The Crest of The Heavens
By ArchangelUK

Big apologies for not updating COTH sooner - hell the last one came out in June or something silly... ah well, I finished this the other day so I thought I'd post it. Lots of energy focused on Ripped and getting that completed then it'll be COTH that gets the main focus. Okies? Please feel free to review... you'll know if you're a COTH veteran that this is the one story of mine that tends to get overlooked by people. I do not own Digimon - This chapter is in partnership with Myotismon Blood Banks Ltd - "Donate blood today!"

Sora: Everyone reacted badly to the news about Jarret being Nemisomon's partner, now everyone's torn as we're not sure we can trust him anymore. Gatomon's been acting strangely, and Mimi too - except that's because she's in love with Jarret. Eventually I took it into my own hands to push her in Jarret's direction and to get their feelings out in the open. They haven't come back yet, but I hope for them it worked! Now all we have to do is get to this Dark Dome thing, destroy it and to destroy Nemisomon (again) and everything will be fine.... Hopefully...

Chapter 12: Broken Bridges

"On the day there is 13 a choice is made, a path is taken, and that path shall lead 13 to light and 1 to shadow."
- The Prophecy of The Thirteenth DigiDestined

Mimi and Jarret reappeared at the camp, walking hand in hand and the pink haired girl had a decidedly big grin on her face. Davis and Tai scowled however and her new boyfriend's emotions were just as negative, he still muttered to himself that it was his fault.

"Mimi"

"What do you want Tai." Mimi had a hurt look on her face, but it was a look of anger as well. Tai swallowed, he really hadn't meant what he'd said to her - if it was one thing she hated was the thought she was just some airhead. She might not be the brains of the outfit but she wasn't stupid either, there had been many times when they'd first been in the Digital World where she had proved any detractor wrong.

"Mimi, I'm sorry for what I said before. What I said to you; it was so very wrong, you've always been a valued member of the DigiDestined Mimi and your opinions are just as valid as everyone else's. I'm truly sorry." Tai lowered his eyes, shamefully.

"Apology..." Mimi said, rolling the word around in her mouth, thinking of whether it was genuine. " ...Accepted." Tai sighed in relief. "Anything else?"

Tai's gaze noticeably fell on Jarret for a few seconds. "No." The young leader of the DigiDestined trudged off back to Sora and Matt to tell them what he had done. Jarret sighed audibly as Tai retreated, Jarret had picked up his broken digivice and had reattached it to his belt, the scuffed up yet still shiny D3 was only a casing now. The majority of the insides as well as the LCD was dispersed over the rocky floor it was smashed against, Mimi blinked.

"What's with the case?"

Jarret shrugged, and put an arm around Mimi's waist. "I suppose I'm just used to it being there, it feels kinda odd without it. Not that it will work anymore obviously."

"Well maybe when this is all over maybe you can get a new one." Mimi said smiling, a gesture which Jarret reciprocated although Mimi could have sworn she saw some kind of emotion flash across his eyes. Sadness? Longing? Resignation? What was it she had said?

"Anyway, at least Tai apologised."

"Not to you though."

"No. I wasn't expecting him to, to be honest if I was him I wouldn't forgive me either."

Mimi frowned, "Well that's no reason to just ignore you."

Jarret gave her a little squeeze and chuckled, "Tai's hard headed, and he's the 'fight first ask questions later' type of person. Davis is just as bad, if not worse - he has Tai as a role model plus his own unique brand of stubbornness."

"But-" Mimi began, but Jarret placed a finger on her lips.

"-I know, I know. It was nice and cold wasn't it?"

"They still don't trust you." She sighed, "Is that going to be a problem?"

"Maybe. It's not like just because you're with me now they'll welcome me back with open arms. No, I'm gonna have to work on gaining their trust I guess. It's just that I'm not sure exactly how long we have left."

Nightfall came and the DigiDestined all returned to the same place, around the warmth and relative safety of their campfire. Gatomon looked at Mimi and sighed, she in turn sighed back. The two girls knew all too well the turmoil going on in Jarret's mind - they having figured out his secret. It had been a further two days since Jarret and Mimi had returned to the camp and things were still icy at best between Jarret, Tai and Davis.

Gatomon and Mimi had talked often about what they knew, or to be more precise what they 'didn't' know. Their talks were long and within these they had found a new admiration and respect for each other. Gatomon was upset and frightened, how could she die in this future? Digimon don't die - reconfigured yes, deleted maybe but to actually die? How could TK and Kari die? Why did Jarret have to come back to save them, and to save her? Mimi could understand completely, the pink clad young woman petted Gatomon fondly.

"Thank you." Gatomon said through her tears.

"Hmm." Mimi went seemingly oblivious to the white feline Digimon for the moment; the DigiDestined of Sincerity appeared lost in thought.

"What?"

"It can never be you know." Gatomon for a moment thought she'd gone bonkers, she asked the question again.

"What?"

"Me and Jarret." Mimi sighed, a tear lazily wending it's way down her cheek, she angled her head and rubbed it off against her shoulder. "When things are done," she said deliberately, "He told me that he'd stay with me but I don't think he believes that."

Gatomon stroked her chin, "If the future changes he won't have cause to be here."

"But if that were so then the events that will happen in the future will happen again and he will come back." Mimi said which only served to complicate the issue.

"With everything goes on in the universe I think it has better things to do than allow time to get in a loop. To be honest it'll probably all revolve around Jarret."

"Revolve around him?"

"If he fixes things, technically he could just disappear!"

"No!" Mimi whimpered, "That can't be."

"It's a possibility, I don't like it either." Gatomon rubbed Mimi's leg trying to convince her not to cry.

"W-Would we remember him?"

Gatomon offered a half-smile, "Of course. I don't think fate could be that cruel."

Mimi went back to beside the dozing Palmon and Jarret, "I hope not."

"Me too." Gatomon bounded over to where Kari was located next to TK as usual she noted, then snuggled next to a sleeping orange fur ball with big ears. Mimi wrapped her blanket around herself and Jarret, the future DigiDestined opened an eye when he was sure Mimi was asleep and sighed having listened in on the entire conversation.

So do I. He thought silently, as the flickering embers of the fire gave their last light.

Nemisomon paced up and down the long corridor, yellow claws clicking on black marbled floors. A constant rat-a-tat that would drive a normal person crazy after five minutes, yet as this was Nemisomon no one dared to complain. "How did he defeat me? HOW?" Screamed the Digimon, his face contorting with rage and his eyes glowing a fiery red. Eventually Nemisomon spun on his scaly heel and made for his main chamber, a snivelly Bakemon awaited him there.

"By your command master." The ghost Digimon bowed humbly.

"I need a test." Nemisomon said simply.

"A test master?"

"Yes a test." Nemisomon flexed his fingers, "A test for Jarret." The Bakemon looked confused, "You see the amount of energy I stole for him was considerable and it's inherent power very strong. It therefore must have weakened the boy significantly. I feel so much stronger than I did, exponentially so. I want to see how much power he still possesses and if he does have any I want it used up before he gets here."

The Bakemon bowed, "Master is wise."

"Yes he is." Nemisomon chuckled, "But who to use? It must be a strong enough adversary for their entire group."

"If I may Master, I do have a suggestion."

"Really?" Nemisomon was genuinely surprised, but the Bakemon didn't seem to notice this and instead floated over to a console and began flicking some switches. In a few seconds a picture materialised on a nearby screen.

"Forgive me master, we have had this Digimon working in the foundries of your Dome for some time. Being somewhat, err, abnormally large..."

"He could do a lot of damage, and if he were to say Dark Digivolve..." Nemisomon began to laugh out loud. "This one? Oh yes, this one will do nicely."

The march was long and ever onward; the journey to where the Dark Dome was situated was a perilous one. Mountain ranges, dense forest and scorching desert all had to be breeched. The flying Digimon were getting plenty of exercise finding the best routes to traverse the obstacles that lay in their path.

Joe had once said of Infinity Mountain that he had had his life's quota of rock climbing, a viewpoint shared by the majority of those around him. However, the mountains were the least of their worries, the forest was even deadlier than the desert. The desert had little in it, but the forest was dense and had many many hidey-holes, which could accommodate the discerning attacker. Soon there would be a foe stalking them, but he wouldn't care for stealth tactics or guile. It wanted to destroy, anything and everything that got in its way, at least, as soon as Nemisomon had finished his final adaptions.

"He's magnificent." The head Bakemon said it's voice full of awe.

"He was so before I altered him, before the infection took hold. Now he is my servant and a mighty warrior to my cause." Nemisomon stepped forward towards the giant Digimon. "What is your name?"

"Whatever you wish it to be master." The voice was deep and booming, the artificial light glinted off of his teeth and claws while the sign of the infection glowed a yellow around the normally orange skin.

"Then, what exactly are you?"

"I am Greymon, the first Greymon, the first of the many and the first of the chosen. The first of Courage and the first of Light, I am your servant."

"Very well Greymon, the first Greymon." Nemisomon leered, "What is your mission?"

"I will reunite with Tai and Kari."

"And what will you do then?"

"I will DESTROY them!"

ArchangelUK 0:-)

Kari's Angels: http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian