.

"Because that Anita… is the one female person…" there is a pause of silence in the room…

"…that started my gynophobia."

Everyone blinked in surprise at Matt's words.