Well, another chapter up!

Disclaimer: I own only the original DigiDestined and Heromon, the Crest Weapons, and the original Crests used here.

~~

~Tk's voice~

"Hi! This is Tk. A lot has happened since we defeated MaloMyotismon. Kari and I went to America where we met this DigiDestined named Willis who had two partner Digimon! We helped him save Lopmon with the help of Davis, Yolie, and Cody. We eventually had to say goodbye to Willis when we had to go home. Now its time for the annual DigiDestined party celebrating the day we defeated Apocalymon and Myotismon.."

~~~

"So you met Willis, huh?" Koushiro "Izzy" Izumi asks.

"He was a bit odd at first, but when we got to know him he was really nice," Hikari "Kari" Kamiya replies.

"And he had the audacity to kiss you on the cheek?" Taichi "Tai" Kamiya, Kari's older brother, chuckles.

"He did," Daisuke "Davis" Motomiya says hotly.

"I wish I could have met him," Ken Ichijouji says.

"He also kissed Yolie on the cheek," Takeru "Tk" Takaishi adds.

"Like I said, I wish I could have met him so I could beat the daylights out of him," Ken replies, then blushes at realizing the way it sounded.

"He was really nice," DemiVeemon, Davis' Digimon partner, pipes up, "and Terriermon was a lot of fun."

"Watching those two was like watching a couple of little kids playing," Kari smiles, "it was cute and kinda sweet."

"It was also nerve-wracking," Tk chuckles, "those two ate enough pizza to feed a small army."

"DemiVeemon does eat a lot, even for an In Training Digimon," Patamon, Tk's partner, says.

"Hey!" DemiVeemon protests, "can I help it if I like to eat?"

"All Digimon like to eat," Sora Takenouchi points out, "but you eat enough for three Digimon."

"Yeah, you eat more than Agumon," Tai laughs, "even when he's Koromon, you still eat more than he does."

"Well, gang up on me why don't ya?" DemiVeemon pouts.

"Hey, they're insulting me too!" Agumon grumbles.

"You shouldn't make such pigs of yourselves," Gatomon preens.

"You have no room to talk, Gatomon," Patamon chortles, "you eat more than Veemon when we eat fish."

"Kari, can I get a new scratching post?" Gatomon asks.

"Why would you need one, Gatomon?" Kari asks, "is your old one getting worn?"

"Yes," Gatomon says.

"Sure," Kari says, "we can get you a new scratching post."

"Good," Gatomon says, then looks at Patamon, "you'll make a fine scratching post, Patamon."

Patamon eeps and takes to the air, well above Gatomon's reach.

"Come back here you!" Gatomon screeches as she unsuccessfully tries to grab hold of Patamon.

"Would you like some help, Gatomon?" Hawkmon asks.

"No Hawkmon, you stay out of their little spat," Miyako "Yolie" Inuoue, Hawkmon's human partner, says.

"Guys be careful," Joe Kido chides, "you don't want to hurt yourselves."

"Aw, relax Joe," Gomamon, Joe's easygoing Digimon partner, says.

"Besides, its funny to watch," Biyomon, Sora's partner says simply.

"Ken, should I help out?" Worrmon asks, "after all, I could easily bring Patamon down here with my Sticky Net."

"No, let them have their fun," Ken replies, "it is fun to watch and its just harmless banter."

"Mimi, how long are you here in Japan for?" Yamato "Matt" Ishida, Tk's older brother, asks the pink-haired girl sitting beside him.

"Well, school's out for the summer back in America, so I'm gonna be here for a few months," Mimi Tachikawa replies, "maybe I can talk mom and dad into moving back here. It's been lonely without you guys around."

"It's great being back in Japan," Palmon, Mimi's Digimon partner says as she stretches, "and the food here is much better than it is in New York."

"How does the food taste in America?" Gabumon, Matt's Digimon partner, asks.

"Salty," Palmon replies, "but still good. Even the Americans can't ruin food. Though there is this one style called Cajun that you simply have to try. It's hotter than one of Greymon's Nova Blast's!"

"So, what was Willis like?" Tentomon, Izzy's Digimon partner, asks.

"Well, he was really nice, except when he was hitting on Kari," Davis grumbles.

"You guys would have really liked him," Tk says, "he was ready to give his own life to save us from Wendigomon and then Antylamon."

"Did you really digivolve to Mega Patamon?" Gabumon asks.

"And so did Gatomon," Patamon replies, "I digivolved into Seraphimon, a Mega level Seraphim Digimon. If you thought I was strong as Angemon or MagnaAngemon, you really should have seen me as Seraphimon."

"And what is Magnadramon like Gatomon?" Biyomon asks.

"Magnadramon is a beautiful Holy Dragon Digimon with several glowing wings," Kari says dreamily, "I thought her Ultimate form of Angewomon was beautiful, but Magnadramon was breathtaking."

From the shadows, a lone figure watches the DigiDestined talk amongst themselves.

"So young and carefree," the shadowy figure says, "I'm gonna hate myself for shattering their pleasant dreams, but it can't be helped."

Above the DigiDestined, the sky darkens slightly. A faint, familiar laughter echoes in the ears of the assembled DigiDestined. But they are unable to place where they have heard it. Some of them remember it from early in their first adventure. Some remember it from later on in the same adventure. And the rest remember it from recent times.

But one remembers it from all three times.

'Where have I heard this before?' Tk asks himself, 'it seems like I've heard three versions of the same laugh. But from where?'

The screen on each Digivice and D-3 begins to light up. A small red dot appears on the screen, moving closer to the other DigiDestined. At the same time the laughter fades and the darkness dispels.

"Whats this?" Davis asks.

"There's another Digivice heading our way," Izzy says, "but that's odds. From where it appeared, it should have already been detected by our Digivices. And my computer would have detected a Digi Port opening. It makes no sense."

"It does if you take three simple things into account," a voice says from behind the DigiDestined.

They turn to see a young man, a little taller than Tai and perhaps a bit older as well. His hair was brown, just a few shades too light to be called dark brown though. He had on a pair of wire-frame glasses and was holding what looked to be a walking stick that was slightly longer than his arm. He also had a goatee that looked to be about an inch long. His silver t-shirt and blue denim jeans made him look ordinary, despite the fact he had a Digivice just like the older DigiDestined carried attached to a belt loop. A look into his eyes would reveal haunted blue-green orbs that had seen a lot in life.

However, none of the assembled DigiDestined looked into his eyes. Instead, they stared at him.

"If you take into account three things, you'll know why you didn't detect my Digivice until I wanted you to," the stranger says calmly, "for one thing, I know how to cloak its signal. It's real easy. Anyone with half a brain could do it. Second, your Digivices are only on passive search mode. I was just barely out of their casual detection range. And finally, I know more about the Digivices than anyone else alive."

"Who are you?" Tai asks.

"A better question would be, what are YOU gonna do about this darkness and the source of the laughter," the stranger replies.

"Did you create it?" Davis asks.

"No, but I know who did, and more precisely what it means," the stranger replies, "besides, what would you do if I had been the source? Fight me, perhaps?"

"We would," Tai says adamantly, "we'd defeat you like we've defeated so many others."

"Others as in Devimon, Etemon, Myotismon, the Dark Masters, Apocalymon, Millenniummon, the Digimon Emperor, Daemon, and MaloMyotismon?" the stranger asks, his eyebrow arched in amusement.

"We would," Davis says cockily, "we kicked their butts and we could kick yours if you're a threat to the world."

The stranger laughs. It was cold and chilling, yet it still had humor. It was if it was a laugh of humor sucked dry of all but the tiniest trace of emotion. "Oh please! Not a single one of those Digimon I named would be worth the effort it would take for me to take them down. The threat they posed was too small for me to interfere."

The older DigiDestined gasp in amazement. Apocalymon had very well nearly destroyed everything. Daemon was perhaps the most evil being still alive and MaloMyotismon had almost shrouded the world in darkness. Then something hits Ken.

"Who is Millenniummon?" Ken asks.

"I'm surprised you didn't remember," the stranger says, "he was the evil you were called into the Digital World to defeat. With his final act of evil, he tried to implant the Dark Spore in your partner. You jumped in front of it, sacrificing yourself to save him."

"The Dark Spore still blocks a lot of my memories," Ken admits, "so now the monster has a name. Maybe now the nightmares will be less severe."

"Are you the one who created the darkness and the laughter?" Tk asks, repeating Davis' earlier question.

"No, but I have fought the Beast who did," the stranger replies, "once before, and it cost me more than you will ever understand. I made a mistake and I am not making it again. You have fought him as well. He has ever been an enemy of the DigiDestined ever since he stepped from beyond the Wall of Fire."

All of the older DigiDestined gasp at that remark.

"Whats the Wall of Fire?" Davis asks.

The stranger's eyes narrow. "I see you haven't told the children everything."

"Who are you calling a child?" Davis demands.

"You, who have barely seen what any world has to offer," the stranger replies.

The stranger looks at each of the DigiDestined. "If you wish to know more, then follow me. If you can keep up, that is."

With that, the stranger starts walking away.

"Are we gonna follow him?" Joe asks.

"I say lets do it," Tai says, "this guys gotten me curious. And he knows something about that darkness and the evil laugh."

The DigiDestined begin to follow the stranger with Tk in the back.

'I just know I've heard that laugh before, but where?' Tk wonders.

An hour later, the DigiDestined had followed the stranger to the TV station.

"I wonder what he's doing here?" Izzy asks.

Somehow, the stranger and the DigiDestined slip unnoticed to the roof, to the exact same room that the DigiDestined, minus Ken, had been assembled in when Wizardmon had told them to "seek the golden radiance".

A figure steps out of the shadows. It was a Digimon, though it looked human enough to pass off for one with the appropriate clothes.

"I still can't believe you insisted on bringing them here," the Digimon says crossly.

"We are too much at a disadvantage this time," the stranger replies, "last time, there were five of us. Now there's just you and me and if we tried this alone we'd be as good as dead. And then they would be the next targets. So its only logical that they be given a better chance by teaming up with us."

"No, I know we need their help," the Digimon sighs, "but we don't need them here for this."

"They must know the truth, and the sooner the better," the stranger replies.

Patamon gasps as he recognizes the strange Digimon, though he doesn't know how he recognizes him. "That's Heromon!"

The DigiDestined look at the small Digimon.

"Who?" Tk asks.

"That's Heromon, one of the few Rookie level Warrior Digimon," Patamon explains, "and he's strong. He could easily take on any Champion level Digimon and have a fair chance of winning."

"I remember a legend of a Heromon once," Gatomon says, "Myotismon told me of it. He said that Heromon is the mightiest Rookie level Digimon, and each of his properly digivolved forms is the strongest of that level. He is supposed to be unbeatable."

Heromon looks at the other Digimon and chuckles. "Quite the intellectual, kitty cat. But Myotismon was misinformed. I am able to be beaten. I haven't been beaten often, but I am beaten every now and then. Myotismon just says I am unbeatable because he'd have never stood a chance if I had fought him even in my Champion form and he knew it too."

"Enough yakking, we need to get the job done," the stranger says. He raises the walking stick he has and it shifts into a double-edged sword with a seven-inch hilt and a thirty-two inch blade. A strange symbol is on the hilt. The edge of the blade grows a ghostly shade of green.

"By Honor and Life, come forth old friend!" the stranger commands.

A shadow zips along the ground and stops before the stranger. A translucent body begins to form upwards of the shadow, taking the shadows shape. The shape of Wizardmon.

The DigiDestined gasp in astonishment. They didn't know that Wizardmon was still around. They had simply assumed that he had gone to wherever Digimon to while they wait to be reformatted.

"Wizardmon!" Gatomon and Kari cry out at seeing the Digimon who had saved their lives.

"So you're still lingering around, old friend," the stranger says.

"J-jesse?" Wizardmon gasps as he gets a good look at the stranger. He turns to look at Heromon. "And Heromon? You both survived the battle?"

The stranger Wizardmon had just identified as Jesse gapes at the ghost of a Digimon floating before him. "How the heck do you remember us?"

"When I died, I regained the memory I had lost," Wizardmon replies, "now answer my question."

"Sorry, but you should remember the others passing away," Jesse says sadly.

"And Brian?" Wizardmon asks shakily.

"The reason you lost your memory is because when a Digimon's partner dies, their memories are locked away so as to not cause them the pain of having failed them," Jesse replies, his voice an even monotone now.

"So Brian's... dead?" Wizardmon asks.

"He leaped in front of an attack meant for me, trading his own life for mine," Jesse says, his voice showing signs of breaking.

Wizardmon slumps. Which was amusing to see, since he was floating in the air. It was more like he lowered how high he was floating and bent his knees back as if he was sitting down on the floor. No, it was more in his posture and body language than anything else.

"H-how long has it been?" Wizardmon asks, his voice shaky.

"To tell the truth, I haven't counted the years," Jesse replies, "they've blended in too much."

At that moment, Gatomon overcomes her shock at seeing Wizardmon again and finds her voice. "Wizardmon, who is this guy?"

Wizardmon looks at his feline friend and smiles. Not that you could see it, but he was smiling.

"This is a very old friend of mine, one whom I knew long before I met you Gatomon," Wizardmon says.

"But how?" Gatomon asks, "you said I was your first friend."

"I used to be the partner of a DigiDestined," Wizardmon says, "the leader of the true first group."

The eight more experienced DigiDestined gasp at that, as do their Digimon. This was something they had never thought they'd learn about more than just a small story.

"But in our final battle, things did not go well," Wizardmon says, "three of our team members perished at the hands of the mighty Beast of Darkness. My last memory before I awoke with no memory of my past was a portal opening and Jesse and my partner Brian about to go through it to escape the Digital World since we were being overpowered."

"The Beast sent an attack at me, since I was the most dangerous of the five of us," Jesse says, "Brian threw himself in front of the attack. There. wasn't much left of him. The sight of him still gives me more nightmares than anything else I've ever seen, and I've spent a year or two in the Dark Ocean killing Dragomon's servants on more than one occasion."

"Who is Dragomon?" Kari asks.

"The undersea master of the Scubamon," Jesse replies simply.

"You just go into the Dark Ocean and kill off his servants and he does nothing?" Tk demands, "the both of you are heartless!"

"Dragomon is heartless, but I am not," Jesse says, "I kill his servants because he kills them himself anyway and absorbs their power. It has taken him a long time, but he is more powerful than anything you have ever faced, despite him only being an Ultimate level Digimon. If he were to digivolve to Mega, I shudder to imagine the power he would possess."

"So you got back to the real world and stayed here except for occasional foray's into the Digital World?" Izzy asks.

"Actually, as soon as I had healed up respectably, along with Heromon who followed me through the portal almost immediately in real world time, I went back to the Digital World and stayed there except for my occasional visits to the Dark Ocean and a few other worlds," Jesse replies.

"But that's impossible!" Izzy exclaims, "hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions, of years had passed by between the time you and your companions were in the Digital World and Apocalymon's defeat!"

"One million, nine hundred and ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred and eighty-two years to be exact," Jesse states, "I turn two million years old in a few weeks."

Everyone present except for Heromon gape at Jesse.

"You're saying you've lived over a million years?" Davis asks, disbelieving.

"You probably don't fully realize it, but each Crest gives its bearer certain abilities," Jesse says, "some more than others. This is most evident in the four known Holy Crests, Life, Faith, Light, and Hope. I possess the Crest of Life. It keeps me at the same physical age I was when I first entered the Digital World. It also keeps a slight aura of Digi World energy around me to whenever I go into a world not similar enough to the Digital World so that I am as I was before I went to the Digital World. In other words, it makes me healthy. Before I went to the Digital World, I had a heart murmur. Now I've spent so much time in the Digital World, as well as a bit of time in the World of Dreams, that I am one hundred percent healthy, healthier than any other human alive."

"Jesse, why are you here?" Wizardmon asks, "during our journey in the Digital World, you never did anything without a reason."

"To tell you the truth, I'm here to test out a newly discovered ability of my Crest of Life," Jesse says. He reaches into his shirt and pulls out a Tag and Crest. The Crest shows what look to be three triangles merged together to form a larger triangle, with their inner edges forming a fourth triangle.

"And what can it do?" Wizardmon asks.

"It can restore to you what Myotismon stole from you: your life," Jesse replies simply, "I know you cannot be reformatted since you were killed in the real world and because at one time or another a lot of power was flowing through you."

"You can bring me back to life?" Wizardmon asks, his voice catching in his throat.

"I can, my friend," Jesse says, "do you wish me to try?"

"Is there any risk to you?" Wizardmon asks.

"It'll drain away a large amount of my energy, but it'll be worth it to help right the wrongs Myotismon caused," Jesse says, "its too bad I can't bring humans back to life. I just don't have the energy."

"Jesse, there's something your not telling me," Wizardmon says, his voice steely, "if your not gonna tell me before you restore me to life, then save your time and energy and leave me be."

Jesse and Wizardmon stare into each other's eyes before Wizardmon is forced to turn away, unable to meet Jesse's gaze for long.

"The Beast is still alive," Jesse says flatly.

Wizardmon turns back to look Jesse straight in the eye.

"Wasn't he destroyed not too long ago?" Wizardmon asks.

"Every single bit of him is still alive," Jesse replies, "and now his consciousness is directing Daemon and Dragomon in the Dark Ocean while he tries to use Devimon to break out of the Dark Whirlpool and create a portal between the Dark Ocean and the Dark Whirlpool."

"Do it," Wizardmon says, his voice now totally devoid of even the tiniest traces of emotion, "they must be avenged."

"The worlds must be made safe," Jesse corrects as the light emanating from his Crest begins to flare up even more, "the time for the final battle is at hand. I have read prophecies that even Gennai does not even know exist. The final battle is at hand."

At that, the light from the Crest of Life envelops Wizardmon in a cocoon. It stays there in the air, shining with a brilliant luminescence that was unlike anything any of the younger DigiDestined had seen before.

As the light fades, the cocoon unravels, revealing Wizardmon. He was now solid.

"Wizardmon!" Gatomon cries out, running up to Wizardmon and hugging him hard. Kari isn't far behind the small feline Digimon.

"Man, I wish I was Wizardmon," Davis mumbles.

"What, you mean you wished you had died saving Kari from Myotismon?" Matt asks.

"No, I want Kari to hug me!" Davis whines. Everyone but Heromon, Jesse, Kari, Gatomon, and Wizardmon burst out in laughter at him.

"That is why you were selected to be a Digidestined," Jesse says, "you can make others laugh."

"What about the rest of us?" Cody asks.

"You, Cody, were selected because you have perhaps the strongest sense of duty out of all DigiDestined, save myself," Jesse replies, "sad to see it in one so young. You really need to learn to be a kid. Ask Davis and Tai for help. They'll never stop being kids."

"Hey!" the two DigiDestined leaders cry out. Everyone chuckles at them.

"And what about me?" Yolie asks, "and Ken?"

"Yolie, you have a compassion that is very strong, and it gives those around you even greater strength," Jesse says.

"And me?" Ken asks.

"Ken was chosen for the same reason as Tai, Matt, Sora, Izzy, Joe, Mimi, Kari, and Tk were selected, as well as myself and the others on my team," Jesse replies, "he had the ability to enable Digimon to digivolve. And that's not just his partner. Between Matt and Tai's Digivices, Leomon was able to Warp Digivolve into his Mega form of SaberLeomon."

"Can we all do that?" Cody asks.

"Maybe," Jesse says with a small smile, "to tell the truth, the true reasons why any of us were chosen stumps even me. And I've made it a point to try and find out. Spent a couple of centuries here and there trying to find out. Even spent one peaceful millennia trying to find out at one point."

"That was the easiest millennia we ever got," Heromon grumbles, "because at the end of that thousand years was when that DemoGorgomon tried to destroy the Digital World."

"Too bad for it it announced its intention right in front of us when it freshly digivolved to its new level," Jesse chuckles, "it lasted, what, ten seconds?"

"No, it lasted ten years, remember?" Heromon asked, "we got it in the Southern Quadrant and enlisted Zhuqiaomon's help."

"Oh yeah," Jesse says, "boy, was he ticked. He never was fond of humans."

"And you deepened that hatred," Heromon says flatly, "before, he was not fond of humans. Now he downright hates them."

"I haven't paid much attention to that overgrown turkey in three thousand years," Jesse says, "he hasn't done anything rash, has he?"

"Well, not to my knowledge," Heromon sighs, "I haven't paid much attention to that weakling either."

"But the Guardians are at the Mega level!" Izzy gasps, "and they've gotten a lot stronger since they were trapped by the Dark Masters. They are among the strongest Digimon ever! And you're being disrespectful to them."

"And your being disrespectful to your elders," Jesse replies tartly, "we call the Guardians weaklings because even before the Dark Masters came into power, the Guardians were not strong enough to protect the Digital World. A powerful Mega called Seraphimon protected the Digital World, and when he disappeared, everything started falling apart. Pixiemon was left pretty much being the hands-on protector of the Digital World while the Guardians devised summoning the DigiDestined. In the end, Seraphimon returned, though shortly thereafter the Guardians were sealed away. None of them were released until you younger DigiDestined released Azulongmon. With my help the other three Guardians have been released."

"So all four of them are free now?" Tai asks.

"Don't be a donkey," Jesse snaps peevishly, "of course they're free. There have only been a few creatures that I have met who were able to take me and Heromon on when we're at our best."

"And none of them are technically around anymore," Heromon says with a sinister grin.

"What happened to them?" Izzy asks.

"Well, not all of the things we've fought have been Digimon," Jesse says, "we've fought real demons, vampires, a werewolf or two, and even some things that I don't even have the words for. We've been to more worlds than I care to count and fought more evil than I had originally thought possible to exist in such a short span of time. In short, I'm surprised I'm still alive."

Heromon chuckles. "There was barely a day that went by that you didn't say "We're gonna die" at least three times."

"I almost said it like a prayer at mealtimes when you cooked," Jesse chuckles, "two million years and he can't learn how to cook."

"Well, its not like you're a good teacher," Heromon retorts.

"I'm not a good teacher in the culinary arts," Jesse admits, "but I taught you many a thing when it came to fighting."

"You taught me nothing!" Heromon huffs, "its all natural skill!"

"If you keep telling yourself that, you might even start to believe it," Jesse says mockingly.

"Were they always like this?" Gatomon asks Wizardmon.

Wizardmon sighs. "Believe it or not, they seemed to be getting along a lot better. There used to be a lot of open hostility between those two. They even tried to bash each others' brains in one time."

"I'd really hate to see how they used to get along then," Kari remarks.

"It drove us all crazy," Wizardmon says, "but there was nothing we could do. Heromon was the strongest of us at each level and he could take any of us on even with us at our Mega forms and him as an Ultimate."

"Sounds like me," Patamon says, "it takes an incredible amount of power for me to digivolve to my Mega form, but even when I'm in my Ultimate form I can take on any evil Mega and more than likely win."

"You couldn't beat BlackWarGreymon," Davis points out, "it took WarGreymon and Imprialdramon Fighter Mode at the same time to take him down."

"Imperialdramon Fighter Mode was still a Dramon Type Digimon," Izzy says, "BlackWarGreymon and WarGreymon are Dramon Destroyer's, Digimon specially suited to fighting Dramon Digimon. He had an advantage of type over you."

"Yeah, and WarGreymon was doing just fine against him on his own," Tai says, "he could have taken him down."

"Or fight him to a draw," Tk adds, "and MagnaAngemon would have defeated BlackWarGreymon if BlackWarGreymon hadn't destroyed the Destiny Stone and robbed MagnaAngemon of the source of the power that enabled him to digivolve to Ultimate."

Jesse and Heromon finally stop their bickering and turn to the DigiDestined.

"Jesse, why did you bring me back?" Wizardmon asks, "I know you well enough that you never did anything without a reason. You left the rest of us alone to fend off evil Digimon to make us look to Brian as our leader. And to make us stronger."

"And because you were annoying me," Jesse adds with a straight face.

Wizardmon scowls. "Have you ever taken anything seriously."

"Well, two million years of near-constant battle will warp a person's sense of human," Jesse says mockingly, "but I forgive Heromon for his warped sense of humor."

"Me?!" Heromon asks incredulously, "he's talking about you!"

"Hmm, you may be onto something there," Jesse says, then he turns dead serious, "well, enough dilly-dallying. On to business."

"Talk about turning your emotions off," Davis murmurs at seeing Jesse go from humorous to dead serious."

"Wizardmon, we got a job to finish," Jesse says, "one we started almost two million years ago in the Digital World."

"A job to finish?" Wizardmon says quizzically, then his expression turns serious. "You can't be serious."

"Dead serious," Jesse deadpans, "we have to gather the rest of our group. There are other things that I have discovered that I will tell you when we are gathered together."

"What should I do?" Wizadmon asks.

"Go to where I found the secret to my strength in the Digital World," Jesse says, "you will find the bird of Compassion and Spirit there."

Wizardmon nods his understanding.

Jesse raises his right hand palm out. A small glow envelops his hand and a multi-colored hole appears.

"It's a Digital Gate!" Izzy exclaims, "just like the one that took us to the Digital World!"

"I have long since mastered the ability to create a Gate to the Digital World," Jesse says solemnly, "Heromon, you're going to get the last two."

"Got it," Heromon nods as he steps into the Gate.

"You've got quite a bit of explaining to do later Jesse," Wizardmon warns.

"Yeah yeah, just go through the Gate," Jesse sighs, "we'll meet up and talk later."

Wizardmon steps into the Gate and vanishes along with Heromon.

"We're gonna see you again, aren't we?" Sora asks.

"Duh," Jesse says, "there's a lot of big stuff going on and even I'll need more than the Digimon of my old team's help. I'll need your help as well. I'm gonna be talking with Gennai to get you all your Crests. I'll even test all of you to see if any of you can use a Crest Weapon. And Yolie and Cody? I'll be getting you your Crest Digi-Eggs as well as your Tags and Crests. Ken, I'll only be getting you your Tag and Crest Digi-Egg. Well, we'll see each other again before long. For now, I bid you adieu."

With that, Jesse steps into the Gate and disappears. The Gate slowly fades away.

After a few moments silence, Tai speaks up. "I can't believe we got to meet on of the original DigiDestined."

"For some reason it feels like I should know him," Ken says.

"Don't you remember Ken?" Wormmon asks, "Jesse is the one who brought you and Ryo to the Digital World."

"Ryo?" Ken asks.

"He helped us defeat Milleniummon," Wormmon replies, "the Dark Spore was heading for him, but you pushed him out of the way and took it instead. After that, you were out of it for a while, tossing and turning. I was really worried and so was Ryo. Jesse came and took Ryo home and then took you home."

"Wait, you knew who he was?" Cody asks.

"No," Wormmon says, "I only recognized his appearance. I didn't know his name. I thought he was one of those people like Gennai, who looked human but weren't."

"So, we got a two million year old member of the DigiDestined who has appeared, saying that there is an evil stronger than anything anyone but him has ever faced, we're severely undermanned without the others on his team, and that we're gonna get our Tags and Crests and the new kids are gonna get their Tags and Crests as well as the Digi-Eggs of their Crests," Izzy says.

"Izzy, breathe," Tai says, "your face is turning blue."

"Well, there's not much we can do until Jesse comes back," Tk says, "so I suggest we just go on with our lives as usual."

"Agreed," Sora says.

"Hey, I think we need some more back-up," Davis says, "we should go and get Willis. Two Golden Armor Digimon should prove helpful.

"Agreed," Tai says, "besides, I wanna meet the guy who kissed my little sister."

Kari blushes. "Tai, it was just a kiss on the cheek, same as he gave Yolie."

"Well, we'd better get home," Tai says, "this has been a very eventful day."

The DigiDestined walk out of the TV station and split off into their separate ways with their Digimon.

Atop the TV station, Jesse, Heromon, and Wizardmon watch the DigiDestined leave.

"So, Jesse, whats your plan," Wizardmon asks.

"You two go on and gather Phoenixmon, Digitamamon, and Tapirmon," Jesse says, "I'm gonna get to know these DigiDestined better. We'll need to work better as a team and getting to know one another will do that."

"How are you going to keep them from asking questions about your adventures and who we're fighting," Wizardmon asks, "I still can't believe that he's still around."

"We're not completely sure that he's able to return as things are," Heromon says, "we're not sure how, but he is planning to return. He won't let a little thing like Imperialdramon Fighter Mode's Giga Crusher stop him. Yes, it was a setback, but one he no doubt planned for. He did, after all, prepare for his defeat when the DigiDestined first fought him."

"Technically, they never fought him, just the vessel that held his consciousness," Jesse corrects, "we three are the only ones who fought him who are still alive and remember."

"Technically just me and you," Heromon jokes, "since Wizardmon was killed."

"Not funny," Wizardmon grumbles.

"Well Jesse, how are you gonna get to know these youngsters?" Heromon asks.

"Like this," Jesse says, removing his glasses and passing a hand over his goatee. The goatee disappears.

"That's not gonna be enough," Heromon says.

"I'm also doing this," Jesse says, his voice suddenly different. It was now a bit deeper and more melodious. His body language was different as well.

"Where did you learn to do that?" Wizardmon asks, amazed.

"Spent a few decades perfecting my acting skills," Jesse replies, "after all, I did have to try to blend in as a Digimon a lot of the time. Or s something else, depending on the world we were in."

"Any more instructions in case we finish before you?" Heromon asks.

"Yes," Jesse replies, "Wizardmon, see if you can find Myotismon's records on the multi-dimensional Gateway. We may need it. I can only take one or two people to another world through the Gates at a time, and we'll definitely need more than that. Plus, if I fall, the other DigiDestined will need a way to travel to the other worlds."

"If you can't get anything, we can talk to Oikawa's spirit," Heromon says, "in fact, go to Azulongmon's palace and talk to him. He can tell you how to get in contact with Oikawa's ghost and you can take it from there."

"So Jesse, mind telling us exactly what you're gonna be doing?" Wizardmon asks.

"What else?" Jesse asks with a grin, "I'm going back to school!"

~~

Back to school? Now, what do you suppose that means? Wait for the next chapter to find out! Also, please review.