He can feel it creeping around inside of him, this darkness. Overwhelming his thoughts, his mind, his body. He can't move, he can't breathe, he can't do anything without the creature inside monitoring everything. How it'd taken him over so quickly, so thoroughly, he has no idea, but there had been no fighting it off from the moment it'd happened. Especially since he'd been asleep when he first noticed it, this lack of control of his own body. He feels sick inside, wanting nothing more than to break free, fight off whatever's holding onto him, but he can't.

The first time he feels light on his face since all of this happened, he feels even worse. His senses are still his own, hearing and sight, smell, touch and taste so what it experiences, he experiences as well, so when his eyes are opened and he can see, his stomach drops. Dolph, Miz, Alicia and Heath are right there, staring at him like he's a stranger, and then Dolph is approaching, a fearful look on his usually cocky face and dammit, it hurts more than most anything Zack's ever experienced, even when he'd first injured his arm.

Zack can tell Dolph knows just by looking at him, at the others next to him. He doesn't even need to see them to know they too are being controlled, trapped in this murky world where everything seems distant, faded. His chest feels so tight, he's not sure he can breathe normally but the thing inside of him seems to have that under control even as Patamon approaches, the darkness seeping from him into his partner despite his desperate internal war to keep it from happening. It's as if his struggles are nothing, meaningless... He's never hated himself more as Patamon lands on his head, as if things are normal, but they're not... far from it.

As the four of them face off with the four untainted Digidestined, he tries to gain enough control to do something, say something, one last word to try to make this all ok for the others, but he can't even shift a finger... forced to watch as Patamon and the other three Digivolve, Darcmon, Kyubimon, Gatomon and MegaSeadramon soon standing between them all. But whereas before, when they'd been vibrant and energetic, they now look dull and menacing. He doesn't even recognize his own partner, Darcmon's appearance making it seem as if all of the goodness in the world had been destroyed in one go.

"Kid," Dolph attempts, "Kid. I'm not sure what's going on, but we're here, ok? We'll figure something out... you're going to be ok." He glances towards the other three and grimaces. "All of you are going to be ok."

Zack wants so badly to yell at him to get back, their four Digimon leering at him even as he takes a couple steps closer. When his mouth opens, he's terrified at the voice that comes from his lips, dark and evil, looking to cause pain. "Who asked you, Digidestined? You're not needed nor welcome here. Leave and perhaps we will spare your miserable existence for a short while."

Dolph freezes for a moment, as if finally registering the Digimon surrounding him, but doesn't let it dissuade him from staring at Zack. "I know you're in there, kid. Just hang on, we'll figure something out... we'll get you out of this. I know it took us too long to find you, every time I thought there was a chance, another one of us were abducted, and it made it harder to find you all, but we finally have, so-"

"Shut up," that voice says, not sounding angry or annoying. Zack grows more fearful the less reactive the thing inside of him remains, aware that the calmer someone is, the more dangerous they tend to be. Wishes again that he could warn Dolph, do something. "He doesn't want out of this life... he welcomed it, actually. Welcomed me... because he was tired of being known as a joke, being mocked constantly. It is unfortunate that you weren't here to witness how eager he was to be taken over by this pure darkness..." Zack's hand rubs almost obscenely against his chest and he feels like he's about to be sick...

"I don't believe you," Dolph says steadfastly, stepping closer. "The state you left his apartment in, for one thing. If he had wanted this, you wouldn't have had to tear things to shreds like that..."

The evilness inside of Zack laughs, causing him to shiver as he's forced to step closer to Dolph. The two of them are soon so close that Zack can see the turmoil in Dolph's eyes, which makes him feel even worse. "I would advise you to either leave, or assist those weaklings you call Digimon to Digivolve so we can get on with this."

Dolph hesitates and looks over his shoulder at Impmon and the rest, taking a deep breath. He then turns to face Zack once more, staring deep into his eyes. "We'll get you out of this, kid. I promise. Just hang on a little longer."

Zack feels a stirring of the darkness inside of him, as if it'd been angered finally, but it quickly calms and stares at Darcmon. "Go."

Not even waiting for the others to regroup and Digivolve, the four dark Digimon race forward, preparing attacks. All Zack can do is watch, helpless and hopeless.