Disclaimer: Characters are property of Hanna-Barbera and are used solely for entertainment.

An idea sparked by Elaine's "UST My Imagination," I present a tale of the days of old when knights were bold. Archiving permission granted.
 

THE REAL ADVENTURES OF JONNY QUEST

Synopsis: Surd's latest plot takes an unexpected turn as J&J get mediaeval.

"THE INNER LIGHT"

by Eric R. Umali

"Falling: Jonny"

It was a typical weekend afternoon at the Quest Compound. Dr. Quest was sitting in his favorite chair in his study, catching up on the latest scientific journals. Race was out on the highway, taking the latest modifications on his car for a spin. Jonny, Jessie and Hadji were in the VR lab, as usual.

Jessie and Jonny logged onto QuestWorld, with Hadji at the controls. They were happily engaged in a VirtuaSpeeder race, trading quips as Hadji pulled obstacle after obstacle out of his turban to challenge them.

They had just cleared a collapsing bridge when the landscape exploded beneath them, sending the two teenagers' digital forms flying. They landed hard.

"Uhh... Hadji, what happened?"

"I am sorry, my friends, but I am afraid I don't know." Hadji's disembodied voice was clearly worried. Anything unexpected happening in QuestWorld was never good. And it usually meant the same thing.

"Perhaps _I_ can explain," said a frighteningly familiar voice from behind them. Jessie and Jonny turned. Facing them, hands on hips, was the hulking QuestWorld form of their family's old nemesis, Jeremiah Surd, the typical cause of anything wrong in this virtual reality domain.

Jonny faced him. "When are you gonna learn, Surd, that no matter what you try to pull here in QuestWorld, we're always gonna find a way to stop you?" At his command, a glowing sword materialized in his grasp. To his side, Jessie brandished a long lance.

"It is an unfortunate truth that you have, so far, managed to stumble your way to success. Well, no one loves a quitter, so here I am."

"No one loves you at all, Surd," spat Jessie.

"That hurt, Bannon. It really did."

"Are you done?"

"Do I surmise that you both are as tired as I am of these pointless pre-conflict arguments? Shall we commence with the action?"

"Suits us fine."

The world spiraled around them, then went black.

**********

Hadji tapped desperately at the keyboard. Dr. Quest was at the main controls. Both of them had tried to find a way to drag Jessie and Jonny out of QuestWorld. Race was pacing, and seemed ready to strangle the next unfortunate person to come across him. Finally, he lost all patience.

"That's it! I'm going to find Surd." He started towards the door, only to find it locked.

Dr. Quest didn't even look up. "Apparently, Surd has also gotten into the lab's security system."

"Can't you log me on? I'd be able to help them, at least."

Hadji shook his head. "I'm afraid not, Race. Surd has locked these controls out of influencing the running module."

"So what are you doing now?"

"We're attempting to do the same to Surd. Once that's done, the program will be free of outside influences. Whatever Surd has programmed into it will remain, but it won't get any worse."

"Or better," Race finished the thought for him. "What kind of environment are they in, then?"

"Jonny's mind is regaining consciousness. We should be able to observe."

**********

Jonny rubbed his eyes. His head ached. And then it ached more, as something hard and fast struck him on the back of his skull. Instinctively, he rolled with the impact, landing on a patch of dusty earth. He opened his eyes.

A hulk of a man towered over him, brandishing a heavy wooden fighting staff. "Git up, ya little toad! Dinna I tell ya to watch yer back?"

"What?!" Jonny rose. He stopped. Something was wrong. When he came to his feet, he wasn't as high as he was supposed to be. He looked down. Simple, handmade leather shoes covered his feet. Canvas leggings, a big wool shirt, and a leather belt. A staff lay in the dirt next to him. He held his hands before him. They were small, much smaller than they should've been. He looked around.

He was in the courtyard of what looked like a small walled town. Everything was in shades of brown and gray and green-- wood and stone. A well stood not far off. Jonny ran to it, and looked down. The water reflected well enough.

He looked ten years old!

"Come back here an' finish yer lesson, ya toadwart or ye'll get a real thrashin'!"

Not wanting to know what that meant, he complied, rolling the staff onto his foot and kicking it up so he could catch it.

"Ahh, so ye've been practicin' some tricks, eh?" The big man spun his staff and began circling the boy. "Ol' Raece'll teach ya that them tricks ain't gonna keep ya alive!" He swung at Jonny, who brought his staff up to block. The swing turned at the last second. A deceptive feint, but Jonny had seen it before, and used the opening to jab Raece on the chin.

They exchanged blows a few more times, Raece getting more and more enraged each time Jonny made contact. Finally, he charged. Jonny swept his feet out from under him, and planted his small foot on the man's great barrel chest. He looked down at him. Raece was big and muscular, but very fast. He wore a dark red wool tunic with a highlander's tartan wrap, while Jonny's tunic was black. And Raece had long white hair which hung loose past his shoulders. Jonny shook his head, then helped the man back to his feet.

"Ye've been practicin'. Good. Go wash up, then come in for supper."

"Fine." Jonny turned around, looking the place over. "Umm... where do I go?"

"Are ye daft? I musta hit ye harder than I thought. Yer room is over in the main building, with the other apprentices." He pointed toward a large stone structure, fortified like a castle.

With a little more help, he made his way to his room, a small stone closet with enough room for a hay-covered pallet, a table, chair, and two trunks. He collapsed onto the cot, and felt a weight against his chest he hadn't noticed before. Reaching under his tunic, he pulled out a small gold medallion, with a raised dragon design on it. He tucked it back, then considered his surroundings.

From what he could gather, this place was some kind of enclave, where the some of the greatest warriors in the world were trained, or so he was told. He seemed to be one of the apprentices.

"Jonny, are you all right?" The disembodied voice startled him.

"Hadji, what the heck is going on?!"

Another apprentice passed the door. "With whom are you speaking?"

"Oh, no one. Just thinking aloud." The apprentice nodded. Jonny closed the door.

In a whisper, Jonny answered. "Hadji, what is going on? One minute I'm in QuestWorld, now I'm in some mediaeval training camp, Jessie's nowhere around, and to make it all perfect, I'M TEN YEARS OLD!!"

"You are still in QuestWorld, Jonny. Surd has modified one of our RPG modules and has trapped the two of you inside."

"Where's Jessie?"

"She has not regained consciousness. We will only know when she does. Listen, Jonny-- we have locked Surd out of the computer. You will be released when you've completed the module. But we do not know the objective of the game, or any of the rules. You must do what you believe is right."

"What's wrong, Hadji? You're not telling me everything, I can tell."

"I may not be able to contact you again before you've completed the game. It takes some doing."

"All right, then. When Jessie wakes up, make sure she's safe. I'll find her, and we'll get out of here. Do you know who I am?"

"The character description is short. Your name is Jonathor, and you are an orphan who was sent to this enclave three years ago. You are a talented student and will be a great warrior if you can control your recklessness. You have a great destiny, it says, but no more."

"Thanks, Hadj."

"Be careful, my friend." Hadji's voice faded, then was gone.

TO BE CONTINUED...

NEXT: FALLING: JESSIE

And so begins my latest epic. What do you think? As usual, questions, comments, etc. are encouraged.