Ysault was beautiful. He already knew that from the mixtures of Dorian's and her memories that had played in his mind while he slept. Seeing her in person though… it some how made it all more real. At the same time, he knew at a glance that the person before him wasn't right. Her hair had been generally maintained, but not the way she'd kept it. Instead it hung limp around her shoulders, ends frayed and frizzy. Skin that had shone like the moon now looked gaunt and grey, blue veins brought to the surface by dehydration. And her eyes lacked not only luster, but all the softness and power that defined her. No, some beauty lingered, but this wasn't Ysault.

"Koichi." Ysault's voice rang like music in the silence. The smile that twisted her lips was cruel, filled with hunger. "You're here. Finally. I can't tell you how painful it's been to wait."

His features steeled, but he didn't dignify Its attempts at conversation with any more of a response. Tache didn't seem to mind too much; Its eyes moved back to Takuya and Izumi before settling on Bahar.

"I see you brought friends. Excellent. Now it's a proper reunion, don't you think Dorian?"

The Chosen of Loyalty was still tied to a post in the corner. He didn't say anything. He didn't have to, his expression was completely mortified. Never in his most pessimistic projections did they all end up Tache's prisoners. It had never crossed his mind that he could fail so completely. Or that they would all be so incredibly stupid as to come here in the first place. Koichi of course, he had to be there, but the rest of them? Bahar, however, had no such inhibitions.

"A proper reunion, are you shitting me," she spat, not even bothering to hide her disgust. "If I could rip you out of Ysaults body like the parasite you are, then we could burn you and have our proper reunion."

"Now that's not very polite. You know it is just that kind of insensitivity that made you a terrible friend."

"Don't say things like that," whispered Dorian, finding his voice. "Don't use her to say something like that!"

"Oh shut up." Bahar swung her black gaze towards him, concentrating her disdain until it was almost tangible. "I don't need your protection. You lost your right to act all high and mighty when you left me to the Ocean."

"But… I didn't," he said, genuinely confused. "You were in the Digital World, not the Dark Ocean."

"Oh no she was in the Ocean," laughed Tache, tossing him a smile over Its shoulder. "I flooded the area as we left. Really once we were gone there was no reason not to. She held out for quite a while, but somehow got out before I could… help her. Your doing, I assume?"

Dorian met Bahar's gaze, his icy blue orbs hard and trying to communicate something he couldn't put into words. She narrowed her dark eyes, trying to decide if she believed him.

"No matter, I'll rectify that now."

"You will not touch any of them." Koichi's voice cracked like thunder, though it wasn't particularly loud. A scowl crossed Ysault's face, small but dangerous.

"You should let me help you with your confusion before you speak," It hissed with forced sweetness.

"This is between you and me," he continued, staring straight into those black chasms that functioned as eyes. "Don't touch them."

"You know it's inevitable."

"If that's true then you have nothing to loose by waiting. That is what you're best at, right? Waiting."

Koichi allowed himself a small smirk. Tache tensed Its jaw, no longer looking amused. With a small sigh through Its nose, It moved to a medical table and picked up a small, plastic syringe, removing the packaging intentionally. Yuki approached with a long, thick needle, accepting the syringe. The only up side was that it looked sterile. Now it was Koichi's turn to tense, but if Tache noticed, the gesture did not brighten Its mood. Its black gaze returned to the Chosen of Darkness.

"Even I have my limits."

"Then lets stop playing. I came to you, just like you always knew I would. I'm ready."

"As am I."

On cue Koji came up behind him, securing his wrists behind his back. Instinct hit Koichi like a heart attack and he tried to pull away. Without really meaning to he lashed out with his mind, but there was a coldness inside his brother that he couldn't overcome now. Takuya lunged forward, though what exactly he thought he was going to do was a mystery. Another one of Tache's cult materialized from the shadows and struck him over the head. Izumi screamed a mixture of fear and anger, moving quickly to his side and giving the girl (maybe 15 with auburn hair and a round face) a venomous look. Swearing under her breath, Bahar made a move to join them, but froze when three more teens appeared. She snarled, but that didn't change the situation. There was no escaping, no alternative, no more delays. Still…

Koji ran his fingers up the back of Koichi's neck, holding hair out of the way and giving the needle a clear path through the cisterna magnum and into the subarachnoid cavity.

"Don't make him do this," Koichi pleaded, watching as Yuki drew a viscous liquid from a capped vial into the syringe. His face was focused, the slightest wrinkle creasing his brow as he measured. "Please. I'm here, I won't fight you any more, just don't make my brother do this."

"Oh but he wants to," Tache laughed, giving him a freezing grin which communicated very clearly Its renewed glee. Yet there was an edge to Its voice- suspicion maybe? Or anxiety.

"Don't you Koji?"

There was a long, thick moment where time seemed to stop. The hand in Koichi's hair trembled, the form behind him tensing. Tache's grin widened.

"Don't you."

"Yes…" Koji answered, his palm pressing hard into his brother's skull.

Takuya and Izumi were saying something, maybe Bahar too, but Koichi couldn't hear them over the pounding of his heart. Yuki came around, standing next to Koji and pressing the needle into his skin. It was happening… it was really happening. Panic caught in his throat and he tried to jerk away. Anticipating his resistance, Koji tightened his grip, forcing his chin into his chest so hard it hurt. The needle punctured his skin. Hot blood rose to the surface. Koichi couldn't breathe. He could feel it like a cold intruder moving through his flesh. So fast he didn't have any time- Pressure in his head.

And then it was done. Air passed over his lips and into the silence. Koji's arms wrapped around him now, supporting him as every voluntary muscle in his body slowly gave out. Darkness started at the center of his vision, bleeding outwards, like entering a tunnel. Numbness made it difficult to move his hands… or anything. Things were happening around him, the world resuming as he faded from it, yet Koichi was loosing his ability to perceive them. Ironically, the last thing he heard was Dorian's voice, though whether or not Dorian had actually said anything was debatable. Still, it resonated inside him, a final drop of light before he was consumed by shadows.

"Find her. Koichi, you have to find her- you have to bring her back."

Then…