Character Interviews!

[Aleef to SHO!:] [blinks] Whaaat? No, never. Ashnai is a prophet, and the prophets know what they're doing. There's no way she could hide from them, and no way I'd try to talk her into doing that. I never would have thought of anything like that.

[Aleef to SHO!:] Well, you're making me feel a little guilty now that you mention it. I never thought of it that way before, no. When prophets are younger, like when they have their blue robes, people can stop them and ask them questions whenever they want. It's part of their training, and you know, they tell you you shouldn't bet your life on what they say, but it's still really nice that they do it. Ashnai had a black robe the last time I asked her for help, so I guess really in most situations I would have owed her money for her help, but I just asked . . . she didn't have to or anything. I guess we must've at least been decent friends or she wouldn't have cared about telling me to shut up, so . . . ya know. I sent her a thank-you card when her prediction helped me meet Nayameen, too, so I'm not ungrateful or anything. . . .

[Aleef to SHO!:] Sure. She sent out her leaving cards and I got one, and it had the date on it. That was when I responded to it and sent her my simi-elashi with my boyfriend.

[Aleef to SHO!:] Wow! Only all the time! When we went to academics together as kids I was really jealous of her. She was the only prophet in the class and I'd never met a real one before personally. I always knew they existed and thought they were neat, but then meeting one who was just a kid like me was really kind of hard for me. She was special and had this important future all laid out for her and I was just some nobody girl. And plus there was no way I could hate her because she was just so quiet and nice. So I decided there was nothing I could do to change it and it'd be better to just try to be her friend. I always wanted to ask her what it was like to have a prophecy teacher and what it was like to be able to do that stuff, but I would have felt really dumb asking. Sometimes, though, I'm glad I'm not like her, even though it would really be amazing. It seems like a lot of responsibility.

[Aleef to SHO!:] . . . I'd tell you that's not a nice thing to say, but you probably already know that. But this doesn't really surprise me. Most people learning a foreign language learn how to say hello and goodbye, where's the toilet, and then all the insults.

SHO! da falaitha seshi la mo MENO shi-elah!

(And besides, who let this jerk in here, anyway?)

[Aleef to SHO!:] You don't think it's jerky to say something weird and insulting to a stranger? Using what appears to be a very limited vocabulary? With a dash of bathroom imagery on top of that? Who gets diarrhea in their head anyway? Who are you even talking about? I'M CONFUSED!

[Aleef to SHO!:] Uh, things are going pretty well with us, but we aren't in a family situation yet. One thing that's sort of worrying me is that he says he doesn't want kids, and I do. . . . I'll probably be able to talk him into it, though.

[Aleef to SHO!:] Doesn't sound that weird to me, I guess. I can't really imagine why they wouldn't think we're attractive. I can't imagine being attracted to someone who's bald all over, so I can see why they might think we're cuter. But I can't think of humans like that, so I wouldn't want them interested in me, I don't think. At least not if I had a choice. Ew.