The New Quest
Chapter 5: The Gate
"Hey, this is Tai. With Leomon's help, we found Andromon at the restaurant that Joe and Matt were forced to work for Digitamamon. When we went into the building, we found out that Andromon had been hired as the new cook for the restaurant, and also that Digitamamon and Veggiemon were no longer running the place. After we had eaten, an earthquake shook the restaurant, which we found out was the work of none other than Skullgreymon. Apparently, Puppetmon had convinced him to work for the Dark Masters. Agumon and then others all digivolved to their Champion forms, except for Gabumon, who warped to Metalgarurumon. Greymon then told the others that he would handle Skullgreymon by himself and to only come in if he needed help. Everyone except for Metalgarurumon, Birdramon, and Ikkakumon watched the battle. Those three had engaged in a battle with Puppetmon. Luckily, Metalgreymon was able to beat Skullgreymon, and after seeing his new ally get beat, Puppetmon took off for the top of Spiral Mountain. After the battle, Andromon revealed that he had the last three Key Cards for the gate, and gladly gave them to us. We are now headed for what is left of Myotismons castle to use the gate to return Jonny and Jesse home."
******
Jeramia Surd walked into the room, and looked up at Piedmon, "Everything is in ready for the battle." Surd reported to the digimon.
"Excellent." Piedmon said as an evil smile crossed his face, "Soon the digi-destined will be no more, and I will rule the Digital World."
"And we will make sure that your rule continues Lord Piedmon." Came a voice from the shadows, as several figures stepped out into the light.
"Then go to what is left of Myotismons castle, and get ready to battle the digi-destined." Piedmon ordered.
"It will be done my Lord." Another of the figures said, as they all left the room to do as they were told.
"Will you be going with them Surd?" Piedmon asked.
"As soon as I have completed one final project that I am working on Piedmon." Surd said, as he left the room.
Piedmon turned to see that Puppetmon was standing right behind him, "Go with them Puppetmon, and redeem yourself." A smile crept across Puppetmon's face, and he headed off to join the group that had just left.
******
The digi-destined had all stopped to rest for a while, and Izzy had pulled out his computer, and brought up a familiar program. Jesse walked up to him, and stared over his shoulder at the computer screen. On it were several complex groups of numbers and codes, "What are you working on Izzy?" Jesse asked.
Izzy paused for a moment, and appeared to be in deep thought, "Maybe if I switch these numbers around, and place this one here, and that one there, I can decrypt the code that these images represent." He muttered as he went back to work.
Jesse looked up, and noticed that Mimi and Sora were both staring at her. She walked up to them, "What is with Izzy?" she asked.
"Oh don't worry about him," Mimi said, "he is just in Computer Dark mode again."
"Computer what?" Jesse asked.
"Computer Dark Mode." Mimi repeated.
Jesse was still a little confused by the term, "It is a term that Mimi came up with whenever Izzy is on that computer of his." Sora looked over at their friend, "You see, when he is trying to figure something out on the computer, he blocks out everything and everyone that is around him."
Jesse looked as if she understood, "So what is he working on?"
Sora considered the question for a moment, and was about to answer, when Tentomon flew up to them, "Tentomon here can explain it better then either of us can." Sora said as she and Mimi made their escape.
"Did I miss something?" Tentomon asked more than a little confused.
Jesse let out a little giggle, "Nothing much, I was just wondering what Izzy was working on."
"Oh," Tentomon said, "well, it is kind of complicated, but I will do my best to explain it to you." The digimon then went on to explain how Izzy had found some hieroglyphs when they visited Andromons factory. Tentomon then went on to explain the theory that Izzy had come up with there, and then how he had used the program that he had discovered in the hieroglyphs to help Tentomon digivolve to Kabuterimon for the first time. He then went on to tell how a few days later, they had found more hieroglyphs in a temple, and they even more just before they defeated Etemon. "Ever since we found that last set of hieroglyphs, Izzy has spent most of his free time trying to figure out what they mean."
"Hmm, I wonder if Dr. Quest can help out any?" Jesse thought out loud.
"Who?" Tentomon asked.
"Jonny's father." Jesse said, "He is one of the top scientists in my world." She then looked back at Izzy, who was still pounding away at the keyboard, occasionally muttering ideas that he came up with. "Assuming of course, I can get a copy of the program to give to him."
"Perhaps we can ask Izzy to make you a copy before you leave." Tentomon offered, "I know that he brought several disks with him when we came back."
******
Later that day, after night had set in, the group sat around the fire that they had built eating some nuts and berries that they had found earlier. After they had eaten, they all stayed sitting around the fire, talking about what would be the first thing that they did after they returned home. "So Joe," Gomamon spoke up, "what are you going to do when you get home?"
Joe thought it over for a moment, and then lowered his head, "I don't know, I mean it isn't like we are going to have normal lives when we get back." Joe said.
"What do you mean Joe?" Kari asked.
"Well, if you think about it, we stopped Myotismon, and then Venommyotismon." Joe began, "And when we left, it was not exactly a secret that we were the ones that stopped him. Everyone in the area, as well as at the convention center saw us leave when we returned to the Digi-World." Joe took in a deep breath, "And not to mention, all the times that we were seen with our digimon during our time back home."
"He's right." Sora said, "Now that I think about it, people are going to be talking about what happened for years to come."
"Precisely," Izzy said, "and lets not forget about the night that Greymon and that other digimon came to our world, everyone thought that it was a terrorist bombing, and talked about it for years after that."
"If I may make a suggestion," Leomon said, "what does it matter what other humans think of the eight of you? Saving both this world and your own is a big enough job, don't complicate it by thinking about what others think about you."
"Leomon is right." Jonny said, "It is a waist of time and energy thinking about what the future holds. Live in the moment, the future will be here soon enough."
Tai thought about what Jonny had just said, and then looked at the others, "He's right guys, we have to keep our minds on the present, and not worry about the future until it is here." Tai then turned to Izzy, "How much further do have to go before we reach Myotismons castle?"
Izzy pulled out his computer, and activated the radar program, "According to my calculations, we are about five miles away from the castle. If we leave first thing in the morning, we should be able to get there by or before mid day."
"Then I would suggest that all of you get some sleep." Leomon said, "If the Dark Masters have figured out what we are doing, we will have a fight on our hands when we get there." Everyone nodded, and laid down on the ground, Izzy and Tentomon volunteering to take the first watch.
******
Jesse was dreaming about seeing her father and mother again, when she was woke up by the pounding of fingers on a keyboard. She looked up, and saw that Tentomon was keeping a watch out for anything that might endanger the group, but Izzy was once again in what Mimi had called earlier, Computer Dark Mode. She stood up, and walked over to the boy, and sat down behind him. Tentomon turned around, and looked at Jesse as she looked over Izzy's shoulder at the computer screen. "Izzy," She said. But Izzy did not even notice her. She then placed a hand on his shoulder, and he jumped a little, and then looked back at her. "What are you working on Izzy?" Jesse asked.
"Oh," Izzy said, "sorry about that, I tend to get that way at times when I am working on something that I deem important."
"Like the program that you found?" Jesse asked.
Izzy had a startled look on his face for a moment, and then realized that somebody had told her about it. "Yes, but I can't seem to crack this one part of the code."
Jesse moved up beside Izzy, and looked reached for the computer, "May I?" she asked, and Izzy let her take the computer from him. Jesse began to type on the keyboard, and then she smiled, and looked at Izzy, "This program is a difficult one to figure out," Jesse admitted after a few minutes, "but I do believe that I know somebody that can help you to crack it."
"Who would that be?" Izzy asked.
"Jonny's dad," Jesse said as she handed the computer back to Izzy, "He is a brilliant scientist, as well as a computer programmer." She paused for a moment, "If he can't figure out the code, nobody will."
"Prodigious," Izzy said, "I will make a copy of it for you then, and you can take it with you when you go home tomorrow."
"Ok," Jesse began, "but do it in the morning." Izzy nodded, and Jesse went back over to were Jonny was laying asleep, and laid down herself falling back into the sleep that she was enjoying just a few moments earlier.
******
It had once been an impressive castle, but was now just a large pile of rubble. Myotismons castle was deserted, except for a small group of digimon that had gathered in it for shelter. But those digimon quickly scattered when they saw the group that was walking up to the ruins. Puppetmon led the group to the edge of the rubble, and looked around. "I guess that nobody is home anymore." The digimon said, as he drew out his hammer, "So I don't have to knock." He then swung in down hard onto the debris. The rock and walls that got the full force of the blow immediately turned to pebbles. This action also cleared off an entrance to the caverns deep beneath the castle, where the gate to other world was.
The eight creations of Jeramia Surd followed Puppetmon down into the large room the housed the gate. "Now, according to my sources the digi-destined will be here sometime tomorrow. We need to be set up by then."
"We know what we have to do Puppetmon." One of the figures said, as it headed off to complete its assigned task. The others quickly followed suit, and soon they were all preparing for their encounter with the invincible digi-destined.
******
Morning came all too soon, and Jesse sat up and stretched her arms out, as she let out a huge yawn. She then stood up, and walked over to the fire, where something that smelled like eggs and bacon, was cooking. When see came up to the fire, she saw that there were indeed eggs on the fire, but the other stuff that was cooking was definitely not bacon. "What is that stuff?" she asked Matt, who as always was playing head chief for the group.
"Oh, that is something that Andromon gave to me before we left the restaurant." Matt explained, "It is some kind of fish that he found when he was wondering through the Digi World."
"I take it the he also gave us the eggs?" Jesse asked
"Actually, Gatomon and Kari found these earlier out in the woods." Matt said.
"Found?" Jesse repeated.
"Don't worry, they aren't digimon if that is what you are thinking," Matt began, "every now and then we find strange things here. We can't explain them, nor do we want to know about them, they just happen."
Jesse thought about what Matt had just told her, and then turned around to head for a small stream that she had spotted the day before, to clean up. She found Sora and Mimi were already there with Biyomon and Palmon. "Morning." Jesse said, the other two girls greeted her, as she stooped over the water, and cupped her hand to catch some of it. She then brought he hands up, and splashed her face with the water. After she dried her face off, Jesse, with Sora, Mimi, and their digimon headed back to camp for breakfast.
A short while later, they broke camp, and started out for the castle. After a few minutes of walking, Izzy walked up beside Jesse, and handed two CD-ROM disks. "I copied the program over to these disks. I hope that Jonny's dad can help to decipher them."
"I am sure that he will be able to." Jesse said, as she took the disks from Izzy, and stuck them into her pocket.
******
Kiwimon watched as the children came closer and closer to the ruins of the castle. He then let out a loud calling sound, that he had used whenever he played war with Puppetmon, and ducked back under the cover of the forest.
******
Puppetmon sat on top of the tallest part of the ruins, and impatiently waited for Kiwimon to let him know that the children were coming. Finally, when he could stand the boredom no longer, the signal came from Kiwimon. "Finally." Puppetmon said as he stood up. He then looked down at one of the creatures, "Get ready to play."
******
"How much further?" Mimi asked for what seemed like the hundredth time.
Izzy pulled out his computer, and pulled up the radar program, "Not much further," he said as he pointed to a small hill just ahead of them, "the castle, or what is left of it, should be just on the other side of that hill."
Izzy had his computer back in its carrying case, by the time that they had reached the castle. "Wow, it looks like a tornado hit this place." Jonny said as he looked out over the ruins of the castle.
"Did we do this?" Tai wondered out loud.
Leomon looked back at the digi-destined, "No, the castle was destroyed by the Dark Masters after you left the Digi-World. It was their way of showing to all of Myotismons henchmen as well as all the other digimon, that they were the ones that were in charge now."
Jonny thought it over for a moment, and immediately thought of Dr. Zinn, who had down similar things whenever it suited him. He looked over, and by the look on Jesse's face, she was obviously thinking the same thing.
The group continued through the rubble, until they found an opening that appeared to lead down to the lower chambers where the gate was. Tai looked down the opening, and then back up, "I have a bad feeling about this." He said
Leomon looked around, and then sniffed the air around him, "I don't like it either, something does not smell right."
"Maybe one of us should go down in order to make sure that everything is ok." Joe suggested.
Mimi immediately grabbed his arm, and pushed him towards the opening, "It is so nice of you to volunteer to do that Joe." And before Joe could say anything, he and Gomamon were propelled to the stairs, and almost fell in.
Joe swallowed hard, and took a step down, and then another, and another. Finally, he and Gomamon reached the bottom of the stairs, and looked around. "It looks like it is clear." Joe shouted back up.
"Ok," Came Tai's voice, "We are on our way down."
Joe turned around, and with Gomamon in tow, walked up to the stone that they had used once already to go back home. Suddenly, a hand was on his shoulder, and Joe whirled around, and came face to face with Tai. "Tai don't do that, you scared me to death."
"Sorry Joe," Tai said to him, "So, get those cards out, and lets get this gate open."
Joe reached into his bag to pull the cards out, but Gomamon placed a flipper on his leg, "Wait a sec Joe," He said, Joe stopped searching through his bag, and looked down at his friend. But Gomamon was looking at Tai, a funny look on his face. "Where are the others Tai?" he asked.
"Um, they are um still up top." Tai answered.
"Ok, they why isn't Agumon at least with you?" Gomamon asked.
Now Joe was looking at Tai funny, "That is a good question Tai, where is Agumon?"
******
Tai was the first one to start down the steps, and then stopped, when he saw Joe running up the steps. "What's going on Joe?" Tai asked.
"We have to get put of here," Joe said, "Piedmon is down there."
"Piedmon!" Everyone shouted at once.
"Yeah, Gomamon is holding him off the best he can so that we can escape." Joe said, as he got to the top of the stairs.
"Then lets get out of here." Mimi said.
Everyone started to move away from the entrance, except for Leomon, who brought his fist up, "Fist of the Beast King!" he shouted, as a blast of energy leapt out, and hit Joe, sending him flying into a large rock.
"What are you doing Leomon?" Matt asked half shouting.
"That was not Joe." Leomon said. Everyone looked over at where Joe had been shot to, and they saw that Leomon was right.
The thing that was impersonating Joe stood up, and began to melt, reforming itself into an exact copy of Leomon. "So you figured it out Leomon." The second Leomon said, as it changed into another form, this time Sora. "How did you know?"
"Joe does not smell like you do." Leomon reported pointing at his nose, "And he would not have left Gomamon down there alone to battle Piedmon."
"You are a clever one Leomon," The second Sora said, as it changed its shape again, this time to Ogermon, "But it will not do your friend any good."
Leomon turned to the digi-destined, "Quick, get down there and help Joe and Gomamon, I will handle this creature." Tai did not argue, and lead the group down the stairs to the chamber below.
******
Joe looked intently at Tai, "You never answered my question Tai, where is Agumon at?"
Tai looked at Joe, and his face became a contorted with anger, and he lunged for Joe, knocking the other kid down, and pinning him to the ground. "Give me those Key Cards." Tai said, in what Joe noticed was an entirely different voice.
"Never." Joe managed to get out as Tai's hands clamped around his throat.
"Joe!" Gomamon shouted, as he began to glow, "Gomamon digivolve to…Ikkakumon!"
"Get off of him, whatever you are." Ikkakumon said in his most intimidating voice.
Tai looked up at the Champion digimon, and then stood up. "You think that you will stop me Ikkakumon." He said, as his face and body began to melt away, into a pool of ooze. The ooze then retook the shape of another Ikkakumon, this one darker than Joe's Ikkakumon. "Now we shall see who is the better of the two of us." The second Ikkakumon said as he charged at Ikkakumon.
The two Ikkakumons met each other, and they locked horns. Joe then looked over at the stairs, and saw that Tai and the others were coming down to help. Joe ran over tot hem as they got to the bottom, "I hope that it is you guys this time." He said.
"Don't worry, it's us." Izzy said.
"Now lets get that gate open." Tai said.
Just then, several other figures dropped down from above. Izzy pulled out his computer to analyze them, but the screen came up blank. "That's odd," Izzy said as he looked at the strange creatures that were standing in their way, "they don't have a file in my analyzer." The six creatures then took on the shapes of Biyomon, Tsunomon, Tentomon, Palmon, Patamon, and Gatomon.
Tsunomon jumped out of Matt's arms, and landed in front of him, the look on his small face saying that he was ready to battle. "Tsunomon digivolve to…Gabumon!" Gabumon watched at the creature that had taken his form, also changed into a copy of Gabumon.
"What are those things?" Jonny asked.
An exoframe of some type then floated down from above them, and inside of the cockpit was another human. "Surd!" Jesse said.
"Who?" Agumon asked.
"Allow for me to introduce myself," Surd said over a speaker built into the outside of the craft, "I am Doctor Jeramia Surd." An arm then extended out from the frame, and indicated the creatures behind him, "And these are my creations, I call them Copymon." Surd then looked at Jonny and Jesse, "You can thank your father for giving me the idea to create them young mister Quest." Surd then turned his attention to the battle between the two Ikkakumon, "As you can see, my Copymon are more powerful than your digimon, and they can take the shape of any of their forms."
"Your mad Surd." Jonny shouted.
"Actually," came the voice of Puppetmon, as he landed on top of the ship, "he is quite happy about his little achievement." The digimon then leaned over to look in the cockpit, "Isn't that right Toy?"
The craft suddenly bucked, throwing the digimon off of it, "For the last time, don't call me Toy." Surd's voice boomed over the speaker.
Puppetmon recovered quickly, and drew out his hammer, "You will pay for that Toy, Puppet Pummel!" And several blasts of energy were sent out at the frame.
Tai turned to Agumon and the others, "Now's our chance to get out of here."
Suddenly, Ikkakumon was thrown hard against the wall, and reverted back to Gomamon. Joe quickly ran over to him, and picked him up. He turned around in time to see Agumon, Biyomon, Gabumon, and Tentomon digivolve to Greymon, Birdramon, Garurumon, and Kabuterimon. The digi-destined, Jonny, Jesse, and the other digimon all climbed on 4 Digimon, and they took off for the exit.
"You fool," Surd shouted, "you let them escape."
"Me," Puppetmon returned, "it was your fought."
******
When they reached the top of the stairs, they found that Leomon was about to lose the battle with the Ogermon copy. Garurumon and Greymon jumped in, and blasted the Copymon hard. They then helped Leomon into the woods, and ran away. A short time later, they stopped, in order to rest, and figure out what had just happened.
******
An image of Piedmon floated a few feet over the ground, and he did not look happy. "So you mean to say that you lost the digi-destined?" he asked already knowing what the answer was going to be.
"We almost had them, until the Toy here had a hissy fit." Puppetmon said, as he indicated Surd.
"The problem was not me," Surd said, "it was this refugee from a puppet theater that allowed them to escape."
"Silence!" Piedmon shouted, "If this happens again, both of you will be sorry that it did." Piedmon then turned his attention to Surd, "How did the Copymon work?" He asked in a calmer voice.
"As well as I thought they would." Surd said with a little smugness, "The digi-destined had no chance to stop them. And I have also learned that Leomon was hurt in the battle with them as well."
"Excellent," Piedmon said, "then the next time that you meet them, the Copymon are not to hold back, is that understood."
"Perfectly." Surd said, and the image of Piedmon disappeared.
******
"We have to figure out some way to beat them." Tai said.
"But how," Joe said, attending to Leomon's wounds, "they have the ability to change into any digimon that we can throw at them."
"Joe's right man," Matt said, "we barley got out of there ourselves."
"There must be a weakness in the Copymon that we can use to our advantage." Izzy said.
"Jonny," Sora began, "that Surd guy said that he got the idea for them from your father. Do you know what he was talking about?"
Jonny thought it over, and then shook his head, "I can't think of anything that he would have been working on like that. But of course my dad does not always keep me in the loop of all the projects he is working on."
Tai thought about it for a moment, "Then our only option is to try and stick with our original plan, and try to get you two home."
"But what about you guys?" Jesse asked.
"Yeah," Jonny said, "Those Copymon are almost invincible."
"Don't worry, we will cover your escape as best that we can." Tai said.
"Or go down trying." Matt added, and everyone agreed with him.
******
(Narrator) "Will the digi-destined be able to hold off the Copymon in order for Jonny and Jesse to go through the gate? Or will this all end in disaster for both of their worlds. Find out the answer to these questions in the conclusion of the New Quest Saga."
To be concluded in Chapter 6: Double Trouble