A/N: Why are my bingos being so mean to me? This sidestory is finally done! I'm going to have to wait to do the longer one, it's just not behaving itself for me.

Challenges: Digimon Non-Flash Bingo 543 - item: Crest of Reliability and Diversity Writing (Digimon B49. Write about a character gaining and understanding for something.

During the chaos of Hikari and Bastemon, Jyou finds his Crest.

It's nothing to celebrate. If he's honest, he doesn't want the thing. He still digs it up when he finds that Gomamon has buried it and pretends to be angry. He's actually jealous, which isn't much better. At least Gomamon is honest about what he wants to do with it. Even with a crest, Jyou knows he's not much better than anyone else on anything and that's somehow ridiculous.

He is the oldest. Just because Hikari is the leader, well that shouldn't mean that she has to shoulder everything. There should be something he can do. He doesn't even know what this little symbol means or what to do with it. He can't depend on it. He can't even depend on himself.

He says that to Gomamon, even believes it, and the seal only rolls his eyes and snorts. But when he's in the middle of the water and there's no one to save Takeru, he realizes that doesn't matter in the slightest.

Sora had found the meaning of their Crests by pure accident. She had doubted her own love. She had doubted the one thing that she desired the most. It wasn't easy to believe you were good for something, good at anything, even if everyone else could see it. Jyou could understand. Just thinking of his father made him rather uncomfortable.

"Jyou!" Ikkakumon shouts. "Dive, dive!"

Jyou looks at him through drenched glasses. He can't swim, especially not underwater. Takeru is down too long. He can't swim either. He drops before he can tell himself not to. His arms fumble in the inky blackness of the water, searching, searching. Fingers catch fabric and he pulls it over his head. With the last of his strength, he shoves his head above water, blinking at Takeru to see he's alive. "Gotcha," he croaks once. Then he drops out of sight, unaware of the boy screaming. Even though sound is easier to hear through the water, he has yet to hear anything. It is so hard to tell anything. It's too cold to move even.

Darn it... Yamato's on the other side of the water, waiting for him to bring Takeru like he had promised to. When their parents hadn't woken up. Without them around, he's the oldest again, the only one left who can do things. Yet he's not doing any of them. How can he be responsible for saving lives if he can't keep a promise?

It's getting dark. Like that day a long time ago, the lie called a terrorist attack, the stars are extinguished. All that's left is the screaming, the sound he can hear, and then the brilliant beautiful light.

In the haze of near-death, Jyou can't help but think, wouldn't it be great if I could glow like this?

What it takes him some time to realize is: the light is coming from him.

He hears Ikkakumon's howl, beneath him and above him at the same time. It shouldn't be possible, but it's a Digimon so maybe it is.

Then, like a miracle, he can breathe again. He coughs up water, heaving it like a faucet. He spits until his partner whines. "Darn it Jyou, I don't need you to be my soap."

Jyou manages a wheezing laugh. "S-Sorry, I'm trying to remember how breathing works."

"Silly humans need to get gills."

"Jyou-san!" Takeru crawls over to them, and his blue eyes are laser focused on giving Jyou a hug. "You saved me! Are you all right?"

"Been better," Jyou admits before he can stop himself. All it does is make Takeru laugh.

"You were so cool! Onii-chan's going to be so happy!"

He'll be happy you're alive, Jyou thinks. Not that I nearly got you killed in the first place.

Still though, the warm glow doesn't fade from his chest. Perhaps he's better than he thinks he is.