Matt ducked under Tai's swing Fiona Burch Fiona Burch 2 1588 2001-10-31T14:41:00Z 2001-10-31T14:41:00Z 4 3519 20061 167 40 24636 9.3821

Matt ducked under Tai's swing. "Watch it Tai! We're only doing drill!"

"Sorry Matt." Tai took the pause as an opportunity to wipe the sweat from his brow. "I keep forgetting what the next move should be and go for what the next move would be if this was real."

Matt lightly tapped the padded stick that served as his lightsabre on Tai's head. "Earth to Tai, this is very far from real."

Keiran scowled at them. "Treat every sim run as if it were the real thing. That's how you stay alive."

Matt shrugged. "Makes a change from 'Do or do not' anyway."

If anything Keiran's scowl deepened. "My… Master and good friend told me that piece of advice. It hasn't failed me yet."

"Sor-ry," complained Tai. "We just think this is really, really fake."

"Well then," tried Keiran, "Why don't we make this as real as possible?" He backed away. "Let's see what you can do freestyle."

Tai and Matt looked worriedly at each other.

"Ready to try this Matt?" asked Tai.

"Sure," his friend replied. "No holds barred, okay?"

Tai nodded and brought his 'lightsabre' up to the ready position. "When ever you're ready Matt." He grinned.

Matt nodded and brought his own 'lightsabre' up to the guard position. He started to slowly circle Tai.

"This isn't a dancing competition Matt," joked Tai, matching Matt's moves

Matt stopped circling and did a little jig. "Says who Tai?"

Keiran folded his arms. "This is freestyle lightsabre drill, not a dance hall on Coruscant."

"Okay, okay," complained Matt. "We get the idea."

Tai sensed Matt's attack half a second before the taller boy started it. Tai brought his sabre round into middle guard, knocking Matt's swipe away.

"That all you got Ishida?"

In response Matt lunged forwards under Tai's guard. Tai jumped back from the point of Matt's sabre, swinging his round over Matt's head. Matt sensed the padded stick's approach and rolled to the side and back onto his feet.

Tai swung his sabre in a diagonal blow, forcing Matt to retreat. He swung again in a reflection of the first move. And again.

The third time Tai sensed that Matt had seen the pattern and was moving to block so skidded onto his knees and cut Matt's feet out from under him.

"Oww!" Matt dropped his 'lightsabre' and rubbed his shins. "That hurt Tai."

Tai got up off the ground and dusted his legs off. "Well you should have sensed what I was doing and jumped."

"Well I didn't get anything, okay? Some of us aren't as good a Jedi as you."

Tai picked up Matt's fallen stick. "I'm sorry. But you did agree to 'No holds barred'. I was just sticking to it."

Keiran came forward. "And doing pretty well too." He patted Tai on the back. "That pattern move was just like ones starfighters pull. How did you think of it?"

Tai shrugged. "Matt likes predictability in life."

Matt straightened up. "And you are just too smug some times."

Tai stuck his tongue out at Matt. "You're just jealous."

Matt just rolled his eyes in reply.

"Well," interrupted Keiran, "Since you're done Tai, can you go get Izzy?"

"Sure." Tai put his stick on the ground and walked to the far end of the clearing where Izzy was sitting, fiddling with his laptop.

"Hey Izzy."

The red haired boy's head snapped up. "My turn already Tai?"

Tai nodded and sat next to Izzy. "He's started me and Matt on freestyle. How's your work going?"

Izzy pointed at the screen. "I've set up a program in the Coruscant mainframe with Keiran's description. In about a day I'll have the result, but then I'll have to refine them some more."

Tai nodded, then thought of something. "Hey Izzy, remember when we first arrived at that planet Feona and Doyle rescued us from?"

"Yes Tai. Why do you ask?"

"Didn't Feona use the word 'sims'?"

Izzy nodded. "And Doyle gave us the fact that it is similar to computer games."

Tai pointed across the field. "Well Keiran just used it. And he told us about a tactic that starfighters use."

"So it's reasonable to assume that Keiran was once connected to Starfighter Command," nodded Izzy. "Yes. I'll incorporate that data into my next set of search parameters." He sighed and closed the laptop's lid. "But for now I need Matt to beat me to a pulp." He carefully set the laptop back in its case. "Don't touch it."

Tai shot him a look that said Who, me? "Wouldn't dream of it Izzy."

Izzy walked over to Matt and Keiran. "So I am to be the next victim?"

Matt grinned. "Don't take it too hard Izzy. Tai whipped my ass, it's only fair that I whip yours."

Izzy stuck his hand out and the stick that Tai had been using flew into his hand.

Matt paled.

"I've been practicing Matt." Izzy shrugged. "Purely in the name of science, of course." He swung the practice lightsabre in a broad stroke to gauge its weight. "I find it fascinating what the Force does to the Laws of Physics."

"Sends them right out the window you mean." Matt took up a ready stance.

"Essentially, yes." Izzy took up a matching pose, then turned to Keiran. "Freestyle as with Tai and Matt, or one of the drills?"

Keiran stepped forwards. "Let's see you do the 'Strike the Moons' drill first then we'll see." He turned to Izzy. "You lead."

Izzy nodded, then turned to Matt. "Ready?"

Matt shrugged. "As I'll ever be."

Izzy performed a set of moves involving strikes at both Matt's head and legs. Matt returned the blows in the pattern that Izzy gave, their responses speeding up. Finally they stopped and raised their sabres in salute.

Keiran nodded. "Well done. That was nearly flawless. I think that you can both try freestyle if you wish."

Matt shrugged. "I'm game."

Izzy put his sabre down and stretched. "If Matt is willing I see no reason not to."

Keiran nodded. "Very well. When ever you are ready."

Izzy picked his sabre back up and saluted at Matt. Matt returned the gesture.

Matt watched as the warmth left Izzy's eyes, the same way as when the boy was absorbed in a problem. This is not good. Matt swung fast at Izzy, but found that Izzy had already moved out of reach. He swung his sabre in an arc straight down. Izzy caught it in a high guard position and twisted with the force of the blow to bring him along side Matt, rather than facing him. As he turned Izzy lashed out with a foot, hooking around Matt's leg and yanking the taller boy off his feet. Matt landed with an 'Oof'.

Izzy backed off and let Matt get back to his feet. "You okay Matt?"

Matt rubbed his backside then took up his guard position again. "Never better."

This time Izzy made the first move. Keeping low Izzy made a sweep for Matt's legs. Matt, learning from his mistakes jumped over it and backed away. He then followed up with a succession of blows aimed at Izzy's midsection. Izzy batted them all away, then made his own attack.

Matt grinned and dropped to the floor, swinging his much longer legs out and round to take Izzy off his feet and return the favour.

Izzy jumped and flipped over his head. The next thing Matt knew was Izzy's sabre against the back of his neck.

"I think I win." Izzy removed his 'lightsabre' and let Matt up.

Matt turned to face him. "How did you do that? You just started with rocks yesterday and you could barely make them twitch."

Izzy shrugged. "Practice. If I'm not spending my time doing something constructive then it's too busy up here." Izzy tapped the side of his head. "Sora was complaining of interference from my brainwaves."

"You were the one giving Sora a headache?" asked Matt.

Izzy nodded ruefully.

"That was excellent Izzy," commended Keiran. "You learn quickly."

Izzy blushed and put his hand behind his head. "It's what I do." He laughed nervously.

"Well tomorrow I'm putting you up against Tai. I want to see you both push yourselves." Keiran turned to Matt. "You still need to work on sensing your opponents thoughts Matt. It gives a huge advantage in combat." He patted the boy on the back. "But you're done for today. It's Sora's turn now."

"I'm ready," said Sora, standing up from the tree she was sitting under.

Keiran turned to Matt. "Well since Sora is here, could you go to the library. I think Mimi is working with Tionne at the moment and she's up once Sora and Izzy are done."

"Sure," shrugged Matt. He walked off towards the temple.

Mimi sat next to Tionne, watching the woman work.

"I don't get why you like all these books and stuff."

Tionne laughed. "History is important. To know who you are you must know what you've done. That works on both a personal level and on the level of entire civilisations."

"Wow." Mimi smiled. "So you're like a librarian? Cause I always thought librarians were old and yucky."

Tionne laughed her silvery laugh again. "I quite enjoy doing this. I find it helps me when I feel the Force to have a connection to the past."

Mimi wrinkled her nose in thought. "I thought Master Skywalker said that all record of the Jedi was destroyed by that Emperor person, so how are you learning now? Did you find some really old Jedi hiding out in the forest or something?"

Tionne shook her head. "Master Skywalker found this artefact that helps me a lot in my studies." She got to her feet. "Come on, I'll show you."

Mimi and Palmon followed dutifully behind Tionne, going father into the large room that served as the temple's library.

In the centre of a cleared area a pedestal was set up. On the pedestal floated a glowing green cube. It rotated slowly about a point.

"That's so pretty. Can you get them in pink?" asked Mimi.

Tionne laughed again. "This is the Holocron. It is a repository of Jedi knowledge that Master Skywalker found in his travels." Tionne reached out and touched it lightly. The Holocron increased its glow and an alien figure materialised above it.

"I am the Gatekeeper of the Holocron," intoned the image. "What is it you wish of me child?"

Tionne gestured at Mimi. "This is a new student of Master Skywalker. She was interested in where we kept our Jedi lore."

The multifaceted eyes of the image swung to face Mimi. "You have the mark of Sincerity on you," said the image. "You are not the seeker of knowledge."

Mimi stepped forwards nervously. "I'm sorry Mr. Glowy-guy. I only thought the cube was pretty."

The image's face bent in an approximation of a smile. "Do not worry child. I however remind you that appearances are deceptive. You as Sincerity should already know this." He turned to Tionne. "If you wish no more of me, I will depart."

Tionne nodded and the image disappeared. "He's long winded, but nice." She turned as she sensed someone enter the room. "Can I help?"

Matt shook his head. "No, I'm just here to fetch Mimi for her slot duelling." He saw the Holocron behind the two girls shoulders. "Hey, what's that?"

"That's a Holocron Matt," grinned Mimi, happy that she knew more than him for once. "You play with it while I go and train with Sora." She walked out with Palmon in tow.

"What's up with her?" asked Tionne.

Matt shrugged. "We don't get on well. She's a bit too air-headed, and I'm too serious. There is no real compromise." He moved to the Holocron. "Is it safe to touch?"

Tionne nodded. "Will you be okay if I leave you here? I have other things to do for Master Skywalker."

"Sure." Matt watched her leave, then reached out and brushed his fingers lightly across the surface of the Holocron.

Again the Gatekeeper appeared and Matt took an involuntary step backwards.

"Do not fear me child," said the glowing figure. "I am Bodo Baas, Gatekeeper of the Holocron."

"A-what?" asked Matt. "Somehow what ever the Holocron did, I didn't expect a glowing, floating guy."

Bodo Baas shook his head sadly. "Ah Friendship. So cold it could be your undoing."

Matt laughed nervously. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

The figure still shook his head. "How strange. Friendship for the one who has so little." It looked him straight in the eye. "Be careful. Light and dark intertwine in your heart. You must fight alone. Ever alone." The figure faded as Matt sprinted away from the ominous warnings.

Sora and Izzy had passed in a flurry of blows several times without scoring a hit on each other. Now they circled each other, both listening to each other's thoughts and trying to devise their own strategies.

Suddenly Sora winced in pain and put a hand to her head. Izzy used the lapse in Sora's concentration to advance and tap her breastbone with his mock lightsabre.

"I believe I have you."

Sora dropped the hand from her head, visibly relieved. "Well done Izzy. That was a great move."

Keiran came closer from the position he had been watching from. "I don't understand what he did."

Sora brushed some perspiration from her forehead. "Izzy has great barriers in his mind. I couldn't attack because I couldn't see his next move."

Izzy shrugged. "Well you were complaining last night that I was being too distracting."

Keiran nodded. "That explains why you couldn't take him, but how did he get you?"

"Simple," replied Izzy. "I dropped them. All of them."

"I was already over compensating, trying to sense his thoughts so when his shields dropped…"

Keiran nodded. "Kind of like listening to quiet music and turning the volume up, then having a rock concert recording start?" he asked.

Sora nodded. "Exactly. I couldn't shove him out before he got me."

Izzy dropped his 'lightsabre' to the ground. "Well I'm guessing it's Mimi's turn now."

Keiran nodded. "Don't forget that you're up against Tai tomorrow. Master Skywalker will probably want to observe."

"So no pressure," joked Sora.

Mimi joined them. "Is it my turn now?" she asked.

Sora floated the practice sabre up in front of her friend. "Take it easy okay? I'm pretty tired."

Mimi took the 'lightsabre' from the air. "Well you know I'm hopeless at all this active stuff. I just hope I don't have to use this thing much."

"Hey Izzy, Sora!" yelled Tai from the other end of the clearing. The others looked at him and he held up a sphere. "You up for a game of soccer?"

"I'm in," called back Izzy.

"Me too," added Sora. "But first I have to do drill with Mimi."

Izzy turned to Sora. "Good luck." He bowed to Keiran, then walked towards where Tai was bouncing the ball up and down on his knee.

Sora sighed and turned to Keiran. "Drill?"

"Drill," confirmed Keiran. "Mimi isn't up to your standard yet. Let's see you do Arcing Crescent."

Sora and Mimi nodded and took up starting positions.

Izzy caught the ball as Tai kicked it at him. "You have an unhealthy obsession with this sport."

Tai shrugged. "Well playing soccer beats us having to meditate." He looked around. "Seen T.K?"

Izzy shook his head. "I think he and Patamon were exploring the temple together." He dropped the ball and passed it from foot to foot. "I hope Matt returns soon. With him and Sora we could start a proper game."

"And I could wipe the floor with you both," called out Matt, sauntering into the clearing.

"Hey Matt," called Tai. "Where you been?"

Matt shrugged. "Around. The library mostly." He turned to Izzy. "There's something there that you should see later."

Izzy raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

Matt nodded but did not elaborate further.

He must not want to talk about it out in the open, realised Izzy. He thought of something. "Hey guys, I've got an idea."

"Oh boy."

Tai glared at Matt. "What idea Izzy?"

In response Izzy walked back over to his laptop and sat down. He unclipped his digivice from his belt and stuck a cable onto the two contact points. He then clipped the other end of the cable into the laptop.

"What'cha doing Izzy?" asked Tai innocently.

Izzy started to type. "If the digivices have a translation program built into them, then there must be some way to switch it off."

Matt frowned. "Wouldn't that mean that we couldn't understand Master Skywalker and the others?"

"Yes," agreed Izzy. "But by the same token they couldn't understand us."

Matt whistled. "That would pretty much assure us complete privacy."

Izzy nodded. "Unless there was a protocol droid around. But they aren't big on droids here. As far as I know there is only Master Skywalker's Astromech."

"And you know all this because?" asked Tai innocently.

Izzy shrugged. "I ask a lot of questions." He tapped delicately away at the keyboard for a few moments. "Prodigious! I found the program."

Tai sighed. "And can you switch it off and on?"

Izzy nodded and hit a few more keys. "There. Now one of the secondary buttons will toggle between the translator being on and off."

Matt frowned. "What if we need that button?"

Izzy waved a hand in a dismissive gesture. "So we can't re-set the clocks. I personally don't think that it's too high a price."

Tai nodded. "I agree. Better we have security than know the time to the microsecond." He looked up. "Hey, I think Sora and Mimi are finishing."

"How can you tell?" asked Matt.

"Danger sense remember?" joked Tai. "And Mimi playing soccer is definitely dangerous."

Both Matt and Izzy laughed.

Matt passed his digivice to Izzy. "Here Izzy, you can do mine now."

"I feel so honoured." Izzy clipped Matt's digivice to his computer for a few moments, then passed it back. "Tai?"

Tai passed his over without comment. When Izzy handed it back he switched it over to off. "Let's play soccer with them switched off as a test. If they tell us we're not speaking Basic then we know that they work before we have to use it for real."

Izzy nodded and called to Sora who was walking towards them. "Hey Sora, you want to play soccer still?"

"Sure," called Sora back. She sped up to a jog and joined them. "You seen T.K. lately?" she asked Matt. "He's been gone a while."

Matt looked around nervously. "I hope he's okay. He and Patamon went out exploring around the temple."

Sora half closed her eyes. "It's okay Matt. He's about ten minutes walk over there." She pointed off to her left.

Matt sagged with relief. "I'd forgotten he'd gone off. I hope he's okay."

Tai patted Matt on the shoulder. "Don't worry Matt. T.K. and Patamon know what to do if they get into trouble."

Izzy held his hand out to Sora. "Digivice?"

Sora handed it over. "Why do you need it Izzy?"

Matt ruffled Izzy's hair. "The genius found a way to switch the translator's off so we can talk privately."

Izzy handed Sora back her digivice and shot Matt a dirty look.

"Are we going to play or just talk about it?" asked Tai.

Sora grinned and flicked the ball into the air with her foot. "I thought you'd never ask."

"It's just down here Izzy." Matt led the way through the tall bookshelves of the library.

Izzy hoisted his laptop higher on his shoulders and followed dutifully. "So what is it that we're searching for?"

Matt pointed at the glow coming from around the bookcase. "That."

Izzy rounded the corner. "What is it?"

"A Holocron. It's some sort of computer database thingy." Matt reached out and touched the glowing cube lightly. The glowing figure of Bodo Baas appeared above the Holocron.

"Ah Friendship, now you are not so alone." The alien Jedi's compound eyes swivelled to Izzy. "Young Knowledge. You must have many questions. Alas I can only answer a few."

Matt looked at Izzy. "Can you take it from here?"

Izzy nodded. "I'll tell you what I find in the morning."

Matt pulled his cloak closer around his shoulders. "I should get back to T.K." He left the library and headed in the direction of his room.

Izzy booted up his computer quickly and sat cross-legged in front of Bodo Baas. "You called me Knowledge and both Matt and Mimi reported that you called them by their crest names. How is it that you can recognise us?"

"You have a type of aura about yourselves." Bodo Baas moved his hand in an expansive gesture. "The students here have not progressed far enough to sense them, but the Holocron can."

"Can you tell us anything about our individual talents?"

Bodo Baas nodded. "Prophecy tells us five of the seven. Love and Sincerity can both see into men's hearts, Love with greater clarity, Sincerity with a greater ability to influence them. Courage and Reliability can both see what is to come. Although Courage is vague, it is immediate, while Reliability must wait. Finally Knowledge can see into machines, and use their own life-force in his defence." Bodo Baas inclined his head. "Is that sufficient?"

Izzy nodded, furiously typing what he had just heard. He finished, and looked up at the gatekeeper. "And what of the battle with Myotismon? Any hints?"

Bodo Baas shook his head. "We were given a prophecy long ago, but it's meaning remains hidden to us."

Izzy put his head on one side. "Can you show it to me?"

The image waved and was replaced by a hologram of a piece of parchment. Izzy studied the curved marks, then reached for a piece of flimsey. "I'm just going to copy this to see if I can work out a translation program." Izzy scribbled furiously onto the flimsey. It's all in Japanese! I can tell the others about this in the morning. Eventually he copied the whole prophesy onto flimsey and stored the whole thing in his backpack.

The image of Bodo Baas returned. "None have been able to understand these symbols."

Izzy shook his head sadly. "I don't recognise it from my world either, but I'll see if I can get the gist of it." He looked the hologram in the eye. "Thank you for your help. I believe I shall now retire for the evening."

The hologram bowed to Izzy, then dissolved into the air.

This isn't real, thought Matt. I'm dreaming. That's the only reason I would be here again. He stood in Odiba Park, watching the birds arc across the sky. He could hear T.K, a much younger T.K, crying in the background. I don't want to remember this. I don't want to remember this pain.

"Pain?" asked a voice behind him.

Matt spun round. "Who is it?"

A piece of shadow rose up from the ground and formed itself into a rough approximation of a humanoid. "Pain makes you strong. Rage makes you powerful."

Matt laughed coldly. "I was in an awful lot of pain this day. And rage too. And all that happened was that any power I had was taken away, just like my brother and Mom."

The shadow shook his head. "But being alone makes you strong. You need no one. No one needs you. You can't hurt anyone by your mistakes." The shadow moved closer. "And you are alone."

"No." Matt's reply was more of a plea than a denial.

"Your friends stand by you as much in your dreams as in the waking world." The shadow drew back. "You could be stronger than them. Their reliance on each other is their weakness, your isolation your strength."

Matt faced him with a cold gleam in his eye. "I don't know who you are but get the hell out of my head!"

"But Yamato," replied the shadow, its form shifting. "How can you run from yourself?"

Matt found himself facing a mirror image of his face.

Izzy opened the door quietly, for fear of waking Joe. He instantly realised he shouldn't have worried as Joe thrashed on the bed, caught in some nightmare.

Izzy put his laptop down and grabbed Joe firmly by the shoulders. "Wake up Joe!" He shook the older boy hard. "Come on, up and at 'em!"

Joe sat up suddenly, his eyes wide with fright. He put a shaking hand to his head. "Just a dream." He seemed to focus on the room. "Izzy?"

"Nightmare?" asked Izzy.

Joe nodded. "It was awful."

Izzy frowned, remembering what the Holocron had told him. "Can you tell me about it?"

Joe shook his head. "It wasn't very coherent. Lots of different images. Of all of you." He swallowed. "In pain." He picked up his glasses. "I only saw three things really clearly. You screaming as you channelled energy. T.K. pleading with Matt, crying for mercy as he fried you with blue lightning." He swallowed again. "And Matt standing over Tai's body." Looked straight at Izzy. "Tai was dead. He had a burn through his stomach." He looked back down again. "Matt was holding a lightsabre."

Izzy swallowed. "Joe, it was just a dream. Too much drill with Keiran." He smiled at Joe. "Go back to sleep. We have a lot to talk about in the morning."

Izzy watched Joe until he fell asleep again. Reliability can see the future. Did Joe just see Tai and me killed by Matt, or was it just a nightmare? Izzy pulled his thin blanket higher over his shoulder. I think I should keep this to myself for now. It would just upset T.K. and Matt.

Authors Notes: GEEZE this is a huge chapter! Problems are brewing with the kids and soon it will come to a head. Still taking requests for characters (I've only ever had one) but even if you want to request something as bizarre as an Ewok, or Shalla the Hutt or Mara Jade I will make an honest attempt to put them in.

As always review, review, review!