Knowledge is the Key

by Cybra

A/N: Surprised? :::looks around. Heads shake::: Figures. This is my newest fanfic! Yay! Aren't I so special? NOT! By the way, for any of you all wondering, no, Junpuu does not represent me. Cybra the Digimon (kind of) represents me. Unfortunately, Izzy's too young for me. <sigh> Therefore, Cybra the Digimon has a crush on somebody else. Also, this fanfic makes up an explanation for why evil Digimon always want to conquer the Digiworld and now Earth as well. I'd rate this one probably PG. There's a little scene that's humorous, but at the same time slightly disgusting.

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon: Digital Monsters or any of the characters associated TO Digimon. I wish I did, but I don't. All of your lawyers may go away now. Thank you.

Useless. Completely and utterly useless. Those words kept ringing in Izzy's head. Those words reminded him of the ugly truth:

The Crest of Knowledge was completely and utterly useless.

Junpuu turned looked slightly downward at her friend. Izzy had been unnaturally quiet over the past few hours as he limped along with his bad knee. He wasn't even clicking away at that computer. She could've drawn the look on his face perfectly without glancing up at it. That look had been on his face ever since he'd found out that the Crest of Knowledge would no longer work. Tentomon flew with a miserable look on his face. Cybra had an equally miserable look.

Matt bit his lower lip, wanting to say something, but not knowing what to say. From the look on Junpuu's face, she didn't have any idea on what to say to him either. Sora and Mimi were trying to keep up a conversation to fill in the silence. TK and Kari slowed down and walked beside Izzy and Junpuu.

"I bet the Crest will be fine in a few days!" TK said cheerfully. "Maybe it's just sleeping!"

Kari looked like she wanted to have Gatomon rip him to shreds. That had been the WRONG thing to say. Izzy looked up at the sky, the blue reflecting in those dark eyes.

"Maybe..." was all he replied, but there wasn't much belief behind that word.

Matt bit down even harder on his lower lip, half-expecting Izzy to suddenly snap back to reality and tell TK that he wasn't being logical or realistic. However, that sudden snap back to reality never came. In a way, Matt missed those long, impossible-to-understand lectures that Izzy could cook up. It had been a theory of Matt's that he might actually be starting to understand what Izzy was saying. After all, one of Izzy's lectures had been on perpetual motion, and in Andromon's factory Matt had used that term and understood what it meant.

TK opened his mouth to say more, but a glance from Junpuu silenced him. Her features seemed to be saying, "Don't say anything else about it."

Izzy's mind wandered, trying to dream up some idea to restore his Crest to its former glory. Since the tag had also been broken, the Crest was kept in one of the pockets of his shorts. The tag also had been placed in the same pocket. It didn't make much sense to just wear the tag around his neck. There was no purpose for it anymore.

Kari put a hand on Izzy's shoulder, hoping to get some response out of him. He continued to just watch the sky, a distant look in his eyes. For all he would know, Tentomon could've started zapping him and he wouldn't even notice. His mind was about 3000 miles away. If not farther.

Blackwidowmon faced the gates to the temple once more. The key! Where was the key?! She had reasoned that if knowledge was the key, it would most likely have to be in a solid form. However, knowledge wasn't always a solid form. It was mostly just information, but recordings of information could also be the key. A scroll or some other type of record might work.

In frustration, she yelled, "WHAT KNOWLEDGE IS THE KEY?!"

Silence answered her. No surprise there. Nobody was there to hear or answer her...

...Or was there? A ropy tail with a golden charm swished upward into the trees before Blackwidowmon could see it. The owner of the tail silently retreated. The white fur covering his body might be spotted it he hung around for too long.

His claws sank into the bark as he leaped from tree to tree. The purple stripes stood out against the white fur. His blue eyes scanned the area ahead of him, searching for his companion. She was waiting for him up ahead. He spotted her.

She was a golden yellow color with striking black spots. Her amber eyes were watching him as he approached. Her tail was also ropy, but quite long with black stripes circling it. A charm exactly like his was around her tail. She wore a royal purple collar around her neck with the symbols of the ancient civilization that had made the ruins all around the Digiworld.

"She came back, didn't she?" she asked.

"Yes," he answered.

Both of them were feline Digimon. He was like a VERY large version of Gatomon, minus the tuffs on the ears and tail. His name was Tigeramon, a Champion Digimon who could digivolve into either Skulltigeramon or Megatigeramon. His companion resembled one of Earth's cheetahs. If not for the collar and the charm, one would've easily mistaken her for one. She was Cheetarenmon, another Champion Digimon who could digivolve into Metal Cheetarenmon. Neither of them had been caught by Blackwidowmon's powers. Yet.

"Cheetarenmon, what are we going to do?" Tigeramon asked. "Blackwidowmon can't open that gate and neither can we!"

"Patience, my friend," she answered wisely. "Someone can open that gate. Perhaps we cannot, but someone else can."

"Who?"

"I do not know. However, I believe that perhaps the Digidestined can."

"The...Digidestined? Why them?"

Her amber eyes caught his blue ones.

"They have saved this world before, have they not?"

"Of course they have!"

"Then we must believe that they can save this world again."

Tigeramon watched, utterly baffled, as Cheetarenmon stood and turned her back on him. She began to walk off towards the south. She walked for a few feet, then paused. She turned her head to face him.

"Come, Tigeramon. We have much to do."

Tigeramon ran towards the wiser Digimon and quickly caught up to her. She continued to stroll forward.

If she were any other Digimon, he would've left her to her own devices, but this was CHEETARENMON! This wiser and older Digimon had kept herself from digivolving to the next level on purpose, saying that she would digivolve when the time was right and the time of her apparent digivolution had not been right. Tigeramon adored her.

Still, she put so much faith into the Digidestined children. Her eyes showed determination as she strode along.

"What are we going to do?" Tigeramon asked, excitedly.

"We have to find the Digidestined children and lead them close to here."

Tigeramon froze, but quickly matched stride once more with Cheetarenmon.

"Why?"

"As I said before, they may be able to open the gate. How can they open what they do not know is there? If they can gain the power of the temple, our world and their own will be saved. But if Blackwidowmon figures out a way to open the gates of the temple before we can, both worlds will be under Blackwidowmon's control. She would have command over all the portals leading from this world to the children's world and to any other worlds in existence. She would have unlimited power."

The group of children and Digimon had set up camp near a beautiful lake. Junpuu and Cybra woke up early and nodded to Matt and Gabumon who were on watch. They walked over towards the lake in silence, hoping not to awaken anyone.

Within moments, both of them were in the water and enjoying a nice cold bath. It had been several days since either had done so. The water felt refreshing.

"Hey, Junpuu? Can I ask you something personal?" Cybra asked nervously.

Fearing what that question was, Junpuu answered, "Shoot."

"You ever...you know...LIKED somebody?"

'Oh. My. GOD!' Junpuu thought in a panic.

"Why?" she asked.

"Well...don't tell Joe this, but I've kind of got a crush on him."

Junpuu blinked. Joe and Cybra? A funny looking couple in her imagination, but it wasn't too terribly strange. Both were the same age, but they were complete opposites of one another.

"Joe? Joe who?" she asked innocently.

Cybra laughed and Junpuu quickly joined in. Both of them stopped when a twig broke with a snap. Cybra tensed up, but saw who it was and just sank deeper into the water and swam around behind a rock. Junpuu followed suit.

"Who is it?" she whispered.

"Izzy!" the Digimon whispered back.

"What?! I thought Matt would stop anybody coming this way!"

"Yeah, but I bet Matt thought we were just having a girl chat."

"Oh, great! And our clothes are over there, too!"

A look of horror crossed Cybra's face. If Izzy saw them...HOW EMBARRASSING!

Izzy looked blankly out over the water. He was unaware of the situation he had created. He sat down on a rock nearby where the two girls, human and Digimon, were. He didn't hear the sharp intake of breath and someone shushing someone else. He brought his knees up to his chest and just sat there, waiting for the sun to rise.

Matt walked up to him.

"Hey, man. You okay?" he asked, beginning the conversation.

"No."

'At least he's honest,' Matt thought.

"Oh, NO! Not Matt, too!" Junpuu whispered with horror.

"Don't move or try to swim away! They'll see you!" Cybra hissed.

Oblivious to the girls' problem, Matt sat down on a rock next to Izzy. He leaned against his good arm.

"I'm completely useless, Matt," Izzy stated. "The Crest..." He shook his head.

"Just because the Crest doesn't work doesn't mean that you can't. Come on, Izzy. Who knows? Maybe TK was right and the Crest of Knowledge really IS just resting. Maybe the Crest needed a break."

"Neither yours or Tai's has needed a break, as you put it," Izzy pointed out, "and both of yours have been glowing longer than mine has."

The logic of the statement made Matt think for a second. It was true. The Crests of Courage and Friendship had glowed before the Crest of Knowledge had. If the Crest had been broken because it was weakened from being used so much...No, that wasn't logical. Tai and Matt had both hit their Crests against so many things, you would've EXPECTED them to break, but they never did.

As Matt tried to think of something to say, Joe walked up and almost tripped over Junpuu's sneakers. He looked down and saw her outfit and Cybra's attire. It took him 5 seconds to realize the significance of those two sets of clothing being there.

Joe cleared his throat. "I hate to seem rude, but I believe we should all go back to camp."

"Why, Joe? Why wake the others up with our talking?" Matt asked.

Joe pointed towards the ground. The two other boys followed his finger to the clothing on the ground. Izzy and Matt quickly turned a bright color of red.

"Um...Junpuu, Cybra, we're leaving now," Izzy stammered as he forced his eyes to stay away from the lake.

"We'd be much obliged!" Junpuu answered, more than slightly embarrassed.

All three boys left the lake, all blushing Tyrannomon red.

Cheetarenmon ran forward at a seemingly tireless rate. Tigeramon was having a problem just keeping up. Finally, she stopped at a lake a few hours after sunrise. Tigeramon stopped and panted. She was sniffing an area of ground.

"They were here. Their scents are still present, but faint," she noted.

"Can't we...take a break?" Tigeramon panted.

"As much as I like that suggestion, no. We have to catch up to the Digidestined."

Cheetarenmon ran forward once more. Panting, Tigeramon followed at a small distance behind her.

'I just hope this isn't a wild Goosemon chase,' Tigeramon thought.

The group walked together in near silence. Izzy's face, once the embarrassment had left his features, returned to that same blank look he'd had worn all of yesterday. Matt looked over at Junpuu. She shook her head. Nothing could bring Izzy out of this unless there was something he could do.

Junpuu knew how Izzy always desired to use his knowledge for some purpose. At home, he'd been frustrated because he had all this knowledge, but little need for it. Here, everything he knew that could help them was used. He liked being useful, but knew in a terrible battle, he and Tentomon would be practically useless, not to mention Cybra.

Something stopped in front of them. It was like a large version of Gatomon.

"Finally!" he wheezed.

A slender paw stepped out of the foliage. Another feline Digimon came out. Her amber eyes held a wise look. The Digimon in the group gasped and bowed their heads before her.

"Who are they?" Izzy asked. Matt hadn't even noticed that Izzy had snapped out of his trance.

The Digimon stat screen popped up with the tiger-like Digimon's picture in it. Tentomon's voice was heard saying, "Tigeramon is a Champion Digimon who, while lacking patience, is extremely powerful in a fight. His stamina's not that great, but his 'Sonic Roar' makes up for it."

"Why'd you guys bow before the other one?" Tai asked.

The stat screen popped up again. This time Gatomon's voice was heard saying, "Cheetarenmon is a Champion Digimon who refused to digivolve to her Ultimate form even though her powers are far stronger than a normal Champion Digimon's. All Digimon respect her as one of the greatest, if not THE greatest, Digimon fighter!"

Cheetarenmon merely walked up to Tai, seemingly oblivious to all the admiring stares.

"You are the leader of the Digidestined." That was not a question.

"Uh...yeah..."

"Blackwidowmon has discovered a temple to the north of here that contains infinite power. However, since she cannot open the gates, that power is not hers, but she is seeking out ways to open the gates to the temple. In fact, she believes your friend here can lead her to a portal to the human world in order to find the key." She was nodding now to Junpuu. "If she can conquer the Digiworld and the human world, she will have control over all the portals leading to other dimensions. The occupants of these worlds will be powerless against her."

Matt whistled. All that power in the hands of someone so evil...He shook his head.

"However," she continued, "if someone on the RIGHT side managed to get into the temple first, Blackwidowmon would no longer pose a threat to anyone."

Tai blinked and thought about this for a second. It COULD work...He glanced at Cybra. She shook her head. No, Cheetarenmon was not under Blackwidowmon's control.

"Can you take us there?" Tai asked.

"Of course. Follow us."

Cheetarenmon turned and began walking back the way the two feline Digimon had come. A look of pure horror crossed Tigeramon's face. He gave a moan and then began to follow her. The Digidestined and their Digimon followed behind him.

When Cheetarenmon awoke that night, Izzy was sitting on watch. She noticed that Junpuu was watching him with one eye open. The cheetah-like Digimon stood and strolled over to the fire. Tentomon saw her coming, made a lame excuse of going to patrol the area, and left the boy alone with the wise, old Digimon.

"Good evening, Koushiro," she greeted formally.

"Good evening, Cheetarenmon," Izzy said, returning the greeting just as formally. All of them had given up on trying to get her to call of them by their nicknames...if they had one, of course.

"You are distressed by something." That was not a question.

"Yes."

She looked at him expectantly as she sat on her haunches. She seemed to be telling him to tell her.

"My Crest..." Izzy's voice trailed off.

"Yes, where is your Crest? It does not hang proudly around your neck like the Crests of the others do around their necks."

Izzy just reached into his pocket and pulled out the now-useless Crest of Knowledge. It had darkened its color since it had no power. Cheetarenmon swiped at it when he held it out to her, managing to balance it on her delicate paw. She studied it for a moment, noting that the power of this Crest was totally gone.

"It holds no life," she stated, speaking as if the Crest was another Digimon.

"No, it doesn't," Izzy agreed.

Cheetarenmon thought for a moment, then looked over her shoulder at Junpuu. Junpuu quickly closed her eye, hoping that the Digimon hadn't seen it.

"Come here, Junpuu," the wise Digimon ordered her in a kind tone.

A very sheepish Junpuu stood up and walked over to them. Izzy raised his eyebrows in obvious surprise.

"What's shakin'?" Junpuu asked, still blushing.

Now satisfied, Cheetarenmon looked back down at the Crest. A small amount of energy had just coursed into it. However, each Crest's power held its own "wavelength" of energy. The wisp of energy just now held the signature of...

'The Crest of Friendship,' she thought, smiling to herself.

The Crests of Knowledge and Friendship were the only 2 Crests found together for a specific reason. The two Crests were interconnected with one another. The symbols represented this, but neither of the two boys had ever realized it. Both the symbols had two parts coming together to form one (Izzy's was the two sets of circles joined together by a beam, while Matt's was a yin-yang inside of a sort of winged circle). The two Crests could supply a little bit of power to each other, but they were still independent from each other at the same time.

'These two's friendship managed to supply a little power to the Crest,' Cheetarenmon noted.

However, she chose not to speak her thoughts aloud. She looked at Izzy straight in the eye. Izzy forced himself not to shiver under her scrutiny.

"Koushiro, Junpuu, there is a way that the Crest of Knowledge can be returned to its former glory."

"WHAT?! HOW?!" Junpuu demanded.

"Junpuu!" Izzy hissed.

"The power inside of the temple can repair the Crests if the need should arise," Cheetarenmon explained. "I do not know how, but it CAN do it."

"Cheetarenmon, could you tell us MORE about this power?" Izzy asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. Junpuu leaned forward, eager to learn more as well.

"Of course. There is a legend that this strange power belongs to the ones who originally used the information from your world to CREATE the Digiworld. Their writings are found all over this world."

"Like the writing at Andromon's factory and the temple for the Digivice?" Izzy asked.

"Yes. All this was part of the first people's written language, but it has been so long since anyone has learned it that no one can read it. However, legends say that they contained the power in the temple with only one key. The key is knowledge, but nobody knows WHAT knowledge." She paused for a moment. "Also, whoever opens the gate must be willing to take on the power held inside. If they are not willing, the power will travel around in a semi-circle with a ten foot radius until it CAN find a willing host or will seal itself back in the temple if a willing host cannot be found."

Cheetarenmon fell silent, not saying anything else. Neither child had to ask if that was it. She had told them all she had known. She dropped the Crest into Izzy's lap and stood up.

At his confused look, she told him, "The Crest belongs with no one but you. Guard it well."

Blackwidowmon stared at the temple's gates once more, tempted to try to destroy the doors in another way. She gave into that temptation as she summoned Panthramon to her presence.

"You called, Mistress?" she asked, bowing.

"I want you to destroy those gates. My 'Poison Web' has little effect on it. Perhaps your 'Screaming Blaster' can help."

"Of course, Mistress."

Her servant stood in front of the doors. She inhaled deeply.

"Screaming Blaster!"

A bright beam flew from her mouth and hit the gates. They glowed as well due to the amount of energy being built up. Blackwidowmon smiled. She should've thought of this earlier. Then she frowned when she saw the gates were still fine after Panthramon stopped. Her slave bowed her head in shame.

"I have failed you, Mistress."

The evil Digimon sighed. "Leave me at once. Find those Digidestined brats and continue your mission: destroy them all except for that one girl. I want whatever information she has on those portals."

"Yes, Mistress."

Panthramon disappeared into the night. However, one part of her that was still free of Blackwidowmon's control rejoiced for her not succeeding. There was still a chance left. If only the Digidestined could find the temple and gain its power!

Blackwidowmon turned back to the temple after Panthramon scampered off. She knew that a small part of her slaves' minds were still not under her control, but it wasn't enough for them to go against her. She had them right where she wanted them. However, she didn't have those Digidestined children right where she wanted THEM to be: in the grave. Somehow, they always managed to get past her best-laid plans. She also knew that 2 of their Digimon could digivolve to Mega. She'd have to be careful.

"Surrender your secrets to me!!!" she screamed at the gates, but they still would not open.

Junpuu, Matt, and Izzy were having quite an interesting conversation: could it be possible to taste a color? Junpuu and Izzy had started it until Matt added his two cents in. Now the three of them were trying to figure this out in order to waste time.

"Personally, I think Jell-O tastes whatever color it is," Junpuu stated.

"I hate Jell-O," Izzy remarked.

Teasingly, Matt retorted, "Oh, come on! There's always room for Jell-O."

"Well, did you guys know that Jell-O actually has an IQ?"

That got their attention. Junpuu stuck her tongue out as Matt commented, "I'm never eating Jell-O again."

Kari smiled as she listened in on it all. Their conversation now shifted to Junpuu and Matt trying to top each other for jokes on intelligent Jell-O as Izzy laughed at the funny ones and moaned at the bad ones. That's when she saw some sort of purple light pulse in his pocket.

"What's that?" Kari asked, pointing to his shorts' pocket.

Izzy stopped laughing and looked down. He pulled out his Crest and saw there was a violet light pulsing from it. Up ahead, not too far in the distance, a light of the same color pulsed. Whatever it was, they were getting closer.

"It's glowing again!" Biyomon exclaimed.

"Not quite, Biyomon," Izzy began, sounding more like his old self than ever. Matt couldn't help but smile as he continued. "If it was glowing like it normally does, it wouldn't be pulsating. After all, we have determined that the Crests give a steady glow whenever you Digimon digivolve to your Ultimate levels."

Sora looked blankly at him. That look was echoed by Mimi. Junpuu grinned, loving this look cross over their faces. She REALLY didn't like either one of them too terribly much. However, Mimi was starting to grow on her, but Sora was another story. After all, Mimi had stopped giving her fashion tips and stopped asking if she liked Izzy.

High above the group of Digidestined, Digimon, and Junpuu soared Falcunomon. He'd been attracted by a sudden pulse of purple light. He didn't know what it was, but it might be a threat to his mistress. He flew closer to see the keeper of the Crest of Knowledge pull a pulsing object out of his pocket. Interesting...

"What is this magic?" he wondered. "It is much unlike Mistress Blackwidowmon's. I must report this to my mistress!"

He flapped towards the north to see...another pulsing light of the same color! Both the object and the second light were pulsing in time with one another! What kind of trick was this?!

At the same time, Blackwidowmon stood in front of the temple's gates. She could not understand the riddle to find the key. Suddenly, the gates glowed with a purple light and began to pulsate.

"What is this?!" she demanded.

She stared at the temple, puzzling over this. What was it that had set it off? Had Panthramon's attack begun to weaken its defenses at last? Or was something else approaching?

Or was the key in close proximity?

"That must be it! The key is close by! However, why didn't it do this sooner? I doubt the key can move."

Falcunomon flapped towards her. She frowned, an even uglier sight than her smile. He landed on the ground easily. He had a look of awe on his face as he gazed at the temple's gates.

"What is it, Falcunomon?! What makes you interrupt my thoughts?!" she snapped in anger.

"Mistress, I was flying southeast of here when I spotted a pulsating light. When I flew closer, I saw one of the Digidestined pull a pulsing object out of his pocket. When I turned towards the north to fly to you, I saw another light of the same color pulsing in time with it."

Blackwidowmon leaned forward with great interest. "ANOTHER pulsating light?! And the Digidestined have it?!"

Falcunomon nodded fervently. "Yes, Mistress!"

"Go! Gather my soldiers! Find Panthramon and tell her to do the same! The Digidestined have the key to this temple and I intend to take it from them BY FORCE!!!"

When Falcunomon flapped away, she began moving at top speed to the south. It was time that the Digidestined children met their match. Besides, if she could lure them to where she and her soldiers would have the advantage, she could easily crush those Digidestined twerps and use the key to open the gate to ultimate power!

Cybra sensed danger was coming. GREAT danger. She didn't want to think about it, but knew that she had to alert the others.

"Company's coming," she told them ominously.

Tai turned his attention to her. "Who?"

"Blackwidowmon herself. She's on her way here...and I think she thinks we have something she wants." Cybra shivered. "But I can't get anything else on this."

"That's more than enough, Cybra," Izzy told her. "We just need to prepare ourselves."

Cybra nodded. "Even so, I'm calling in reinforcements."

"Say WHAT?!" the group shouted.

"You remember that little mission Gennai sent me on? Well..."

"What was it?!" Izzy demanded his human-like Digimon friend.

She gulped. "It was to find the other Humamon and take them to Piximon's training camp."

Cybra quickly told them about the mission in less than a minute. Tai gave her the go ahead.

<Piximon!> she called. <Those guys had BETTER be ready!>

"No, no, NO! At this rate, you all will be killed as soon as you leave here!" Piximon fumed.

It wasn't that his trainees weren't doing well, they were all doing fine, it was just their concentration was gone today. They had this apprehensive look on all their faces, like something was about to happen. Most of the group of Humamon were still in Rookie form, but a few were Champion and VERY few were still In-Training.

<Piximon!> a familiar voice called to him in his mind. <Those guys had BETTER be ready!>

All the Humamon murmured amongst themselves. They all knew who that was: Cybra, the oldest and most powerful of all Humamon. All of them were about the same age since they had all been hatched at the same time. They'd heard the story of how Cybra retrieved their eggs and took them to Piximon to train them. Ever since then, they'd been on the "extreme training routine".

"They await your command!" Piximon said cheerfully. "However, their concentration is not at their best today!" he added, scowling at them.

"It's only because we sense something's going to happen!" a very out-spoken Rookie named Skylar retorted. He could be quite the hot-head if you pushed him too far.

<Well, Piximon, they're right. Something IS about to happen. They are to come to the "Knowledge Temple", the one where "Knowledge is the key" and all that power is kept...>

"Yes, yes, but what for?" Piximon interrupted.

<Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today...Anyway, they are going to go into battle.>

"NOW?!"

<Now.>

"Against whom?!"

<You're going to hate me for this. Blackwidowmon.>

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!?!?!?!?!?!"

<Ow. Listen, you don't like it, I don't like it, but we've got no choice! Blackwidowmon has chosen TODAY to be the beginning of the end!>

"We're with you, Cybra!" Skylar shouted courageously.

"All the way!" a young In-Training girl named Celeste (actually "Celestial Angel", but that was too long to say) agreed.

"But...but...but..." Piximon stuttered.

<Wonderful! Now MOVE IT!!!>

"YES, MA'AM!!!" all the Humamon shouted as they tore out the door.

Piximon watched with a dropped jaw when they were all gone.

"I hope you know what you are doing, Cybra," Piximon told her.

<I have faith in your training, Piximon. After all, look at me!>

Her voice faded from his mind as he said, "Yes, but are they READY?"

"They're on their way," Cybra reported after talking with Piximon.

Tai nodded. He had his "I mean business" face on. Izzy glanced at the Crest in his hand as something jumped out of the shadows.

"So glad to meet you in person, Digidestined," the obviously-evil Digimon hissed at them.

"Blackwidowmon!" Cybra shouted in recognition.

"So nice to see you again..." Blackwidowmon sneered.

Izzy whipped out his laptop at lightning speed. The Digimon stat-screen popped up with Blackwidowmon's picture on it. His voice was heard saying, "Don't anybody freak out on me when I say this, but she's a MEGA Digimon! Her 'Poison Web' is a lot more poisonous that Dokugumon's 'Poison Cobweb'!"

"Plus she's got that STUPID amulet!" Cybra snapped angrily.

Blackwidowmon held up her blood-red amulet.

"Make this Digimon my slave!" she ordered.

Cybra leaped to one side as the red beam barely missed her. Izzy, who had been standing behind her, was barely able to dodge and hold onto the Crest in his hand. Somehow he managed to do so.

Blackwidowmon froze. She saw the Crest of Knowledge pulsating a now-bright purple light.

"Of course..." she whispered. "'Knowledge is the key'..."

"Agumon warp digivolve to...War Greymon!"

"Gabumon warp digivolve to...Metal Garurumon!"

"Tentomon digivolve to...Kabuterimon!"

"Palmon digivolve to...Togemon!"

"Gatomon digivolve to...Angewomon!"

"Patamon digivolve to...Angemon!"

"Biyomon digivolve to...Birdramon!"

"Gomamon digivolve to...Ikkakumon!"

Then, 3 Crests glowed brightly.

"Togemon digivolve to...Lillymon!"

"Ikkakumon digivolve to...Zudomon!"

"Birdramon digivolve to...Garudamon!"

Blackwidowmon completely ignored the fact that 2 Mega Digimon, 3 Champion Digimon, and 4 Ultimate Digimon, all very angry indeed, were coming straight toward her. Her eyes were locked on the Crest of Knowledge. She leaped towards Izzy, barely being missed by an "Ice Wolf Claw" by Metal Garurumon.

"Give me the key!!!" she demanded.

Izzy just screamed as he leaped aside.

"Look out, kid!" Tigeramon yelled as he leaped over the boy towards Blackwidowmon. He quickly attacked. "Sonic Roar!"

Bright blue circles came from his mouth and hit Blackwidowmon right in the face. She hissed in annoyance and attacked.

"Poison Web!"

The poor Digimon screamed as he was wrapped up in the webbing of her attack. His fur and skin burned. He roared in pain and frustration as he tried to break free.

"Tigeramon!" Cheetarenmon yelled, golden eyes wide.

She ran forward, a bright yellow aura surrounding her.

"Speed Blast!"

She suddenly stopped, but the aura kept going, creating a bright yellow beam. It sliced the Poison Web off of Tigeramon. He quickly got out of the angry Blackwidowmon's way.

"Flower Cannon!"

"Vulcan's Hammer!"

"Celestial Arrow!"

"Poison Web!"

The three attacks could not stop the Poison Web. It eliminated those attacks and kept heading towards Blackwidowmon's attackers. Zudomon was easily wrapped up, forcing him to de-digivolve down to Gomamon, but the smaller Lillymon and Angewomon managed to get away. Barely.

"Too close!" Angewomon shouted to her friend.

"WAY too close!" Lillymon agreed.

"Psy-Tornado!"

Blackwidowmon dodged out of the way of Cybra's attack. Cybra gave a shout in another language...one that Junpuu was sure was a curse. Kabuterimon flew in low.

"Electro Shocker!"

"Poison Web!"

The web wrapped up Kabuterimon, sending him to the ground. He glowed for a second...then de-digivolved back down to Motimon!

"Motimon!" Izzy shouted.

Blackwidowmon smiled at him...a truly grotesque sight indeed. She held out her hand expectantly.

"Give me the key...give me the key!" she demanded.

"WHAT KEY?!?!" he shouted in confusion.

"Give me YOUR CREST!!!"

It hit Izzy like a bad tune sung by Etemon. The Crest of Knowledge! "Knowledge is the key!" The Crest of Knowledge was the key to opening the temple! THAT'S why the Crest was pulsing! It somehow sensed that the temple was nearby!

"Leave the child alone, Blackwidowmon!" Cheetarenmon ordered, her voice a snarl.

Blackwidowmon sneered at her. "I do not take orders from YOU, Cheetarenmon!"

That's when Cheetarenmon began to glow brightly.

"Cheetarenmon digivolve to...Metal Cheetarenmon!"

A weak Motimon blinked. "She digivolved!"

The newly-Digivolved Cheetarenmon stood at an impressive 4 feet at the shoulder. Her body was mostly metallic, but was a lot like Metal Garurumon. There was still quite a bit of fur and flesh still showing. She glared at the Mega Digimon. However, she was only an Ultimate.

"Hyper Speed Blast!"

She practically flew towards Blackwidowmon, then stopped suddenly. The aura that surrounded her before looked like a running cheetah without spots or any other features, just the shape. It hit Blackwidowmon in the stomach. The evil Digimon flinched, but nothing else happened.

"Ice Wolf Claw!"

"Terra Force!"

The two Megas' attacks hit her badly. She cried out in pain. She knew that she'd have to gain the power inside the temple if she hoped to beat them. They might not have been as experienced as she was, but they were still quite powerful because of their desire to protect the children.

"Flower Cannon!"

"Hand of Fate!"

"Celestial Arrow!"

"Sonic Roar!"

"Hyper Speed Blast!"

"Psy-Tornado!"

"Hyper Speed Blast!"

Blackwidowmon knew she needed reinforcements. Time to high-tail it out of there. However...maybe she could get them to surrender the Crest of Knowledge. She spotted the girl she'd wanted information from. Yes, she'd do nicely.

She ran over towards Junpuu.

"Oh, GROSS!" the human girl yelled as she leaped aside.

However, one of Blackwidowmon's 3 right arms managed to grab her foot. She yelped as the spider-like Digimon dragged her along. Then, Blackwidowmon yanked on her, pulling her in front of the evil Digimon.

"If you wish to see your friend again ALIVE, I suggest you hand over the Crest of Knowledge! Meet me in 10 minutes at the temple or you can already plan her funeral!"

Blackwidowmon disappeared into the trees with Junpuu screaming, "IZZY!"

"NO!" Izzy yelled as the pair vanished into the foliage.

He began to run after them, but Matt and Tai held him back. This was not happening! This was not happening!

"Let me go!" Izzy snarled. Tai and Matt almost let go from the unusual tone of voice.

"Izzy, calm down before you hurt yourself!" Cybra ordered.

Much to their surprise, Izzy did. Metal Cheetarenmon lowered her head.

"I am ten times the fool. I should have realized..." she muttered, shaking her head.

"It's okay, Metal Cheetarenmon," Tigeramon reassured her, licking her face. "We'll get Junpuu back."

She nodded and looked at all the still-digivolved Digimon.

"We must make some sort of plan to rescue your friend WITHOUT handing over the Crest."

"What I don't get is, how come she wants the Crest of Knowledge?" Tai asked.

Everyone around him sweatdropped.

Matt answered, "Man, are you DENSE! Here's the thing: remember the clue? 'Knowledge is the key'! What Crest does Izzy have? The Crest of KNOWLEDGE! Do you understand it now?!"

"Will you chill, Matt?!" Tai snapped.

"Yamato is correct," Metal Cheetarenmon informed them.

Izzy had closed his eyes, deep in thought, so it was a surprise when Izzy snapped them back open. He jerked his arms free of Tai and Matt's grasp. He had that familiar calculating look in his eyes. Yes...That could work...

"I've got an idea. Motimon, you, Metal Cheetarenmon, and Tigeramon are with me. Blackwidowmon will be expecting us to have us send a few Digimon and I to the temple and have the others hang back, ready to ambush her as soon as we arrive. Let's give her what she's expecting. Mimi, Lillymon, TK, Angemon, and Kari, I want you 5 to come in from the east. Sora, Garudamon, Tai, War Greymon, Matt, and Metal Garurumon, I want you 6 to come in from the west. Gomamon and Joe, I want you, Gomamon to digivolve up at least one level and then you 2 are to be hidden behind me."

"Hey! What about me?!" Cybra complained, looking hurt.

"And me?" Angewomon asked.

"I don't trust this area to be safe. If you want to know my plan for you, you'll have to listen CLOSELY," Izzy told them, looking at Cybra intently and stressing the last word A LOT.

"Oh..." they said. Cybra closed her eyes and concentrated.

Izzy's mind was filled with walls and detours all over the place. Cybra looked around, trying to figure out why Izzy would have so many defenses against unwanted visitors. What secrets was he hiding?

<No time to stand around and look at the scenery, Cybra,> Izzy's "voice" said to her. <You're here to hear your part in my plan.>

<Right.>

Izzy walked up in front of her. He seemed extremely wary, like he didn't like what was about to happen to both of them. She wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea either.

<Let's get this over with...> he sighed.

The two of them...merged. For a few nanoseconds, the two of them were of one mind. Izzy thrust his plan into her part and then held back, keeping other thoughts from her view. He was uneasy, queasy even. He didn't like this at all.

Cybra had told him all about this one time, how you had no secrets from anyone when you merged unless you had tight control. Cybra kept as much control on her own thoughts as possible. She sensed that this repelled him.

The two of them split from one mind to two once more. What had taken only 5 nanoseconds had felt more like 5 millennia. Both of them were happy to break the contact. Cybra had felt repelled by Izzy's force of keeping her from probing other parts of his mind.

<So THAT'S your plan! Got it. I'll send the message along to Angewomon and the kids,> Cybra told him.

<Excellent. Just make sure that they answer you ONLY in psychic communication.>

<Roger.>

Izzy couldn't resist. <My name's not "Roger".>

<Ha ha. Very funny.>

Cybra pulled out of Izzy's mind. She felt his relief as she left, but she sensed that the barriers were going to stay up. Whatever he was hiding, he would take no chances of ANYONE finding out.

Kari shifted from foot to foot. She had seen Cybra and Izzy close their eyes. Cybra had gone into Izzy's mind to find out his plans for her. Less than a second later, their eyes opened again. Cybra was frowning as she communicated to someone else. Kari could tell by the look in her eyes.

"Angemon," TK whispered, "who do you think she's talking to now?"

"Probably our reinforcements and Angewomon. Hopefully, Blackwidowmon does not know about them," the angel Digimon answered.

"She doesn't. She didn't hear about my little brief overview of my mission for Gennai," Cybra stated. "Even if she did, I never said how many troops we have in the waiting."

"What'd they say?" Izzy asked.

"With you all the way."

"Prodigious! Let's get started."

Izzy held on tight to Metal Cheetarenmon's body. Tigeramon was running along side her with Motimon on his back.

For the fifth time in 3 minutes, Izzy asked himself, 'Did Cybra see anything else in my mind other than what I showed her?'

Again the answer was, 'Most likely, she didn't.'

However, he was still queasy from the experience. He forced his mind to think of the task ahead. They leaped into the clearing where Blackwidowmon stood.

She smiled that grotesque smile of hers as she saw him approach with only the three Digimon. Junpuu was being held with her arms behind her back by the bottom pair of the evil Digimon's hands. Her eyes widened when she saw her best friend seated on the Ultimate's body.

"Izzy! You can't!" she shrieked.

Izzy ignored her and jumped off of Metal Cheetarenmon. He stood next to the Digimon's right shoulder.

"Let her go, Blackwidowmon!" he demanded.

"If you give me the Crest of Knowledge, she's free!"

"You want it that badly, huh?" he taunted.

Blackwidowmon knew he had the Crest. The pulsing was even more rapid now and she could see the pulsing of the Crest of Knowledge in his pocket. There was no way a rock or something could copy that.

"Of course!" she snarled.

"TAKE IT!" Izzy shouted as, in one swift motion, he pulled out the Crest and threw it forward.

The group gasped. Metal Cheetarenmon's jaw dropped. The boy was INSANE!

"Izzy! What're you doing?!?!" Motimon asked.

Blackwidowmon let go of Junpuu as the Crest began to sail over her head. Junpuu ran over to Izzy.

"Izzy...!" she panted. "What have you DONE?!"

He narrowed his eyes as he watched the Crest. Angewomon, holding onto Cybra, swooped down, ready to snatch up the Crest in mid-air.

"So THAT was his plan!" the newly-digivolved Ikkakumon exclaimed.

"Pretty crazy if you ask me!" Joe stated.

"Crazy, but it looks like it's working!"

That's when the Crest froze, suspended by some unknown force above the ground. The pulsing had stopped, it was now a solid glow. The two Digimon in the air sped right by it. Izzy's eyes widened.

What HAD he done?!

The Crest of Knowledge began to back up until it was at the edge of the clearing. The gates of the temple stopped glowing in all but one spot...which looked like a place for a larger version of the Crest to just lock into place. The Crest moved forward once more, growing larger as it did.

"NO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!!!" Blackwidowmon shrieked.

Junpuu and Izzy unconsciously hugged each other, both frightened beyond belief.

"Junpuu...what have I done?" he whispered.

"Most likely something really stupid."

"Thanks a lot."

The now gigantic-sized Crest covered the glowing part on the gates. The crack down the center was VERY visible now. A bright light seemed to slice itself along that crack, separating both halves. The doors began to swing open, a brilliant white light blazing inside.

All present gaped in awe. The approaching Humamon all froze, watching the spectacle. All of Blackwidowmon's troops didn't move a muscle, like they were all statues. Blackwidowmon prayed one thing over and over.

'Please say you're not willing...'

The light streaked out of the temple in bright, hot, white beam. It zoomed towards Izzy and Junpuu.

"Guys! Look out!" Tai yelled to them.

The two children stood frozen, unable to move. Izzy's eyes were the size of Tentomon's regular eyes. Motimon's shout to him was lost as the light separated him from Junpuu and began to circle him around and around, like a he was in the center of a cyclone.

That's when he started to hear the voice in his head. Over and over and his head, like a mantra:

<Are you willing? Are you willing? Areyouwillingareyouwillingareyouwilling?>

TO BE CONTINUED...

A/N: Whew! Done! Sorry it took so long! My computer decided to die on me for a while and I could hardly use my sister's computer. I'm SO SORRY! By the way, that little factoid on Jell-O actually having an IQ...it's true! I don't remember what the IQ IS but Jell-O DOES have an IQ!

Kudos to: Gomamon of Digimon Isle, you're the coolest! Kyra of the fanfic world, I can't thank you enough for indulging me in writing that one story together! Pix and her two muses Gomamon and Golamon, you three are the best! Teya and Stephanie of Digilegend, I'm glad I can help your page out! And last, but certainly not least, my muse Izzy, you hardly let me sleep at night because of all your weird ideas!!!

Now for the fun stuff...

1 - Your ability to write was stolen by Vademon!!!

2 - That was worse than Demidevimon!

3 - Wasn't too bad, but wasn't too good either.

4 - Was pretty good, but needs to digivolve a little bit so it's a little better.

5 - Your ability to write is really good.

6 - Woah! Joe might want to borrow your notes from English!

7 - Even Mimi couldn't complain about this!

8 - Tai must be slipping you info or something!

9 - Who are you? A professional writer who just happens to like Digimon?!

10 - Prodigious!