The twins hesitated outside of Dorian's abandoned apartment complex for a long moment. The sun had gone behind its steel-cement body, casting its face into shadow and augmenting the missing walls and windows into moaning holes. Tokyo breathed around it, bustling and surging in a constant current of life, yet this building, this singular entity, seemed completely untouched by that life. Maybe it was just a matter of perspective, the knowledge of what waited inside souring their perception, but to the brothers of Light and Dark, it looked… foreboding. Haunted. A predator waiting in the tall grass for unsuspecting prey to wander too close. Cold and completely without the soul people frequently anthropomorphize onto buildings. They both felt it, and neither twin seemed particularly motivated to venture any closer and risk being devoured.
"Are you sure about this," Koji asked without looking at his brother. He didn't need to. He perceived the affirmative nod, sharp and apprehensive, regardless.
"Yeah," Koichi answered, his own gave fixed on the sixth floor. "There's no sense in putting it off; they have a right to know."
"I'm not saying they don't." Defensive. "It's just it's been a really long day and I wish you'd take a break and rest for five minutes."
"I know. But…" Apprehension. "I'm not tired. Not even a little. I feel fine, actually. For the first time in a long time I feel like my head is clear and I just... want to take advantage of that."
"Alright," Koji sighed begrudgingly, shifting his and Koichi's bags to the other hand and swinging them over one shoulder. He gave his brother a sideways glance, then bumped him lightly with his shoulder. Koichi met his gaze, grinning a little at the childish antics. "But we are leaving at the first sign of trouble. I can only stand that Dorian guy for so long, you know?"
"I don't think you're alone in that."
Snorting and rolling his eyes, Koji started for the tape-blocked door. They found Takuya and Izumi just beyond it, waiting in the first floor lobby as if in testament to how right Koichi was. Takuya looked ready to go off on the first mild annoyance that came his way and, if possible, Izumi looked worse. Her jaw was set with such rigidity she had to have been wearing the enamel off her teeth, her jade eyes staring at the stairwell as if it was something truly putrid. The sight of them made Koichi reconsider his objective for a moment: if this was Dorian's handiwork before he knew about that afternoon's little incident, Koichi wasn't sure he would be able to stomach what came after the great sharing of truths. But Takuya wouldn't have asked them to come if the Frenchman didn't have something equally as important to share. Besides, they were already there. Might as will get it over and done with.
"Hey," he greeted sheepishly, stopping just shy of the couple. They both started at the sound of his voice, turning to stare at him.
"Hey," repeated Izumi incredulously. "Almost a whole week of the silent treatment and the first thing you say to us is 'Hey'?"
Koichi recoiled from the accusation in her voice, his gaze dropping to the floor as he began to chew on his lip. Koji looked like he was going to chide her for her rudeness or defend his brother in some other, more direct way, but Koichi reached out to him silently, grasping his forearm. It's okay. Izumi watched the exchange and, upon viewing the dark twin's obvious shame, felt herself soften again.
"I'm sorry," she said, wrapping her arms around her stomach, her lips twisting into a half smile. "I didn't mean to bite, it's just-"
"No," Koichi cut her off, bringing his navy eyes up to meet hers. "No, I'm sorry. I thought… It doesn't matter what I thought; I was being selfish and immature. Can you forgive me?"
"Hey man," Takuya inserted, advancing on Koichi and clapping him on the shoulder. His smile was a little strained, but genuine nevertheless. "Don't be so serious, okay? It's already done."
Koichi let out a sigh that was so heavy, it dropped to the floor like a stage weight, pulling the rest of his anxieties with it. These people, these wonderful idiot people, they'd done it again. Forgiven him when he didn't deserve forgiveness. Come back to him even when he'd done his very best to push them away. In that moment, as the four of them stood there, Koichi felt something else return: strength. The strength he'd used to give up his Spirits and trust Takuya and Koji to fulfill their own destinies. The strength he'd used to turn the tide against Lucemon. The strength of having true friends. Koji could feel his brother's emotional release like an almost giddy bubble of warmth growing next to him, and for a moment it was as if nothing of the past five years had happened. They were Digidestined and that was enough.
But like all moments it passed. Overshadowed by cold, undeniable purpose.
"So…" said Koji, shifting awkwardly and glancing meaningfully over at the stairs. "What's up there?" Takuya flinched a little, pulling away and glancing back at Izumi. She pursed her lips, following Koji's gaze.
"Honestly bro, I have no idea," he said with a shrug. "But you guys need to see it. And Dorian's back. Says he has information on Tache's cult or something."
"You don't know," Koichi asked, his brow knitting.
"We wanted to wait for you," Izumi answered in a rushed voice. "Actually… Dorian wanted to wait. He "doesn't like to repeat himself" apparently."
"Besides," Takuya added, forcing an ironic smile. "It's probably best if we all stay on the same page from here on out." Now it was Koji's turn to purse his lips, clamping them over a spray of confessions, but Koichi beat him to it. He didn't say anything, per say, merely inhaled deeply, made for the stairs, and began climbing. Koji jumped into action, catching his arm before he made it more than a couple of steps.
"You don't have to do this." Izumi and Takuya exchanged bemused, maybe even concerned, looks. Koichi felt them at the edge of his thoughts, turning around and smiling over his shoulder. Like a saint going to his execution.
"It's okay, Koji. It's like Takuya said: best we all stay on the same page. For better or for worse, that includes Dorian now. Especially since he seems to have the best understanding of what's been happening."
"Truer words were never spoken." Dorian's voice echoed down the stairs like a gust of cold wind, causing Takuya, Izumi, and Koji to all visibly recoiled from it.
"What are you doing," snapped Izumi in an accusatory tone.
"It's been 20 minutes, so I thought I'd come down and check on you. Make sure you hadn't died." If he was joking it was impossible to tell. His face was completely blank, eyes hard and unreadable as he stared them down from the second floor landing. Then, cocking one eyebrow expectantly, he turned and started back up. The inference was clear and, with no small amount of resentment, they all followed. Their footfalls echoed like crickets in an awkward attempt to fill the silence. Maybe it was too much for Dorian to take. Maybe he just didn't see the point in wasting time. Regardless of his motivations, he just started talking, assuming their attention.
"Now that school is all but out for summer break I think it would be best for us all to stay close. I've sent letters to your families; you're all invited to an elite summer program. Some of the other rooms have been prepared for you."
"You expect us to move in?" Takuya's voice was too offended to be angry.
"Like I already said," Dorian answered without looking at him. "I expect you to do what needs to be done. You and the Warrior of Wind can do as you like, but if we're being prudent your Warrior of Darkness needs to stay in a controlled environment."
There was a collective grinding of teeth as everyone both tried to assert they had names and resigned themselves to being anonymous. Koichi especially looked uncomfortable, gripping the stair rail a little harder than was necessary. Koji reached out and put a comforting hand on his shoulder, silently communicating support and an equal or greater sense of annoyance. The dark twin gave him a small smile as they reached the sixth floor landing, sharing a moment of solidarity behind Dorian's back. He just kept talking, apparently oblivious to their disdain.
"They're all Faraday Cages, so as long as he's in the room no external signal can effect him. I should think that would be desirable."
"It is," Koichi asserted, brushing past Dorian and entering his apartment. This time he had no intention of letting himself be bullied by the Frenchman, or anyone else for that matter. He did his best to communicate that physically, moving to the table and leaning against it, staring forward in preparation. "So, is that all you have for us?"
"Hardly," Dorian snorted, apparently amused at Koichi's attempt at control. He waited for the rest of the group to funnel in, then closed the door with an audible click. Koji moved to his twin's side, setting both their bags in Dorian's chair. Takuya and Izumi went to join them, yet there was something about the brother's, some aura of oneness, which kept the couple feeling somehow separate. It was a little unnerving… and Dorian noticed.
"However, maybe you should go first. I wouldn't want to tell you anything you already know." The accusation was not subtle. It didn't need to be: something had happened to Koichi that day and they all knew it. Something that made skipping work and confronting Dorian unbearably necessary. Something crucial. The dark twin swallowed hard, dropping his gaze to the ground as his resolve faltered. Now that he was here, looking at them, it seemed so much less doable…
"There's a girl in our class, Himura Shizuka," Koji jumped in, trying to remove at least some of the burden. But Koichi held out a hand before he could go any further, closing his eyes and licking his lips. Detaching himself from what he was about to say.
"They can make me hallucinate," he started in a low, tentative voice. "If that's even the right word for it. What I see isn't there- but- it's still real. Shizuka got me alone and… And I saw what they see; the place that signal imprisons their minds. I spoke to Tache there."
An uncertain stillness filled the room like fog as everyone both wanted to know what was said and was too afraid to ask. Everyone, that is, except for Dorian. His eyes had grown colder and colder as Koichi spoke, like his words were causing a long contained anger to surface. He was not smiling anymore, his hands balled into fists, frame laced with tension.
"You saw what it does to them, then," he surmised, his own voice dangerously low. "How it twists them into the monsters they become."
"Yes," Koichi nodded, his eyes opening to chance a glance around. Izumi had grabbed Takuya's hand and was squeezing it with such force her knuckles had gone white in an attempt to keep how truly disturbed she felt off her face. Takuya wasn't even trying. If it hadn't been for Koji's strength warming his back, Koichi would have stopped right there. But he couldn't, no matter how much it hurt to continue. They needed to know what they were dealing with… They needed to be prepared.
"It's found a way to use whatever body it's in to make… something. Particles? I assume they're the organic counterpart to whatever virus it must've used in the Digital World. The cult members are injected with these and that's how they can respond and use Tache's signal. They're in the cerebrospinal fluid and… And my body's doing the same thing. Ever since I got back. That's how Tache has been getting to me."
The longer he spoke the more broken his voice became, until finally Koichi was all but whispering. His eyes were fixed on a spot near his left shoe, wide and yet unseeing, like he was doing his very best not to be there. They could all feel it too, like some dampness in the air. And really, how could they blame him? How did they think they would handle the situation in his shoes? Koji moved in close behind his brother, placing a protective hand once more on his shoulder, gaze warning away any criticism or unwanted comments. The words wilted in Izumi's mouth as she tried to process what she was hearing. Tried to grasp the implications of it. She met Koji's stare for just an instant before he shamed her into looking away. Like he knew what she was thinking. Takuya, as usual, was both less presumptuous and less delicate.
"So… what does that mean," he asked, sincerity ringing in his voice. As if he honestly didn't understand the consequences of such a question. Dorian's mouth twisted, but to call the mirthless expression a smile would be terribly, horribly wrong.
"It means I was right," he said, icy blue gaze fixed on Koichi's rigid form, seeing the boy yet perceiving something entirely different.
"What do you mean you were right," barked Koji, unintentionally giving his brother's shoulder a harsh squeeze. Koichi winced and the younger twin immediately backed off, dropping his hand and inhaling deeply. Forcing collection back into his voice. "You knew about this?"
"Dorian guessed that there might exist some physical connection between Tache and Koichi," said Izumi uncertainly, pulling one arm across her front. "He made something he thinks might help us exploit that connection."
"Did he now," Koichi breathed, visibly shuttering and causing Izumi to immediately regret her word choice. Still, defiant as ever, he raised his navy gaze to challenge Dorian's. "Why doesn't that surprise me."
"That is what you're here for, isn't it?" His voice was as cold as his eyes, dripping with vengeful glee and disdain. "Some way to fight Tache instead of helping him."
Koji's lips curled back into a snarl and, though he made no physical advances, the threat was clear in his voice.
"What, exactly, did you build? Just what were you planning to do to my brother?"