From: Carrie Byrd Disclaimer: Jonny Quest belongs to Hanna-Barbera. Story idea and original characters are copyright to the author. This is a non-profit venture. Comments and constructive criticisms are welcome. Flames, as always, will be extinguished. Category: Undefined… By: Carrie E. Byrd 2-19-99 1. Jonny Quest stood on the edge of the cliff, staring out into the ocean, dark waves nearly the shade of his eyes. Sinking down he crossed his legs and closed his eyes, pushing the clutter of his day out of his mind and letting images come to mind. The image of his mother sprang up in front of his eyes and he could see her laughing face, smell her sweet perfume – like lilacs. He missed her so much. Sometimes, she seemed close enough to touch. “Jonny!!” Jessie’s voice shattered his peace. “Jonny!” Jessie ran up behind him, feet skidding on the loose rocks. Hadji joined her at a more leisurely pace. “Oh-ho-ho, has the great Jonny Quest been meditating or what?” Jessie stood over him grinning. “No.” His answer was short and terse. The sharp sound of his voice surprised even him. “Then what are you doing out here? You couldn’t possibly have been thinking.” “And why not?” “Well, my friend, it is not a quality you are exactly renowned for,” Hadji said apologetically. “Yeah, whatever, I was just sitting okay, are you satisfied?" Jonny pushed to his feet impatiently. “Maybe I just wanted to be left alone. I’ll see you guys later.” Jonny turned and began climbing down the path towards the beach, leaving Jessie and Hadji staring after him. 2. “Where’s Jonny?” Dr. Quest looked up from his book as Jessie and Hadji walked in the front door. “Down on the beach. He said he wanted to be alone or somethin’.” “Really? I wonder if anything’s wrong.” Benton Quest closed his book, laying it aside. “I doubt it Benton, he probably just had a bad day at school or something.” “Well, I hope he comes in soon, this weather is turning nasty.” *************** Jonny walked slowly along the beach, oblivious to the wind and the dark clouds gathering. He replayed the events of the day. He’d been walking down the hall when he’d heard his name and stopped, where two of his teachers were talking. “It’s too bad Jonny can’t be more like his father.” “Problems in class?” “He’s smart enough, but I expected more, after all with such a famous father, and so intelligent, you’d think at least some of it would have been passed down.” “I’ve always thought that he was smart enough, but he never used the brains he had for anything but getting into trouble. He never thinks.” Jonny had flushed angrily and started to speak, but remembered that he was eavesdropping just in time. “Guess it’s true what they say,” he muttered. “Eavesdroppers will never hear any good about themselves.” Jonny continued to walk along deep in thought until the first fat drops of rain woke him from his reverie. 3. By the time Jonny reached the Quest mansion the few fat drops of rain had turned into a full-fledged downpour. He opened the door and staggered, dripping into the house to be met by his father’s accusing eyes. “Jonny Quest, what do you think you are doing?” “Well-I-I was just…” “Walking around in the rain, catching your death of cold…” “Well, it wasn’t raining when…” “I don’t want to hear your excuses. If you’d been paying any attention you would have been able to see that a storm was coming. Go to your room and get dry, and think, for once, about what you were doing.” All at once all the times he’d been called stupid, had teachers ask him why he couldn’t follow his father’s example, been told to think, for a change welled up inside the young man. “You want me to think huh? I think I’m sick of everyone treating me like I’m stupid. I think that I’m sick of people acting like I don’t use my head just because I’m not just like you. I think that I don’t want to take this any more.” “What are you talking about?” “Everybody acts like I’m some big idiot just because I’m not all into science and computers and stuff. I know you’re disappointed that I’m not more like you. And I’m tired of Jessie always calling me stupid. And Hadji treating me like a kid because I don’t see things the same way. I’m not you, but that doesn’t make me stupid. Why can’t you guys understand that? I’m different, not dumb!!” Jonny turned and ran back out into the storm. Benton moved to go after him, but Race held him back. “Not this time Ben. He needs someone who understands, and believe me, I understand.” Race grabbed his jacket and Jonny’s from the closet and ran out after the blonde boy. 4. Race finally found Jonny curled up beneath an outcropping of rock, sheltering himself from the rain. He crawled underneath, tossing Jonny his jacket. “Planning to stay out here forever?” “I hadn’t really thought about it.” Jonny laughed bitterly. “But I bet that doesn’t surprise you.” Race shrugged. “Usta happen to me all the time. I’d lose my temper and run out, end up sitting somewhere wondering what I was going to do, how I was going to go back.” Jonny looked at Race in surprise. “I usta get a lot of the same things you hear. Still do, actually.” “But—“ “But nothing, I bodyguard one of the world’s smartest men. He’s brain and I’m brawn. People are conditioned to look at me as stupid.” “You’re not though…you can do tons of stuff my dad can’t, and you know a lot of stuff, just cause you’re not a scientist doesn’t mean you’re dumb!” “I know, and it doesn’t mean you are either. But it’s like being a candle sitting beside a lamp, I’m outshone. But it doesn’t matter, because I know I’m not dumb.” “So, how did you…” “Learn I wasn’t as stupid as everyone thought? I’ve got two degrees, I can take care of myself in almost any circumstance, and I can keep up with your dad when it comes to almost anything but computers and chemistry. I might not know what X equals, but I know how to survive in the jungle without any supplies, which I doubt your old man could do. You’re like me, Jonny, you gotta make your own way, even though everyone thinks you should follow in the Doc’s footsteps. Don’t let ‘em hurry you, and don’t let them get to you.” “Jessie and Hadji and your dad, they know you’re not dumb, but they want you to live up to your potential. And sometimes,” he looked at Jonny seriously, “you have to admit you can be a little thoughtless.” Jonny blushed, and nodded sheepishly. “Anyway, if you gotta prove to you’re smart to someone, prove it to yourself. That’s what I came out to tell you, so I’m going back in now, you can come when you’re ready.” Race climbed out from under the rock and walked back toward the Quest mansion. Jonny stared out into the dissipating rain for a moment longer then scrambled into his jacket and out from under the rock. Race didn’t look over when Jonny came up, but he lay an arm around his shoulder and smiled. -- Carrie “Reality doesn’t have a save button, but it does have a little wrinkle called consequences.” -Red Green, The New Red Green Show ------------------------------------------------------------------------ New hobbies? 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