The cold was unbearable. His body had gone numb what felt like hours ago, absent except for the all-consuming ache that permeated every nerve. It was inside his mind too, like he'd never feel again. Not just never be happy again, never be anything again. He didn't care enough to move or to fight or even be sad about the memory of sadness. That's all they were anymore, memories. Echoes of rage and hate… of overwhelming pain and the desperation for it all to just end. Rather like sounds eaten by the water, drowned out by the waves as they broke against him.

Once he'd believed this was better than the uncertainty. A situation preferable to the agony of emotion. The Ocean had promised to take it all away, to replace the pain with power. It had said this would help. Yet there was no power here, no newfound insight or strength. There was certainty, true, as cold and undeniable as the water. He knew the awfulness of himself, remembered the shame of his failure as a person. He remembered wanting that personhood gone, needing the release of not existing anymore.

But now that he didn't exist the memory of it tormented him. A powerlessness so much more intense than being alive consumed him. And the worst part was there was still a him to be consumed. The Ocean had eaten his soul but left his mind to wander through regret. For how long? Eternity? How had he let this happen? Outside his body moved and spoke, channeling the taint of the Ocean. There were elements of his will, true. The need to see his brother again burned inside him, the only thing immune to the cold. It motivated his actions, drove him to comply, because that was the only option left. If he wanted to see Koichi again, he had to go get him. And bring him here.

All around him the Ocean shared his desire. Koichi was important to it, the thing it needed to truly enter the Human World. And the Digital World. And the other universes Dorian had spoke of. So every life could belong to the Ocean. So it alone could exist. Whether this was good or bad was beyond him. He had no opinions left. Yet he wondered: why Koichi? Why did his brother have to be the one? Fate maybe? Had he been chosen to destroy everything? If so, by what force? Or was it just dumb luck, the combination of random events that lead to his death and resurrection? Was he just a convenient host?

It hurt to think about, like ice inside his skull. Every time he thought of his brother the pain came too. The message was clear, but he couldn't stop. He wanted to see his brother, which the Ocean used to drive the actions of his body. It couldn't understand that that same connection was keeping him awake, conscious but out of control. The others slept; they wouldn't remember any of it once the crisis passed. No… that wasn't right because the crisis would never pass. This tide would never go out and none of them would think or feel anything again.

Paradox after paradox swirled in his thoughts as fleshy white roots twisted and encased him. Slowly. First his arms, immobilized slightly away from his body. Then his legs, anchored by tendrils coiled around his calves up to the knee. Now, as he began to remember how to focus, one encircled his chest. Squeezing. A tiny gasp passed over his lips and for a moment he thought he could see his brother. His drenched form stood far off on the horizon, expression too obscured by the sea spray to read. Tentatively, he took a step towards the tree. Towards oblivion.

Something inside Koji broke free and he was conscious.

"Koichi no!" The scream tore his throat, horribly painful yet necessary. "Get away! Don't come any closer!"

The root at his neck came alive, burrowing deeper into his skin. He felt it, cold and mushy, pushing down his spine and spreading up and along his throat. Choking him. A finger punctured into the hole at the base of his skull and Koji wasn't Koji anymore. He stopped existing again. He just… felt nothing.

"Still fighting I see," Ysault's lyrical voice caught his attention, bringing a shell of his former self back into focus. It stood before him, smiling a little, cold smile. One hand reached up to brush hair from his brow affectionately while the other grasped his chin. Forcing their eyes to meet.

"It's difficult," Koji confessed after a long moment, his face devoid of any expression.

"Koichi fought too; I would expect nothing less from his brother. You're both strong, which is what the Ocean needs. It's why I sought you out. We need that strength, especially now. We'll need it to persuade Koichi to rejoin us."

"He won't give up easily."

"No, and he won't surrender to just anyone. That's why you're going to get him and bring him to me. Once we're together nothing will be able to stop his rebirth."

"They know I'm here, though. What if he doesn't trust me anymore? What if he-"

"Shhh," It soothed, stroking his cheek with Ysault's fingers. "He's just lost. I've helped you understand that and I can help him reclaim his destiny. Together we'll make him whole."

"I know that," said Koji, still staring straight into Tache's eyes. He couldn't have looked away even if he'd wanted to. "But I don't think he'll come for me. He's too smart. He knows the Ocean's pull and he doesn't understand yet."

"Oh don't be silly, of course he'll come. Your brother loves you which makes you his weakness. We just need to make sure he knows where to find us."

"No..."

"Koji, you're fighting again."

A spray of icy water washed over his body, erecting goose bumps all along his flesh. He shivered, taking an instinctive step away from Tache. His hands pressed over aching eyes, his breath shallow. Tache advanced, coming around behind him and tracing a pattern into his back. Then It's fingers moved to the back of his neck, where the needle had pierced him, and everything faded. He straightened.

"Koji," called another voice, the usually smooth tenor marred by urgency. "You can still stop this! Run, now! Get out of range!"

"Oh Dorian, you just can't stand it can you?" Tache let out a mirthless laugh, fingers grasping possessively at Koji's throat. "What did you think was going to happen? Did you think there was an individual who could resist the Ocean's pull? Did you think you could scheme your way out of the inevitable?"

"You're a monster and I was blind to trust you!"

His bright blue eyes moved to Tache and he snarled, tugging against the restraints that held him bound to a post off to their right. In a final act of cruelty, they'd used his own treasured scarf to tie him there, forcing him to watch his own work unfold. Koji looked over at him, though it was impossible to say what intention rested in his black, lifeless gaze. Tache laughed again, pleased by the arrangement.

"Come now, what promise have I broken? I told you once I got my original host back I would leave Ysault's body and I will."

"But you won't let her go. You won't let any of them go."

"Maybe we don't want to go," said Koji in a low monotone. "Did you ever think of that? Ysault's better off as she is."

"That's the Ocean talking; whenever any of you opens your mouth all that comes out is the Ocean! Come on Koji, I know you're still there! Do you really want this for your brother?"

"Of course he does. Don't you, Koji?"

"Yes."

"See? Koji may still be learning but deep down he understands. I truly thought you did too. When you first found me I thought this body had broken you and you didn't need any more convincing. That's certainly what your actions said."

"You disgust me. You always have. Ever since we first met I've known what you are and everything I've done has been to stop you."

"Really? So when you were helping me enter the Real World, when you found Yuki for me, when you infiltrated these Digidestined and primed Koichi for my arrival, that was all stopping me? It's adorable how noble you think you are."

"You're wrong. I don't think I'm noble; I know what I've done. I thought if I stayed with you then I could minimize the damage. I wanted to believe that if I couldn't defeat you in the Digital World, maybe I could do it here."

"You can't defeat the Ocean," Koji hissed, a little resentment working its way into his tone. "It's a force like gravity. You can't just wish it away."

"Koji, listen to me: it can still be contained. Go back to your friends, please. Bahar is with them now and she can help you. She'll know what to do. She always succeeds where I've failed."

"Your Chosen of Justice can do nothing against the coming tide. None of you can. Maybe I should make you understand that, hmm? Maybe that's what I should've done to begin with? What do you say, Dorian, Chosen of Loyalty, would you like to make a new deal? I'll leave Ysault, just as you've asked. All you have to do is become my new body."

Dorian froze, his breath catching and his body going rigid. For the first time, fear worked its way onto his face, the conflict within him painfully obvious. Tache released Koji and moved to his side, squatting so It could look directly into those icy blue eyes.

"I could use a new host, you know. This flesh is rotting all around me. The longer I stay here the worse it gets. You want Ysault to be able to use her body when this is all over, right? Let me in and she can go free."

"You're lying," Dorian whispered, voice trembling. "You're lying!"

"Do you really want to take that chance? And here I thought you cared for this girl."

Dorian closed his eyes and looked away, swallowing. The conundrum was palpable, the choice he'd so long dreaded suddenly before him. Stay conscious and sacrifice Ysault in a vain attempt to save her, or give in and forget that she needed saving.

"All right," he sighed, defeated. "All right. Yes, I agree."

Tache took Ysault's hands and cupped his face. Slowly, brought it to It's own, breathing across his lips. Her thumbs traced his cheekbones, her hair brushed his nose, and Dorian froze inside. He leaned forward, long repressed desire bubbling to the surface. Then he remembered himself, remembered who Yasualt was. He pulled back, refusing to look at It.

"Don't make her do that," he spat. "She doesn't want to, she never has and never will. Don't use her like that."

"You're no fun," Tache cooed, running fingers along his scalp. "On second thought. I've changed my mind. I like this body too well to give it up. Besides, Ysault is too far-gone."

Dorian's gaze snapped into focus and he stared at It, absolute horror etched into his features. Another cold laugh. Tache stood up and went back to Koji's side, draping one arm over his shoulder and the other across his chest, linking Its fingers in a possessive embrace.

"Oh, you didn't know that? Ysault can't leave the Ocean anymore, not even to return to her body. She's been there too long; her mind is a part of the water now. There really is no hope. Besides, even if she could return, she wouldn't want to. Why come back to a world that denies your very existence? If you can't be real, why not do it without all the pain?"

"Ysault has friends here who miss her and people who… who love her."

"You think that matters? After all this time with me you still think like a child. Honestly, do you believe friendship will save the day?"

"Friends are just another weakness," said Koji in a low voice, staring at Dorian. "Just another flaw the Ocean smoothes away…"

He paused, frowning a little as his eyes slid to the floor. Like he was having a thought he didn't quite want to accept. Tache rested its head on his shoulder, watching his expression critically. When he didn't continue it pulled away, coming around to face him head on.

"Koji," Tache demanded, all humor gone from its voice. "What are you thinking?"

"Their friendship," he said slowly. "Koichi won't come for me, he knows what's waiting, but my friends… They can be persuaded. They can bring him for me."

Brushing by Tache, Koji advanced on Dorian, causing the older Digidestined to squirm. He lashed out with his feet, trying to keep the tainted Chosen of Light at bay, but Koji was too agile for him. He sidestepped his legs, getting in right next to him. Wordlessly, he slid a hand into Doran's pocket, rummaging around until he found the target. A simple flip phone. Koji withdrew it, his gaze locking with Dorian's for a short, horrible second.

"Stop it Koji! Give that back!"

But his pleas were in vain. Koji stepped back to Tache's side, dialing in one of the few numbers he knew by heart and pressing the phone up to his ear. The entire room could hear the rings. They went on for an eternity, and yet not long enough. Until the muffled sounds of another voice finally answered

"Takuya," Koji exclaimed, suddenly breathless. "Damn it, I've been trying to reach you… Yeah, I'm okay… Yes it's me! Listen, I managed to get away but they drugged me or something. I'm hidden for now… Yeah, but I can hear them outside. They're looking for me… Never mind that, I need you to bring Koichi… Because when the injected me with whatever the hell it was they said only he could get it out! I figured they'd use me as bait and… Takuya, this is me. I know how dangerous it is. I wouldn't be asking if I wasn't desperate… Because I can't move! I've tried and I can't… Is he there? Can I- Shit! They're coming. I have to move. I'll get as close to the edge of the warehouse district as I can and watch for you. Did you hear me Takuya? Takuya- Ahg!"

Koji recoiled from the cell phone as a loud, static sound began to blare from the earpiece. For a moment they all just stared at it, bewildered. All except Tache. It was smiling, a sick shadow of Ysault's playful grin. Gleefully, It giggled into the static, a high, manic sound like glass breaking.

"He's gotten so strong," It laughed, coming up and taking the phone from Koji's hand. Closing Its eyes, It pressed the mouthpiece to Its lips. "Koichi, come back to me. Come back and we'll finally cover the world in darkness."