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Crow forced the muscles in his neck to turn his head towards the Kioko's battle. He caught the action just in time to see the explosion between them. The fight was definitely getting dangerous between them, he felt that it should end immediately lest they both be put in danger by the circumstances. In a moment Crow stopped resisting the corrupting influence of the other side in favor of freeing his movement. He dashed across the room in his warped time state. He positioned himself to the side of the creature, but far away enough so that he was not put so close to the crystal as to increase its power over him. From here, having moved too fast for the creature to see he extended his palm and released yet another powerful stream of condensed Ki energy. This time it moved faster than usual, and left behind strange black streaks akin to the crystals.

The experiment could no longer maneuver, wild attacks and unusual defense had drained the experiments power, and now all that was left was a shell. It did however have one last desperate line of attack. As the bright beam of light came down on it, there were no severe movements made. It braced itself, and the attack passed straight through it, leaving a scorching tunnel where it passed. Here, the incarnate of elementals deconstructed its weakened body, mustering all energies held in its physical body. When it had disappeared all that was left was a pulsing torrent of energies from the magical realm. It remained there for several seconds before it performed its duty, rocketing itself towards Kioko.

Crow didn't realize what was happening with the opponent until too late, Kioko had already made maneuvers to deal with the energy herself, if he interfered he didn't know how it might affect the situation. He watched in desperation while Kioko attempted to handle the energy, and while he was temporarily relaxed as the arcane spell absorbed the magic. However he saw the drastic after effects, then rushed in to look for some way to help. He laid his hand on her back to help balance her, but when he did he felt the dark energy quickly creep up his arm. He slowly removed it and as he shifted to look around his knee skidded into something. He looked down and saw a vial filled with strange liquid. On impulse, and partial hopeful thinking he quickly snatched it up and removed to seal. With Kioko being pulled into the dark contagion's power if there was a time it was needed it was now. He threw back his head and downed the contents, the effects were felt immediately as it seeped directly into his blood. The liquid made its way directly for Crow's skull, and seeped into his brain, there it began to produce a horrible burning that drove Crow too to double over. Wracked with pain he ground his teeth, the only thought he could muster being hopes that he would be able to see the effects very soon. To his fortune, it was the case, seconds later the pain began to wane, and Crow, even being disoriented immediately knew what had just happened. Forgetting his throbbing skull he stood up and grabbed Kioko by the shoulders, standing her up with him. His body began to glow with blue light in a familiar manner, his purification technique, but this would be different.

"C'mon, Kioko. Hold on..."

In a moment his body blazed much brighter than ever before using this ability as he screamed its name.

"Kikou!"

A flash of light and a surging wave thereof left Crow and spread through out the room, pushing away and purifying all in the vicinity. It pushed the plague from Crow's arms, out of Kioko's body, and finally, blasted the dark energy of the crystals which subsequently cracked and began to fade in color. Crow continued to old on to his friend's frame, searching for signs of consciousness.

At first Crow simply nodded in response, slow to break old habits. He showed a slight smile as she seemed to calm down. He was fairly overjoyed in the fact that the battle was finally done. He too could feel the dark energy creeping back to him, but at least it was not brought out by the corruption of the crystals.

"Yeah, it's over now. Heh, that was pretty amazing, good job" He said calmly while he patted her shoulders to make sure she could stand before releasing her. He looked around for a moment, glancing at the crystals for a moment, then towards the outcropping from which the doctor should have still been watching. He felt remorse in the fact that they had to destroy those creatures, but he was never sure that they might be saved in the first place, or even of what they were.

"Indeed, I was not expecting the trump card to be used so soon, but still, these are the effects. A simple concoction I created the same day I removed his ability to speak, if there ever came a day I felt it was needed again. Adequate timing on your part Kioko, the allure of your second natures are great, so it is necessary not to be overwhelmed. I can certainly place my confidence in the hands of your powers, the two of you." The doctor spoke and echoed through the room in his two-toned voice after a long absence. He reached for the controls for the elevator, but stopped, and listened very carefully. Instead his hand went to rest next to another lever. "Crow, Kioko, I appreciate your calm cooperation during these events, certainly there are none better to fulfill the tasks ahead. I know much of this organization, possibly more so than the master of the entire operation, however I do not know all. Trust that if I had the knowledge and time, I would reveal to you the answers to all your questions. But our time too seems to be limited, so I would ask that if you have questions for me, ask them now, or wait to find them yourselves." Again he paused, listening. While there was that which he must inform them of, quid pro quo was not out of the question.

((I think, perhaps, enough time has past.))

Angelo and Ventus exited the shaft slowly. Angelo's face was a mix of emotions. There was horror there, as well as fear. There was also anger, a deep seething rage bubbling and boiling below his calm surface. What he had seen had shocked and moved him in ways he did not expect, changed the way he saw his life. But, it wasn't complete. There were parts that were fuzzy, parts that didn't make sense. There must be more...
But, first, he had to find Kioko and Crow. They were the other reason he had made this dangerous trek. Plus, if anyone could help him with what he'd seen, he had a feeling Kioko would be the one.
"Come on, Ventus..." He said. "Let's be quick."
Ventus pulled them up. He, too, was shocked. Emotionally, he felt strange and queasy. Like he wasn't quite sure how it all fit together anymore.

"Hm, our time limit as you state it, is now. It's reason is that such outrageous powers as your own being unleashed in all their glory is sure to be noticed. You have further purpose, purpose not meant to be hindered under the eyes of justice by those who may have taken notice to the commotion. Certainly you may understand that in underground matters in a place as busy as this subtlety is a luxury we could not afford." The doctor took a moment to push the switch he had rested his hand next to, making sure that he gave himself and the experiments as much time alone as possible. "As for your task, it is your decision as to whether or not you would like to take it upon yourselves. After all, you are the beings that it will effect most, and soon I will no longer have the ability to guide or force your hands. Your task, that I suggest you undertake for the sake of your own sanity, is to release from their bonds your fellow experiments. The purpose of this is to learn of a place only few of them may remember, and that place is where you may learn where the evil of the laboratory experiments took root. If you may come upon such wisdom, go to this place, known as frequently as it appears as 'The Dome'. Finding the exact location will be difficult, no doubt, however if you decide to go on in life without, I wouldn't expect them to be in peace of mind, my own certainly hasn't. Now, do you have any more questions? Or is more explanation needed?" The doctor waited for a response as the static voices stopped transmitting into the arena below.

The dome, Where had kioko heard of the name before? It seemed as if a long lost memory meant or tried to be forgotten. She searched long and hard through her thoughts, of the time when she helped her friends escape, of the recent encounter with the 'Naturals' who learned to use their powers without experimentations. Kioko's thoughts brought her back to her childhood with her brother Ryo. Then it clicked.

"the dome, the place where you 'raised us.'" Kioko said quoting her hands around 'raised us.'

"No wonder why as kids my brother and I were never bullied or picked on by other people." She said realizing everything.

Up until they were old enough to be brought into the lab itself, Ryo and her were in a town-like place. there were other people, but now Kioko wasn't sure if they were actually there or not. But Ryo always talked about going to the 'outside world' after he was taken into the lab before she had been. She'd never realize that the place they grew up wasn't the actual real world. And when she was taken to the lab, they had tried to erase that memory and replace it with fake ones.

"Doctor, why you of all people, want us to release the other experiments?" she asked looking up.