Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ The Other Side of the Mirror ❯ Descent and Trust ( Chapter 8 )

<center><i>~The Other Side of the Mirror~

~Ch. 8~</i></center>

The door swung open at the experimental tugging Tai was using on the doorknob. Out of surprise, he dropped his grip and turned to look at the former Chosen standing not so far behind him. ~That's weird…~ he thought in puzzlement.

"What is it?"

Tai shrugged. "Must be home. Door's open."

Yamato lifted an elegant shoulder. "Then let's go in."

"Yeah!" Taichi exclaimed, his reaction forgotten in the mission ahead of them, and pushed the bland-looking door open all the way, stepping inside.

"Hey, Daisuke-"he paused to slip off his shoes, hearing the closing click of the door behind the other two.

No one replied, not even the usual squeaking greeting from Chibimon reached his ears as he bent to line up his shoes neatly.

Tai raised his head slowly, instincts ringing. "Daisuke?" he tried a bit louder, and straightened completely.

"It appears that no one's home," Koushiro frowned. "How odd, since the door was almost propped open."

"At least Jun's not here," Yamato muttered, although he still glanced furtively about. He wasn't sure, but it was possible that the female was waiting to ambush him.

"Yeah," Tai said slowly. "No one's home…" His unease suddenly doubled. "Let's go check to make sure," he whispered.

<center>~=*=~</center>

He caught his breath sharply, spinning around the corner on his street, gasping even as he looked ahead. ~They're already here,~ he noted, oddly emotionless even as he began to run forward-

Takeru caught his elbow, suddenly, and yanked him backwards. "Daisuke! Will you just-"

"Baka! Let go!" the smaller redhead snapped over his shoulder and tugged his arm free.

"You're the one acting stupid!" Takeru was panting faintly, cheeks flushed from the exertion, having outrun Kari and the others. "You disappear for two days, and return all screwed up-Daisuke, we're trying to <i>help</i>!"

His face darkened, Daisuke growled. "What do you think <i>I'm</i>trying to do?" Takeru wondered briefly why he was so upset, before the other boy continued, "I know you're trying to help, I really do, but things are a little dangerous for <i>all</i> of us! There are things I can't explain, which is <i>why </i>I need Koushiro!" He wrenched his wrist away from the blonde's second attempt to grab a hold of his arm, and shook his head. "They'll do something stupid-<i>I don't have time for this</i>!"

Then, with a determined shove, palms flat against Takeru's chest, Daisuke spun away while the blond stumbled back a step. He stared at the rapidly retreating form, almost missing the breathless questions that the others put to him as they caught up.

"What's going on?" Miyako was the first to gasp out. "He's gone insane, hasn't he?" She panted, bent over slightly and pink from running.

"He <i>does</i> have the Kaizer over for a sleepover," Takeru wheezed dryly, and rubbed his chest discreetly. "God, I honestly don't know."

Giving her friends a weary look, full of a suspicion blooming at the edges of her psyche, Hikari didn't respond for a moment, then shook herself. "Let's go," she stated firmly. The others turned to look at her.

"If it's a trap, we should be there."

~But I don't think it is…someone's hurting up there…~

<center>~=*=~</center>

"Well, this is most definitely odd."

Taichi poked his head out of the kitchen, mouth full of a hasty sandwich. "So? Maybe he stepped out to get something?"

"But the door wasn't locked," Yamato pointed out. The blond was sprawled out on the couch, idly kicking one foot at a newspaper left on the floor and scowling faintly to himself. "He's not here. Maybe he went to meet up with the other kids."

"But Chibimon is," Koushiro replied. He paced in front of the open balcony, chin in hand. "I checked his room. Daisuke's not here, but his Digimon is. His door is unlocked…it is distinctly peculiar."

"I wonder," the redhead continued a moment later. "Did he tell Kari what was going on? I must say, I've never been requested before. It's rather nice," he remarked blandly.

Yamato gave him a wicked grin. "There's a lot of 'first times' with you, isn't there?"

"Ha. Ha."

Tai wandered in from the kitchen, chewing on his third sandwich and wedged himself into the small space Yama had left. He paused to roll his eyes at Koushiro. "Yama, don' be je-lush…" he muttered around a mouthful.

Shooting his lover a glare, Yama kicked his feet. "Of what, Tai? As I recall we both-"

Tai smacked him with the nearest pillow, his cheeks pink. "Hush, you."

"I'm going to find the bathroom," Koushiro murmured. A similar pink tinge appeared on his round face as he wandered off.

Yama grinned at Tai from beneath the lifted pillow as Koushiro rose and left their line of sight. "Now that we're alone…" he winked suggestively.

In respond to the lewd look, Tai shoved the rest of the sandwich in his mouth and chewed. He shot Yamato a look from the corner of his eyes, and as he swallowed, licked his fingers clean.

Smirking, Yama curled his torso up, reaching with calloused hands and wrapping them around Tai's wrists. In one smooth motion he had pulled the wild-haired brunette over his lap and pressed his lips to the warm mouth.

Tai made a delighted sound, opening eagerly as his hands, freed so Yamato could explore his stomach, coursed along the arms to cup the face and bury fingers in the soft golden hair. Yama tasted faintly of cigarettes and gum, a sweet smoky flavor that was familiar, while Tai held the faint tang of mayo and slippery ham on his tongue.

A hand slipped under the edge of his shirt, skimming a soccer-honed stomach; Tai shivered, and kissed his blonde counterpart more urgently-

"I hate to interrupt," Koushiro called. "But someone's in the bathroom, and they won't come out."

Disengaging his mouth with a faint growl, Tai leaned back, knowing without looking that Koushiro would have his eyes averted, and stared at Yamato.

"In the bathroom?" Yama repeated, frowning and looking over the back of the couch. "Is it Daisuke?"

"There wasn't an answer, and the door was locked…"

Exchanging a solemn worried frown, Tai and Yamato both sat up and straightened their clothing. "You don't think-" Tai began.

"That Daisuke's done something?" Yamato finished. "I don't know…I think he's up to something, yes…but…"

"What exactly happened?" Tai glanced at Koushiro, eased himself over the slender blond and set his feet on the floor.

Koushiro fidgeted slightly, and inhaled softly. "That's the peculiar thing," he mumbled. "It closed before I could get close…"

<center>~=*=~</center>

They weren't fast enough to catch up to the elevator that Daisuke skidded into, nearly slamming into the opposite wall and smacking the buttons. He looked out, fierce determination strong in his face, as the doors hissed shut.

Inside, Daisuke heard the muted thump that signaled Takeru's frustrated blow to the metal, and a faint shout. He leaned against the wall, still panting hard, and shut his eyes fro a brief period. ~I'm coming,~ he thought, trying hard to project a sort of comfort to Ken. The words echoed in his skull, a mantra against the panic and urge to protect.

The doors whooshed open, chiming softly, and Daisuke opened his eyes to see the waiting hall. He darted out, twisted left and went three doors down…

He burst through, pausing inside the entrance just long enough to chuck off his shoes, heart thick and pounding in his throat. He didn't know what to expect, a dead Ken or nothing, or-

He looked down to see unfamiliar shoes, three pair, lined up neatly on the mat.

~They <i>are</i> here…~ he thought with a sinking sort of relief and dread. An uneasy cold mix, that emotion. "Oh, god."

~Ken…~

Heart thudding, feeling on edge and jumpy and somehow eerily calm, Daisuke walked into the living room, expecting to see a dead body-

-And there was no one there.

<center>~=*=~</center>

Tai was jiggling the knob, glaring at it while he pounded on the door with the other hand and muttering "Come on, open up!" while the other two Chosen merely sighed.

"Tai-" Yamato closed his eyes and groaned under his breath. "It's <i>locked</i>…"

"I <i>know </i>that!" the brunette snapped-and pounded on the door again.

"What-are you-doing?"

The three snapped their heads around at the unexpected and slightly breathless voice, and Tai took a step back from the door, his arm upraised. "Dai-you're-"

"Out here?" Yamato finished. ~He's…all sweaty…what was he <i>doing</i>?~

Chocolate eyes flickered. "Of course I am…what were you doing?"

"The door was locked-we thought you were inside…"

"Are the others with you?" Koushiro inquired. "You look like you've been running-"

Daisuke shrugged, still panting, faintly gleaming in the duller light. "Yeah, they'll be up soon. I went to meet them…but I didn't think you were coming here or-"

Yamato raised a brow, and noted the strange glance Daisuke shot the door. "Is something wrong?" he slid back against the wall, out of the way of an enthusiastic Tai who jiggled the knob one last time. "You're acting odd."

"Maybe he's been possessed," Tai offered. The others, including Daisuke, shot him a uneasy glance. Tai crossed his arms and muttered, "He's got ghosts in his bathroom…why can't he be possessed?"

"…ghosts?" Daisuke repeated, perplexed. "I've got ghosts?"

"Yeah, Koushiro said the door closed all by itself…ooooh…" Grinning, Tai wiggled fingers and laughed at the evil glare Koushiro shot him. "He doesn't get out much."

Daisuke shook his head with a faded smile, and stepped between Tai and the door. "The others will be up soon-and they'll say some pretty funky stuff…you guys trust me-"

The door to the apartment took that moment to slam open, filling the silence with a sharp splintering sound, and then the babble of raised voices.

"-right?" Daisuke finished. "You <i>have </i>to trust me…"

"They-something's wrong!" Tai exclaimed, barely hearing to the shorter Chosen. "Kari?!" he cried out in the next breath. Then, in a burst of energy, he pushed past the others and disappeared out into the living room. Yamato, giving the two redheads a puzzled glance, followed him.

Koushiro made to follow-

-And Daisuke grabbed his arm, looking up at him with urgency. "No, Koushiro-I need you!" he whispered just as urgently.

"Dai?" Surprised by the strength in the grip and the vibrant emotions, Koushiro could only stare helplessly. "What-?"

But Daisuke was already facing the door again, and pounded a fist against the wood. "Open up! It's me!"

Taichi yelled out something that sounded like "you're <i>kidding</i>" in the background-a sound Koushiro recognized from earlier adventures. His head turned to the side, the entire events seeming strange and surrealistic, and missed the subtle sound of the lock unlatching.

"<i>Daisuke</i>!" came Taichi's voice, and the sound of pounding feet.

Daisuke twisted the knob, shouldering it open and yanking Koushiro in behind him, startling the older boy and sending him sprawling from the slick floor with a yelp of dismay. As Koushiro landed in an undignified heap, Daisuke turned neatly on his heel, most likely from practice, and slammed the door shut, locking it.

"What the hell?" Koushiro picked himself up on his stinging hands, and decided to crash onto his butt, legs stretched out before him. "What's <i>wrong</i> with you?"

Sudden pounding echoed in the small chamber as Taichi yelled out through the door to open it immediately. Daisuke merely inhaled shakily, and took a step back. "I-" he turned his head.

"Well?" Koushiro snapped, looking up from his skinned hands to see Daisuke staring-

-past him, into a corner, and whispering "Oh…no…" in a horrified little voice.

A chill skittered down Koushiro's spine, and he twisted around to look as Daisuke pushed past him and fell roughly to his knees and-

-and saw a pale outstretched form crumpled up against the wall.

Out of shock, he said the first thing that popped into his head. "There's a dead body in your bathroom."

Daisuke was cursing under his breath, reaching out to grab thin shoulders, bruised and scratched, ignoring the slightly hysteric words against the louder threats and pounding from beyond the door. He slid the body away from the wall-and Koushiro noticed a familiar head of spiky blue hair reveal itself as Daisuke turned the boy onto his back.

"There's a dead <i>Kaizer</i> in your bathroom." Koushiro paused to organize his thoughts. "<i>Why </i>is there a <i>Kaizer </i>in your bathroom?!"

Daisuke looked up, his expression heated. "This <i>isn't the Kaizer</i>!" he said. "Trust me, okay? This is something completely different…"

"Sure," Koushiro said in a faint voice.

<i> "Koushiro! Daisuke! Open the damn door!" </i>

Ignoring the shouting, Daisuke lifted the limp form into his arms, cradling the head as he shook the shoulder gently. Koushiro scooted forward, feeling foolish, feeling out of control, and got his first good look at the body. "What happened to him?" he asked in a tiny voice. "He looks…"

"It's part of the reason I needed to talk to you first," Daisuke said. "All I found out so far is that he's been hurt…by the <i>real</i> Kaizer." Pausing, he brushed away the hair from a pale and sweaty face, revealing dried blood and faint tracks of recent tears.

"I don't understand…" was the statement Koushiro rarely used.

"Is it…possible…that someone can divide himself into two different people?"

"Now I'm <i>really</i> lost…Are you saying that this is a <i>piece</i> of the Kaizer? But <i>not</i> him?" He watched the redhead nod. "It <i>shouldn't</i> be possible!"

"I think so…come on, Ken, wake up!" he whispered. "I don't know <i>why</i> he's like this-I didn't leave him here like this!"

Koushiro expertly turned the wrist over in his hand for a pulse, his hands trembling at the recent and still bleeding bite, and said, "He bit his wrist…he's covered with bruises and cuts and scratches…Daisuke, this 'Kaizer', his twin, did this to him?"

"That's not all," Daisuke replied. "There's some sort of programming on him-I think he's a clone of sorts, and now the program thing keeps him from talking, or writing. It's…it's like he was made to be destroyed. And Wormmon said that he was ringed…but I don't know what else he's been programmed under…"

Thoughts raced through his head, and Koushiro dropped the skinny wrist. "Program? Ring?" he murmured, and settled back on his heels. ~It's <i>couldn't</i> be possible…it defied the laws of physics and-~

~But then, so did the Digital world.~

Koushiro raked hands through his messy short hair. "Daisuke, I don't know <i>how</i> he could have done this! Yeah, great, there are two Kaizers, one evil and one good. But how…I have no idea."

"I <i>know</i> that if we can just break the voice program, Ken would be able to tell us! I can't understand how a Dark ring could keep someone in a different body and block memories and keep them from talking-"

"Wait, slow down-memories? Different body?" Koushiro waved his hands and privately, thought, ~Ken?~

Daisuke gazed downwards, then up to stare Koushiro in the face with a frank open conviction. "I don't know how, but I can tell what he means, sometimes. And he showed me his picture-he's kinda different looking in the real world. And he said he had 'holes in his mind' before I left…"

Koushiro inhaled slowly, his gaze blanking out as his mind dropped into a semi-overdrive. "Considering that the Dark rings are basically programming in physical form-they're used to control and force mental commands-it's not that difficult to make the step to humans. In fact, <i>my</i>theory is that <i>we become </i>digitalized during our time in the Digital world. So, now putting these pieces together, I assume that the Kaizer was somehow able to program a Dark ring, and split his identity into separate lines of code and-well, I have no idea how he created another body. But it's apparently possible…" The Child of Knowledge took a moment to breath and considered his words. "Damn…" he said softly. "This is bad."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"If he's figured out how to program a ring to take a human under control…we could be in more danger than usual. Plus, there's the possibility that he could be modifying his own body, and adding strength and skill and power…there's no telling just what he can do now…"

"I…" With another slow glance, Daisuke raised his head. "They've stopped shouting," he remarked.

"Are you going to let them in?"

"I-I didn't-they weren't <i>listening</i> to me!" the younger Chosen bit his lip. "I don't want the others to hurt him…I promised him that…"

"I understand," Koushiro nodded. "You should bandage his wrist-I'll go talk to Tai."

With the sudden tension missing from his frame, shoulders slumped, Daisuke looked up gratefully, his eyes flickering in relief, and nodded once. "Should I clean him up?"

Koushiro, unexpectedly, grinned over his shoulder. "No, they're suckers for 'wounded' things."

And Daisuke thought with a sudden secretive smile, that Koushiro was more than he appeared. But the thought passed, and his attention returned to Ken. ~What could have happened?~ Fingers brushed over the curve of a faded bruise, fluttering over the pale clammy skin. Eyes were closed tightly against the world, and Daisuke had to keep himself from wiping the dried smears of blood from his mouth.

~I wasn't gone that long…I shouldn't have left…~ In the back of his head he heard Koushiro yelling through the door at Tai, declaring he was being a "damn obstinate idiot" and fought down another smile. His insides, however, were shaking in the opposite emotion, panic and concern all roiled into one. He felt like yelling as loud as Tai was, and for no reason. He felt like going to the Digital world and killing something. He felt too many emotions to name and categorize, flashing through his head like heat lightening. Now, staring into the pale face, it seemed that he was waiting for that explosive sound of the thunder…

"Come on, Ken…it's me…it's okay…" ~Was it something I did?~

Koushiro shot an apprehensive and mildly surprised look to the unusually tender Chosen, cradling a pale imitation of their enemy in his arms and whispering like his world was ending…

~Whoever he is…Daisuke cares…~ He knew look in those chocolate eyes, something familiar to Koushiro, something seen many times in the eyes of several friends. Inside, the redhead fought back an unseemly giggle, and turned his head to the door as Tai suddenly yelled out <i> "Fine! Just open the door, dammit!" </i>

~Don't say I didn't warn you,~ he thought, raising a brow and smirking. He unlocked the door.

The first thing he heard was, "What the <i>hell</i> are you smoking?" from an enraged Tai, as the door slid open to reveal a group of faces all tensed with worry. The mild smirk grew into a grin and a raised brow, making Tai snarl at him, as he glanced around to see Yamato's equally angry face. Then, shrugging, he stepped back and to the side to allow them unrestricted view.

"Just the usual," he said nonchalantly.

"Then it's some pretty funky shit-"

"Oh my god!" Hikari gasped out, catching a glimpse before the others, and the growled words simply shut off as Tai looked into the room fro the first time. His anger drained away quickly and effectively as a popped bubble.

Daisuke, with the limp bruised and frail boy propped up against him, was concentrating on wrapping a makeshift bandage around a bloody and bitten wrist. He didn't look up or acknowledge the soft flurry of sounds the team began to make as each of them came to realize what exactly Dai had meant by 'not the Kaizer…'

"Holy shit," someone sounding like Takeru whispered from past the door.

"Dai…"

"-He wasn't lying…" Miyako whispered in an appalled little voice.

"Of course I wasn't," Daisuke snapped, shooting a protective and fierce glare. "Why <i>would</i> I lie to you guys?"

"…trap?" Yamato offered.

"Does he <i>look</i> like a trap? He's been beaten and God knows what else…" Koushiro nearly gave in to the urge to hit at him. "Believe me, I thought of that too."

"What's going on?" Tai asked plaintively, and slumped against the wall.

"Dai's been saying that he's not the Kaizer-" Takeru offered. "But he <i>looks</i> like him…"

"From what I've heard," Koushiro replied, nodding. "This is only <i>part</i> of the Kaizer…the original boy from before he came to the digital world. The good side to the Kaizer…So, while he's here, the Kaizer is still in the Digital world…and if he's capable of doing <i>that</i>, then we underestimated him. And that," he pointed to the boy, "is our proof."

"Sure," Yamato waved an absent hand. "That can't be possible, can it, Koushiro?"

Nodding, Koushiro folded his arms. "It's <i>entirely </i>possible. I just never thought of it before-no one has, apparently. He must have been a genius to figure it out."

"He <i>is</i>, actually," Daisuke replied, a sardonic smile ill-suited on his features. "Chosen-"

-The silence fell suddenly, and Dai looked up-