4Chapter 16: Trials of Shadow and Light
Audric closed his eyes as he heard the announcement. A trial...
"I thought so," a woman said in a low voice, reminding him that the connection to Aunitia was still open.
"What do you mean?" Just what do you mean, you thought so?
"Forgive me, but I had been informed that the Guardian would be paying you a visit. I was asked not to tell any of you."
"I see."
"Audric, are you prepared?" the Guardian asked, voice booming in the small room.
He sighed and stood up. "Yes."
Dea nodded and said, "Good luck. Aruleia's grace be with you."
The screen went blank and within a blink of an eye, the scientist vanished.
0000000000
Alita looked right at Gillian and asked, "Answer me this: A trial as in a test or a trial as in for criminals?"
"May I tell her?" the wizard asked.
"No. Saaru, you will find out once you arrive. Are you ready?"
She replied, "Ready as I'll ever be. Let's do it!"
Gillian heard a noise and turned around. A metal container had fallen to the floor, and after he had picked it up and turned back, she had already vanished.
0000000000
Flora was in her room when she heard the voice. At first she merely closed her eyes and prayed when she heard the reason for Audric and Alita being summoned. His next few words, though, surprised her.
"Light Avatar Flora, you will come as well."
"What? Why? Is it for a trial too?"
"No. Your business with me is a different one."
Do it.
Aruleia?
I understand what is going on. Go with the Guardian.
"All right. We—I mean I'm ready."
0000000000
The next thing Flora knew, she was standing in what seemed to be outer space. All around her, the stars twinkled and meteors went by every once in a while. "Wow!" she said, then gasped in surprise.
What-? Outer...space? How come I can breathe then?
"Hey, where are we?" she heard a second voice, identifying it as Alita's. She looked around and found her standing a short distance away, on her left.
"We can't be in outer space." That was from Audric. He stood right beside the young swordswoman, on her right.
"You are right, yet you are also wrong."
All three looked around, trying to find the source of the voice that had brought them all here.
"Don't be alarmed," he continued, and now it sounded like he was right behind Alita and Audric. They turned to find a large being that looked more like a cross between a human and a rhino. He floated in the air, adorned in a robe.
"You're the Guardian Gillian mentioned?" the scientist asked.
"Yes. Where we stand now is the Time Nexus."
"How can that be?" Flora asked, "Where I was before was a mist covered place, and Gillian described another-"
"Yes. Both places, as well as here, are all different parts of the same location. This place also has several names. The place where all time meets and the Time Nexus are only two of them. Now..."
"You mentioned a trial. Are...are we being accused of some crime?" Alita asked, "How about you tell us what's going on?"
Audric winced at her words, as did Flora. The scientist was about to tell the young woman to watch her mouth, but from the look of surprise and abashed set to her mouth, Jayce had already done so.
The being simply laughed rather heartily. "Blunt and to the point! I like you!" he said as he clapped her on the shoulder, sending her forward a little. "Don't worry, it's not the kind of trial you're thinking about."
"I see," she replied, breathing a sigh of relief.
"However, you'd do best to take it as seriously," he continued, his tone changing accordingly. He turned and asked, "Flora, do you remember an incident involving a creature called Light-Eater?"
"Yes, I do. We were lured somewhere, led by the reacting Root. Each of the Lightning League members were put into some very bad situations. From what the others said when we talked about it later, we had to live with what we most feared."
"That's mostly right, but not quite. Each of the members had to face their worst fears. Had any of you succumbed to them, your souls would have been forever under his control."
Her eyes widened in fear. "A-all of us?"
"Yes, and in your case, that would include Her as well."
Flora gulped slightly.
"There is a ritual relevant to the War of the Light and the Ascension. In it, those in the forefront of battle, bearing Light and Lightning as their cause, must face their worst fears, their Shadows. Those that fail forfeit their lives. This is known as the Trial of Light and Shadow."
"Is the Lightning League going to have to undergo it?" the Light Avatar asked.
"No. It's been decided that since most of you went through it once with the Light-Eater incident, there is no need to do so again. However..."
"What is it?" Audric asked.
"There are two of your group that have not undergone the Trial."
Alita felt a sinking feeling in her chest as she said, "Audric...and me."
"Correct."
"So, the two of us have to take the Trial, huh? What happens if we pass?"
"If you both pass, we will fully align ourselves with not only the Lightning League, but the side of Light, as per our vows. If you both fail, your lives are lost, as well as the final chance to stop Saw Boss and the Black Wave."
"Talk about tall orders," she replied.
"You scared?" Flora asked.
Be honest.
"Yeah, I am," she answered reluctantly, "Seeing my worst fears, facing my worst self...of course I am. But that's not gonna change anything, will it?"
"No, it won't," Audric agreed, "I'll admit, I'm nervous about the idea, too. But-"
"I'll do it anyway," the two of them said at the same time. They realized the timing of their answers and laughed.
"Okay, so let's go. Bring on the Trial, I say," Alita said.
"Wait. Before you begin, Saaru Alita, one other thing must be done."
"What is it?"
"I know what it is that you bear around your neck...and I know who is inside. Before your Trial begins, the being within Flora will have to place your Dataform in a deep sleep."
"What? Why?" she asked, shocked.
"One of the conditions of the Trial is for there to be no interference whatsoever. This is your Trial and yours alone."
"How long is he going to be asleep?"
"Until your Trial concludes. She will awaken him again, should you succeed. Am I right, Sa Eminare?"
Flora looked as though she were listening to something nobody else could hear. "She says, 'That's right. I'll awaken him if you pass, so don't worry.'"
Alita sighed. Sorry.
That's okay. He's right, you'll have to do this alone. But Lita...I believe in you.
Thanks.
She then said, "Okay...go ahead and do it. Let's get this over with."
Flora came over to her, motioning Alita to bend down a little. When the older woman did, she placed her hand on the amulet and closed her eyes.
I'll teach you the spell. Repeat after me. Faai solara...
"Faai solara..."
Lunastei, Dataform!
"Lunastei, Dataform!"
A golden energy passed through Flora, travelling through her arm and into the amulet. Alita could already tell that he was falling asleep, and within seconds, she couldn't feel anything from him.
"It's done," Flora spoke.
"Good. Now, let the Trial begin!" He gestured towards the scientist and older woman, bathing them in pillars of light for mere moments before they disappeared.
"What about me? Is that all you wanted me for?" Flora asked.
"No. Now, we must go to yet another section of this place, where the other Guardians of Existence await us."
"Why?"
"We need to see how far or close you are to fulfilling your own destiny."
0000000000
"Lita! Heeeyy, Lita!"
That familiar, nasally voice was the first thing Alita heard after disappearing from...
From? From where?
"Hey! You're sleeping on your feet? You work too hard again?"
She shook her head distractedly and looked around her, getting her bearings. The buildings had the columns that seemed to grow from the ground up, and she could smell Aunitian bison burgers...
This is near the cafe, on Maetel!
"Lita!"
Now she looked in the direction that the voice came from. Surely enough, Mia Willse was sitting at one of the patio tables, eating one of the burgers and drinking Maetel grape-water.
"Mia? What are you doing here?"
"Does that really matter right now? C'mere, you look bushed."
"No, I'm fine. Just been really busy."
Her face darkened into an expression that Alita had seen a few times.
"Busy? I'll bet. You've been space-hoppin' so much you haven't thought once about me or your family, have you?"
"Hey now, that's not true-"
"Oh? Is that so?"
The new voice, a Japanese male, came from right behind her. Alita turned around and saw none other than Kaoru Saaru.
"Father? You too?"
"Do you really think that these...friends," he continued, saying the word with disgust, "are going to keep their word to get you home?"
"What do you mean?"
"Once your purpose is finished, they'll abandon you. You'll never return to Japan."
She shook her head. "Audric isn't like that."
"Ha! You may be intelligent, but you're incredibly naïve if you think that. He's the dishonorable one that created those creatures to begin with. How can any of his words be trusted?"
Alita shook her head again, anger and pain rising from her chest.
"Speakin' of which, best I tell you somethin'...if you think you'll ever fit in, you're dead wrong. You're gonna be an outcast for the rest of your life," Mia interjected, "And you know why."
"Why? Just because I'm American-born in Japan? That's ridiculous."
"Use your head, girl! That thing around your neck is the true cause!" Kaoru spat out, "That caused the accident that killed your real parents! That is why you never got along with anyone in the foster system, and it's why you never fit in in Japan or here!"
She gripped her head, voice shaking a little. "No..."
"Stop running from reality!" he snapped at her and pulled her hands down forcefully.
0000000000
Audric heard a very familiar, sinister laugh and quickly checked his own surroundings. There were vines everywhere, in the hallways, over the monitors, over the data consoles-
Data consoles...I remember this place! It's our old lab, now Saw Boss's headquarters!
Before he could say or think anything else, he felt a double pulsing on his chest. He looked down and found not only his own Root, but Jayce's as well, without a golden covering, but reverted back to its original medallion's state.
How did I get this? Jayce isn't inside...
"Well well, Audric..."
"Saw Boss! Why did you bring me here?"
"You claim to be wise for a human, so how about you use your brain a little?"
"You're not getting the Roots, if that's what you're after."
The Monster Mind leader let out a loud, haughty laugh, then replied, "Oh, I will, unless you don't mind adding another life to your conscience."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Behold!"
The air to the right of the evil plant shimmered, and after a moment, a familiar person began to coalesce. When the scientist saw who it was, his eyes widened.
"Jayce!" he called and started to run towards him. Two of the Monster Minds stopped him before he could get very far by grabbing his arms.
Jayce stood still, arms outstretched. His eyes were closed, and it was hard to tell if he was in stasis or merely sleeping.
It was now that Saw Boss walked into the room. Once he was near the center, he continued, "I extracted him from where he was. Right now, I have him on the threshold that exists between worlds."
"He's been in the Vortex before and survived."
"True, but I am talking about a place he won't escape from...the Void."
That would be the one place he couldn't survive in, as a Dataform or not.
"I'll make this quite simple for you," Saw Boss spoke, "You have a choice: Give me both Roots, and I'll revive your son, in this world. Join them together, and I'll cast him completely into the Void!"
0000000000
Flora and the Guardian of Time walked side-by-side down one of the spacial corridors, not speaking. Her mind was filled with questions that not even the child Aruleia would answer.
Just what are they going to do to me?
You'll find out. Don't worry, it's not going to harm you.
Have you done this before?
Oh yes...many, many times. More times than I care to think about...
"We're here. Now, say nothing unless you are spoken to until the test begins. Understood?"
"Yes."
"Good," he replied and walked forward, disappearing as though he had passed through a curtain. Flora followed right behind him.
The area before her was quite different than before. In here was a room, made of what looked like either white marble or ivory. The walls were covered in not only pictures, but also writing, in a language that seemed alien, yet familiar to her. In the center of the room were four, pure white pillars, completely covered in the strange writing.
Five beings stood in an incomplete circle, each wearing different colored robes. Two looked human, one was a Tengu, another looked to be a cross between a cat and a girl and the other looked like a stone golem.
The golem spoke first, his voice sounding rough, "Who comes to this sacred gathering?"
"I am the Guardian of Time. I come with the Vessel."
One of the two humans, a woman with dark red hair, sniffed and hmphed. The young teenager's eyes widened as she saw that she had a red fox's tail. She asked in a disinterested tone, "If you be the Vessel, speak your name."
"My name's Flora."
The other human, a man with flowing, silver hair and silver eyes spoke next. "If you be the Vessel of Aruleia, come forth. Step into the center of our circle."
Do what they say, and don't object.
She nodded, both to the Guardians and to the voice in her mind and began to walk slowly and steadily, with the Guardian of Time behind her. As she approached, the humanoid fox gestured to the single space that was open. She nodded, but said nothing as she saw a slightly raised platform.
Stand there.
Flora complied quickly, walking onto the platform.
Turn around.
As she did so, she saw that the Guardian of Time stepped into the vacant spot, effectively closing the circle.
"Now, until we say otherwise, do not exit the circle. Comply with whatever you are told." he spoke to her.
"Yes."
The fox woman spoke first. "We stand here, again at the threshold of destiny. We will see for ourselves if you truly are the Vessel of Aruleia. I am the Guardian of Nature." She took out a green staff that was intertwined with leaves.
The silver man took his staff, one covered in silver with carved letters, and said, "I am the Guardian of Divinity. I will know at once if the Angel of Light is within you."
The golem brought his own staff, made completely of stone, out from beneath his robes. "I am the Guardian of the Life Cycle."
He never did talk much, Aruleia said dryly to Flora. After a split second, she continued, Wait. Something feels wrong.
What do you mean?
I feel deception in the air. Flora, keep going for now, but be careful. I'll need time to figure out where it's coming from.
All right.
The Tengu brought out his own staff, this one obsidian black, glittering with what looked to be stardust. "I am the Guardian of Space."
The staff that the cat girl brought out was surprisingly plain and wooden, although Flora thought she could smell faint traces of catnip on it. "I'm the Guardian of Judgement. Do be a purrrrfectly good girl, will you?"
The remaining one, the humanoid rhino, took out his own staff, made of silver and blue, shaped like the sign of Infinity. "I am the Guardian of Time. Now, let us begin the ritual."
All six Guardians raised their staves, pointing them directly at Flora. Within seconds, six beams of light , each a different color, fired.
0000000000
Alita tried to calm herself by taking deep breaths, but it wasn't helping much.
"We know a way to change your fate," a woman's voice spoke, and this one came from Alita's left.
Haruka Saaru walked forward, holding a tall glass of clear fluid in her hands. "We want you to take this glass and drink it."
"Drink it? How's that going to change anything?"
"It'll get you fixed, Lita," Mia replied, then reached for her glass of water. "Drink it and you'll get home, fast."
"Not only that, but when you come home, you'll never worry about fitting in again. Everyone will accept you just as you are," Kaoru added.
Haruka stopped walking when she was just in front of her daughter and placed the glass in her hands.
"Is it really that simple? Just drink it and my problems are over?"
"'course it is! It doesn't even taste bad, either," Mia exclaimed with a giggle.
"What about him?"
"Him who?"
"The Dataform! What'll happen to him?"
Haruka laughed and answered, "It'll be deleted. Not just from your body, but from all existence."
"You're saying it'll kill him?"
"Well, if he were a livin' being, it'd be death, ya. But that thing's nothing but trouble. It's just data, not a real person. It's no different than deleting files from a computer."
"Mia is right, Alita. This is the only way, and the only chance you'll get," Haruka agreed, "If you don't drink it, you'll never come home, and you'll never fit in, whether it's in Japan or out there. An eternal outcast."
"Drink from the glass, Alita," Kaoru ordered.
Alita looked right into the glass, pondering what to do.
"You need to decide, and quickly," her mother added.
Alita raised the glass slowly, which made the familiar faces smile...then she threw it down onto the ground, shattering it completely and the wet contents spread outward.
"You silly girl! Do you realize what you've done?" Kaoru thundered.
"Yes, I do," she answered, "Drinking that would fix everything, but it's the easy way out...the way of the coward."
"How dare you!"
"How dare you say that with my father's face? None of you are real, that's for sure, but the Dataform sure is, and I'm not about to murder an innocent!"
"You'll never belong anywhere!" Mia snapped at her.
"If that's my fate, so be it."
"You'll never come home again!"
"So what? My father would rather I not have blood on my hands or conscience, and neither would I!"
"Hah! You already have blood on your hands."
"Yes, I've taken lives since I got here, but they were lives of evil creatures. I won't kill an innocent, especially not for a coward's way out!"
"You know that thing will take you over someday. You'll lose your identity!" Haruka inserted.
Alita felt a chill run down her spine. That's dirty pool.
She took a deep breath and said, "Like I said, if that's my fate, then so be it. I'm not listening to you monsters anymore," she snapped, then turned her back on them.
"Come back here, you dishonorable whelp!" Kaoru snapped.
"Good bye," Alita replied coldly and walked away. As soon as she left the block where the cafe was, she was bathed in light and vanished.
0000000000
Audric looked between three places: the still, lifeless Jayce, the two Roots that were around his neck and at Sawboss.
Sacrifice the universe...or my son, he thought, something that no parent should ever have to choose. Jayce...
Before he could speak, he saw, in his mind, the incident on Kitta III, as though he were living that time all over again. He saw as Jayce used the Ring to save him, Dea and protect his own allies, then let himself fall through the portal that led into the Vortex.
"Well? You do want the boy returned to you, don't you?"
Audric looked up at Sawboss, then took both Roots into his hands, one in each. He then closed his eyes and whispered a prayer before he put his hands together, the medallions back to back.
"You fool! Does his life mean nothing to you? You're more heartless than I thought."
"You're wrong," Audric replied, "Jayce means everything to me. But I also know what he would want."
Light began to appear between the cracks in his clasped hands, and he felt a growing warmth as the two Roots began to combine. The plants within the medallions quickly broke free from the containers and the glass shards cut the palms. Even then, he held them closed.
"I know what he would do," he continued as the light grew brighter and spread, outlining his body.
Sawboss hmphed and stood. He moved an arm upward and said, "Last chance, old man. Abort what you're doing while you can!"
Audric ignored him and continued, "I know what he chose!"
Right then was an explosion of light. As his hands were forced apart by the Root that he had been holding. As he looked, he saw that they were now one and had turned white.
Sawboss roared with anger and made a pushing motion with his hand. At the same instant, a wind blew that sent Jayce flying into a dark, black oval.
The last thing he saw before the light enveloped his sight was his son's body vanishing into the darkness.
0000000000
Flora stood in the center of the Guardians' circle, trying not to cry out in pain. Each of the six beams felt different. One was cold, one warm, one was pleasant...but one of them was painful. Every few moments, each of the Guardians would speak in a language that she had never heard before, and Aruleia would answer, using the teenager's mouth.
Kuela...Hamae...Eta...Kuela...Hamae...Eta...
Flora...listen and listen quickly. When I tell you a beam's color, I want you to feel it out, see if there is anything...negative within it.
Okay. Is someone trying to kill us?
Very astute. Now...Green!
Flora focused on the green beam, coming from the west.
It feels warm.
Brown!
There was a pause, then she replied with, Feels kind.
Black!
Cold, like space.
Hmm...keep that in mind...Gray!
Hard, like rocks, but also cool.
Silver!
After a moment, Flora gasped. That feels...dark and hateful! I feel black malice from there!
You're sure?
Yes! Silver is the one!
All right. That beam's coming from north by northeast. Now, we have to move quickly. When I tell you, find it then use your mind to push the silver ray back to its owner.
Got it!
Now!
Flora closed her eyes and focused on the direction that Aruleia had mentioned. Within seconds, she found the silver beam and mentally winced at the malicious intent that radiated from it.
I found it.
Good. Now, picture yourself using your hands to push it away from you!
All right.
A beam of pure white light shot out from Flora's body, striking the silver beam head-on. After staying still for a couple of seconds, it pushed onwards and struck the silver man's staff. The wielder was blown backwards with a loud boom.
Most of the other Guardians quickly reacted, stopping their individual beams and preparing to use spells that did not sound benevolent.
"Hold!" The Guardian of Time called out, then asked, "What is the meaning of this?"
Flora's eyes were wide open, gold replacing green. There was a look of anger on her face. She pointed at the sprawled Guardian of Divinity and said, "Thou art a traitor!"
"What?" the Tengu asked, "What makes you think you have the right to accuse-"
"She is possessed by evil," the accused man spoke coldly.
She cut him off and replied, "I feel malice on your beam. I hear evil in your voice, I sense murder on the staff. I see the Black Wave in your aura. I repeat: Thou art a traitor!"
The Guardian of Time waved his staff towards the accused and muttered an incantation. Within seconds, a black glow encircled the silver man, causing the others to gasp in shock.
"She spoke the truth," the fox woman replied, then saw the traitor get up and start to run. She chanted a spell and aimed her staff at him. Vines shot out and wrapped around him.
"Hmph," the Guardian of Divinity said, "Looks like we underestimated the Vessel of Aruleia. Well, it doesn't matter, he knows who she is."
"He?" The Time Guardian asked.
Flora, whose eyes were still gold, said to them with a voice that was a mixture of her own and the child, "He means the current Avatar of the Black Wave. You know him by the name of Sawboss."
"Take him to another section of the Nexus. He will be interrogated soon enough," the Guardian of Nature ordered.
The traitor opened his mouth, then closed it and gritted his teeth. Within seconds, he slumped in the grasp of the vines.
"No need," the Guardian of Time said, shaking his head, "Flora, that ability you used, how did you know it?"
"I taught her," she replied, this time with only the voice of the child.
The remaining Guardians all turned to Flora and they all bowed to her, saying, "Sa Eminare."
0000000000
When Audric was able to see and hear again, he heard the sound of someone, a young woman, sobbing.
At first, as he looked around, he thought, Who? A moment later, he found the source, and it surprised him.
Alita was crouched in one part of the star-filled room, and her shoulders were shaking.
"Lita!" he called and hurried over to her. He knelt beside her and asked, "What's wrong, Lita?"
In a low, torn voice, she said, "...dirty pool..."
"What's wrong?" he asked again, more softly.
"Light-blasted trial," she repeated between sobs, "They played dirty pool."
He blinked, then said, "How about you tell me about yours, then I'll tell you mine."
She nodded and sat down, then explained to him about what she had seen, including her family and best friend back in her old time and their hurtful comments.
"Gods, how horrible," he replied.
"No kidding. They basically said I would be condemning myself to life as an eternal exile, never fitting in. An outcast, forever, and no longer even myself..."
"You're no outcast," he replied firmly, "Not to the Lightning League, and definitely not to me! If you really are unable to go back..."
"Hm?"
"You could always stay with us."
"You sure about that?"
"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it."
"Thanks," she said, wiping her eyes, "I'll definitely keep that in mind. Now, what about yours?"
Audric took a deep breath and told her everything about his own trial, including having to choose between his son's life and the two Roots. As he spoke, she shuddered.
"I don't know where your son is, but if he's anything like you and the others have told me," she said at the end, "He probably would have sacrificed his own life to stop Sawboss."
"Yes, but that doesn't make what I chose any easier."
"Boy, do I know that feeling. Looks like they really played dirty pool with both of us. I don't know if I want to ask the others how theirs were like."
"Probably not," he agreed, "The others did tell each other what their trials were like, according to Gillian, but from what I heard, they were pretty upset when they did. Might be best to keep ours just between us. You shouldn't tell him, either."
"Him? Oh, the Guardian?"
Jayce didn't tell her yet, he thought, but merely nodded.
"It seems you both have passed," the Guardian of Time's voice could be heard as he, Flora, and the others came into the chamber.
Alita and Audric got onto their feet, standing side-by-side. "I'm not sure if we did," she replied.
"You did. If you had failed, you would not have come back at all."
"What about Flora?" Audric asked.
The fox woman spoke up. "We have evaluated her. Tell Gillian that she is still on the side of good, and very close. We will speak to the rest of the League as soon as we return to your ship."
Flora's eyes were green as she asked, "Hey, how about the Dataform? I need to wake him up now."
"Yes, go ahead and do that, then we will be going. Time is of the essence."
"Faai solara...awaki, Dataform!"
0000000000
Herc, Gillian, Oon and Brock were on the bridge of the Barge. The ex-mercenary was pacing the floor, nervous.
"You think those three'll be all right? I've no idea what kind of trial Audric and the Kid are dealing with."
"Patience, Herc," Gillian replied, "I know what kind of trial is in store for them. I'm more worried about Flora."
"What kind of trial?"
"I'm not allowed to say. Ever since Maetel, I've been bound by the Divine Laws."
"Divine Laws? What kind of laws are you talking' about?"
"They're laws as old as the universe itself. Every magician and sorcerer knows of them, because we never know when one of us will be bound by them."
"Aaah, whatever," he snapped, then saw a flash of light from the corner of his eye. He turned around and saw that a humanoid that looked like a rhino, Audric, Alita and Flora were standing on the bridge.
"The Trials have been completed," he spoke in a grand voice, "Successfully. Now, in accordance with our oath and the Divine Laws, the remaining Guardians of Existence align ourselves fully with the Lightning League and pledge our assistance to you and the side of Light."
"Remaining? What's going on?" Gillian asked.
"The Light Avatar rooted out a traitor amongst our ranks, the Guardian of Divinity."
The wizard paled at this, then closed his eyes for a moment and murmured something before looking up.
"Gillian," Alita spoke up, "I was told to tell you that Flora is still on the side of good, and very close."
"I thought so."
"Now, when we are needed, we will come," the Guardian of Time continued, "Just tell Flora, and she will call for us."
"We will," Audric replied, "and thank you."
Once the Guardian disappeared, the scientist said, "Lita, you've got to be very tired. Go to your quarters and get some sleep. We'll be leaving Maelin Prime tomorrow. Oon, you stay here for a few minutes."
"Y-yes, master."
"All right," she replied, and quickly left the bridge.
"As to the rest of you," he continued, "We need to talk. It's about her Dataform."