6) In Matt Oda We Trust

Part 8

Everyone, Negi, the girls, the crooks, and Anita, were all surprised as they witnessed Matt standing on his feet in his brave and bold stance.

"Matthew!" Asuna and Konoka said in surprise and unison.

Matt looked back at his team and gave a wink and thumbs-up. "Thanks, everyone!" Matt said in glee. "Because of you, I'm back in action, ready to face any challenge in my way." He then turns to Anita, "Especially you, Anita Mieko."

"Wait… does that mean…" Yue asked curiously.

"That's right! I'm not afraid of girls or women, ANYMORE!"

Negi and the Class 1-A students smiled in joy as they see a new Matt rising in front of their eyes.

Anita, however, gritted her teeth in anger. "H-H-How's this possible!?" she said in anger. "You're always afraid women, including me!"

"True…, but that fact is people do change." Matt then crosses his arms. "Well Anita, it looks like your advantage ways on me don't work on me anymore. Now hand over the emblem and come quietly."

Anita moaned in anger. "Not on your life!" She shouted.

She then got her knife out of her pocket. She aimed it towards Matt as he backed his arms and his body. Matt needed to do something. He looked around and spotted the hook he used to lower himself to rescue Ayaka and the others. He grabs the hook and throws it toward Anita. Anita quickly dodged it as the hook, with the chains on it, swung past her.

"Ha! You missed!" Anita mocked.

"Wasn't aiming at ya," Matt said calmly.

Anita flinched in confusion as she looked back at the hook Matt swung. The hook swung toward a pile of large wooden boxes. Once it hit them, the two boxes on the top started to topple and landed on the crooks, entrapping them and freeing Negi, Asuna, Konoka, Setsuna, Mana, and Fei Ku.

"Way to go, Matthew!" Misora shouted and cheered.

Anita growled and armed her knife, ready to throw at Matt. Anita angrily says, "Grr! I'm gonna–"

But just as she's about to throw the knife... BOOM! A gunshot was fired, and it flicked off the knife Anita was wielding. Matt turned to see that Mana Tatsumiya used her gun and saved Matt Oda.

"Thanks Mana," said Matt with a grin. Mana gave Matthew a wink and smile.

As Matt turned back to Anita, she was gone! He looked around and spots her as she is trying to escape.

Matt makes a firm look and gives a command to his team, "All of you guys take care of the crooks. I'm going after Anita." Every member of the club nodded, and they fought back.

Fei Ku made a clear path for Matt when she attacked the thieves and knocked them out.

"Go for it, Matt!" Fei Ku ordered.

Matt nodded, but just as he is about to dash off…

"Matt, wait!" Negi shouted. Matt turned toward Negi and got his attention. "Let me go with you! You're going to need some help."

"That goes for me too," Asuna said as she came forward, offering her help.

Matt had no time to pause for thought, but he nodded. "Okay, you two," Matt replied, "C'mon!"

The three dashed off to apprehend Anita.


The rest of the girls battle ferociously to put the crooks out cold. Mana stunned them with her gun using paralyzing bullets, Kaede uses her ninja technique to stop them, Chachamaru quickly knocked them out using her hand-to-hand combat, and most of the smart girls trapped the crooks using rope and outwitting them.

Matt, Negi, and Asuna chased after Anita as they climbed up the metal stairs. The three reached the top floor of the building and looked around to find Anita. Matt looked carefully, and then in a quick reaction, he spotted her as she is about to the exit door that Matt and his team entered.

"She's getting away!" Matt shouted as he pointed toward Anita. Negi and Asuna see her as she closely approached the door.

Negi quickly reacted as he took out his staff and chant a spell, "Ras tel Ma Scir Magister! Clausus ostium!"

Then boxes and cover clothes nearby started to move and then flew toward the exit door. Just as Anita is about to reach the doorknob, the objects came flying in and blocked Anita's escape and the door. Anita turned around as she sees Matt, Negi, and Asuna right in front of her.

"There's nowhere to go, Anita," Matt stated. "Surrender, or else."

Anita growled even more, and then she dashed off. Matt commands Asuna to split up to corner Anita's escape, and the three chased her.

The heroes followed Anita as they all arrived on a rusty and unsteady metal platform hanging in midair, and that it stretches from one end of the floor to the other side. As Anita is halfway through the platform and close to the other side, Asuna appeared and blocked Anita's path. Asuna held her giant sword arming and pointing towards Anita. Anita flinched, and she then turned around to see Matt and Negi. Anita growled ferociously and is steamed up as she's got nowhere to go.

"We've got you surrounded," Asuna said with confidence. "You got nowhere to run."

"That's right," Matt responded. "You wanna take this the easy way, or the hard way."

Anita growled as she both look at Matt and Asuna surrounding her. "Grrrrrr! I'm not giving up that easily!" She shouted.

Anita Meiko then quickly pulled a small gun from her pocket and aims toward Matt. He started to jolt when he saw the gun. But…something got Matt's attention. He noticed that Anita's eyes didn't only show rage, but something else. When Matt realized Anita's problem, he now knows the truth.

Negi jolted in fright when he sees the gun, but Matt put his arm in front of him, telling Negi to stand back. "I'll take it from here," Matt said to Negi.

Matt slowly steps forward, just about a few feet away from Anita holding her gun. Matt firmly stares at Anita as she gritted her teeth in anger and still has the gun.

"Why? Why aren't you afraid of me?" Anita said in anger. "You're always afraid of me. How can you, a stupid gentleman, not be afraid of me!?"

"It's quite simple," Matt replied calmly. "It's because I finally understand why I was so afraid of girls, 'at first,' and also how you manage to get away with whatever you want. I was so afraid of female people because I thought they were cruel people who treated me like a beat-up punching bag, just like what you did to me back then. But that was because of one thing that made that wild imagination of mine became a mental problem for me."

Matt then pointed to Anita. "And that was you." Anita flinched in both fright and confusion. "You see, you were always a big bully back in those days. And because you always had the advantage of weak and small people who couldn't stand in your way, you always get what you want. That's how you can get away with everything you want, money, jewels, and other stuff you liked.

But…, you had a weakness. In reality, you're just a wimpy dog like I was before on the inside. A sheep in wolf's clothing, a sweet girl who tries to dress up tough on the outside."

Anita blinked in surprise, but she maintains her ground and still holds the gun aiming at Matt. "That's… That's a lie!" she shouted. "I'm nothing like that!"

"No!" Matt rebuttal, "It's true! I'll bet you had a hard time making friends, and nobody took your request. You tried so hard to be kind, but no one cared for you. So you change your habit and act tough on others. So tough that you became a mean girl to everyone in our elementary school."

Anita didn't respond, but she kept glaring at Matt. "I can understand not only any woman but you as well. You're just afraid, aren't you? You're afraid that even a bully like you, people would still turn against you. You just want someone to talk to you.

You see, you're not the only one who's shy and has a hard time making friends. I was like you when I was little and had trouble making friends. It's okay, Anita, you don't have to do this." Negi and Asuna kept watching Matt as he tries to reason Anita's blind rage. "Just put the gun down and let's talk this out."

Anita kept holding her position as she still glares at Matt. But then Anita started to make tears from her angry eyes. "No. No. No! NO! Just stay away from me!" she cried. "Just go away!"

But Anita accidentally pulled the trigger of the gun. A bullet was shot as Matt barely missed the shot and passed him. But the bullet hits a set of rusty chains connected and attached to a wall and a supporting beam holding the roof. The chains broke from the bullet, and then the beam loosened and falls toward the platform Matt, Negi, Anita, and Asuna are standing on. They jumped out of the way from the beam's fall as it crashes the platform splitting a gap between the path and slightly declining the two broken bridges of the platform. Sayo sees the beam falling and shouted to her classmates to lookout. The students of class 1-A and the crooks see the beam falling and dodged out of the way.

BOOOOM!

After the beam's crash, Matt and Negi on one side of the broken platform were holding onto the rail to keep him from sliding to the end to the broken platform. On the other side, Asuna is safe standing on the cement floor. But Asuna sees Anita holding tightly onto the rail's pole as she is close to the broken platform's end. Anita looked down and sees the long drop from the top floor all the way down to the ground floor. She panicked as she held tightly onto the rail.

But little did Anita know, the Crowned Emblem inside her pocket starts to slip out. The emblem got out of her pocket, and Anita noticed it as it slides toward the broken end of the platform. Anita didn't want to lose it, so she let go of the rail and went after it. When she got close to the emblem and the end of the platform, Anita grabbed the emblem in time and grasped another rail's pole to stop from sliding off the edge. She smiled when she got the emblem, but…

SNAP!

Part of the platform Anita is on cracked and fell. It's broken section now hangs as Anita held onto the rail's pole and hangs from her death.

"ANITA!" Asuna shouted.

"OH NO! Boss!" one of the criminals shouted as she looked up as she sees her hanging. The crooks and the class 1-A students looked as sees this scary sight.

Anita hangs on tight to the rail's pole as she struggles to herself to hold on from falling. She kept moaning in pain as she is down to her last strength to hold onto the rail. She then looked at Matt as he held tightly to the rail. Anita, with a glaring and angry look, stares Matt. The gentleman noticed Anita.

"Matthew!" Anita screamed, "I swear! You'll pay for this!"

Matt kept staring Anita with his concerned look on his face. Anita suddenly starts to slip away from the pole and notices that she can't grin any longer. She closed her eyes and then makes a tear.

"Help… me…" she said quietly.

Matt flinched when he heard her voice. Anita's fingers started to slip, then… Slip!

"NOOOOOOOAAAAAHHHHHH!"

Anita screamed as she plunges to her death. Everyone watched as most of them covered their eyes.

Clap!

Just then, something stopped Anita from falling. She looked up and is shocked. There she sees is Matt grasping tightly to Anita's wrist. Matt held a rail's pole in the other hand and his left foot on the edge of the broken platform.

"I gotcha!" Matt shouted as he struggles to not let go of Anita.

Anita didn't react, but she kept staring at Matt for his bold move. She then makes a sorrowful look.

"Wh- Why…Why did you save me?" Anita asked.

Matt held tightly as he responds, "Rrr… I'm a gentleman. … I'm supposed to help others that are in need. …Especially… people with a broken heart like you." Anita didn't say a word, but she makes another tear. "Negi! Asuna! …Grr! …Help me up!" Negi and Asuna heard Matt and pulled Matt and Anita from danger.


After everything's settle, the policeman arrived at the warehouse and surrounded the whole building. Detective Sagura and his men are at the scene as they arrest the criminals. He and Matt were inside the warehouse as they discussed each other that the case is closed.

"Good work, Oda-san," Detective Sagaru complimented. "You put these thieves behind bars."

"And the stolen gems and money from have been securely retrieved and returned," Matt noted.

"It's all thanks to you, kid." The detective puts his hands on his hips. "Well, looks like we got everything we need to put this case to a close."

"Uh… not quite everything."

Matt then called two policemen over as they brought Anita with them in custody. Matt sticks his hand out, knowing he needs something from her.

"You owe me something, Anita," Matt told her.

Anita didn't say a word, but she reached into her pocket and pulls out the Crowned Emblem. She gave it to Matt very gently.

Then Anita speaks to Matt, "Matthew Oda, I…I don't know what to say… when you saved me."

Matt gently smiled. "I'm just glad you're not hurt. For a woman who is shy on the inside, you sure know how to act tough on the outside."

"Matt, I hope you can forgive me for all the horrible things I've done to you. I didn't mean to be so rude. It's just… I hate to be all alone just because I'm too nice and innocent. I ever wonder if I'll ever change."

"You already have." Anita blinked at Matt's words as he still smiled at her. "When you cried for help when you're about to fall, I had to save you. You let your true emotions and feelings reach me, and I just rescued you in time. Keep it up, and maybe you'll have more friends than just me."

Anita kept staring Matt from his honest and compassionate words, but then she was escorted into the criminal police truck. She got in, but just as the door is about to close.

"Wait!" Anita called to the policeman, "Matthew…," she got his attention, "…Thank you very much, and I'll try my best to start all over again." She then smiled happily and honestly to Matt. He smiled back as well. "You really are a gentleman."

And those were Anita's last words as the doors closed in on Anita, and she was driven away.

Sagaru looks at Matt with a smile. "Hmph, interesting how you managed to change her." said the detective. "She was a mean criminal at first, but you convinced her."

"Hey, I just did what's right in my heart," Matt replied as he scratches his head. "I'll take this Crowned Emblem back to Mahora Academy myself if you don't mind."

"Not at all. Good job, Oda-san." The detective saluted to Matt and walks into in police car. He sticks his head out of his car window and sees Matt. "You take care, kid. See ya around." He waved goodbye and drove off with the rest of the police cars.

Matt waved goodbye as he watched the police cars fade into the distance. Once the cars are gone, Matt stopped waving and smiling.

"Matthew-san!"

Matt heard and turned to see Negi and the whole class 1-A coming towards him.

Makie speaks to him, "You were incredible! You've done it yet again!"

"Wow! I can't believe you took down that Anita mastermind," Sakurako shouted.

"You amazed us again, Matt-san," Haruna complemented with a wink.

"You're a legend, Matt," Satsuki cheered.

"Aww, gee, thanks, you guys," Matt responded with a little blush. "But I wouldn't be able to defeat and convinced Anita if it wasn't for all of you."

"All of us?" Konoka questioned.

"Yeah, it was your compassionate heart and love that got rid of my phobia, and I was able to stand up and defend you guys from harm. I was so moved and pleased from you fellows, especially a group of high school students and a young teacher boy."

"So is true?" The class rep asked. "You're not afraid of girls anymore?"

"That's right. Thank you, everyone. And I must confess something."

"What is it?" Chizuru questioned.

Matt took a pause and a deep breath, and then he speaks, "You guys…, are my new family."

After hearing what Matt said, the whole class 1-A smiled as some of the girls hugged Matt with great love.

Then Kazumi realized something and says, "Hey! I just remembered. I need to make a good scoop about tonight's event, but I need a picture of the hero who apprehends the criminals to make the viewers enticing. So now that your phobia is gone for good, I hope you don't mind, Matt."

Matt paused a moment, but then he smiled as he speaks. "I don't think I need to hide my light under a bush," Matt stated. "Go ahead, Kazumi."

Kazumi grinned, and she got her digital camera ready as Matt got his picture face ready. As Kazumi aimed the camera to Matt, he smiled, showing his clean white teeth. Kazumi presses the button on the camera and…

Snap!