*EGC exterior, Lain and Synthesis are wrapped up in battle*
Synthesis: Be a good girl and die, would you?! *she flings several bolts of energy which Lain blocks with a shield of energy*
Lain: Pathetic. *several purple balls appear around Synthesis and explode violently* Did I win?
Synthesis: *appearing from behind* Who are you targeting? I'm right here!
*Synthesis lashes out again but Lain blocks them. They float around in circles, colliding in and out as they attack eachother.*
Lain: Give up, my powers are granted by the WIRED and they are without limit.
Synthesis: *grins* Heh.
*Synthesis folds her hands across her body*
Synthesis:
The Devil's own power brought to bear,
Soaked in blackness from the dark pools of Hell,
I cast His baleful breath upon thee!
Lain: What's this? *she raises her barrier*
Synthesis: ULTIMATE DARKNESS!
*Synthesis opens her mouth wide and a giant stream of dark energy shoots out at Lain. The initial blast is so powerful that it crumbles her shield within seconds. Lain writhes in pain as she is engulfed in dark flames. She spirals to the ground.*
Lain: *weakly* H-how..?
Synthesis: *floating down and standing over Lain's body* Your powers may be great but they are rooted in the WIRED. This _isn't_ the WIRED. *she grabs Lain by the throat* Die.
*Suddenly, Synthesis' eyes go wide and blood escapes her mouth. She looks down and a dagger is piereced through her chest. She drops Lain and turns around as Mira pulls the dagger out.*
Mira: I'm sorry to intrude but I saw you were distracted.
Synthesis: W-why?
Mira: Call it a message from 'nii-chan'. He's sort of busy right now, killing the Authoress and what not.
*Mira grabs Synthesis from behind and brings the curved knife to her throat*
Mira: Besides, some family secrets were meant to stay buried.
Synthesis: No! Nii-chan!
*Mira pulls the knife across cleanly and decapitates Synthesis. She stands up and pulls out a pokeball which absorbs Synthesis' head and body together inside.*
Mira: Hmm.. how handy. *she casts a look to Lain but does nothing and disappears
Lain: *still hurt badly* *cough* Mother...
*Behind her, Rio has appeared, without Atsuko*
Rio: Hello, daughter. What mischief have you been up to?
Lain: Come to gloat in my dying hour?
Rio: Hardly. I'm your mother and I would not disown you even if you destroyed the world, you said so yourself.
*Rio raises her hands and yellow energy streams forth in swirling strands of odd Matrix-like code. It circles around Lain's body in a spiral fashion until it is absorbed.*
Rio: It will take time for you to heal. But until then...
Lain: But?
Rio: Please understand, I'm the mother, I have to play the part. For your disobedience, I'm afraid you need to be sent to your room to think about what you've done.
*Lain disappears. Atsuko appears beside Rio.*
Atsuko: That seemed harsh, don't you think?
Rio: I'll raise my children the way I see fit, you do the same with yours.
Atsuko: Where did you send her? Back to the WIRED?
Rio: Heavens no! I sent her someplace safe.
Atsuko: Safe? But where is the safest place for her to be?
Rio: Why a subspace pocket inside the Hell Labyrinth.