#aila test

[the-aila-test]

Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) from ECHO passes The Ali Nahdee Test!

[alinahdee]

The Ali Nahdee Test

please watch my video One Scene For Hope on Youtube:

[ladylucck]

just learned about the aila test x and which media passes. super interesting

[neechees]

I didn't even feel much of a need to try defend all the points on that post because I'm literally right lmfao. You can't just wave away those objective truths with "nuh uh"

[aroaceleovaldez]

Here is a link to the Cherokee Nation's official site. Here is the Visit Cherokee Nation youtube channel. Here is a playlist for learning Cherokee (and here's one for learning Ojibwe, as a bonus cause i'm biased). Here is a link to Daybreak Star Radio, which is a radio station based in Seattle dedicated to showcasing international first nations and indigenous music that you can listen to online. Here is a pdf of various recipes, including references to which tribes they originate from. Here is a link to The-aila-test's buy native tag, and here is a link to Beyond Buckskin's buy native list (though some of the links are broken). Here is a link to the Cherokee Phoenix newspaper's official site.

now go take a minute and come back once you've done some research so everybody can stop being weird about Piper.

[homunculus-argument]

I still really want to see a story-driven game that would incorporate language learning into the game mechanic. Starting with singular words and simple sentences, Duolingo-style, with all kinds of minigames where the goal is to either construct a sentence, understand instructions, being able to recall the correct words at the right time, but it's set into a story that you play through.

This could be a whole genre of games, with different locations based on what language you're learning, but the basic format would be pretty similar each time. Your character has been dropped in the middle of a completely new place where they don't speak the language at all, you meet characters who quickly realise that you don't have a way to mutually communicate, and start teaching you as you tag along to whatever they are doing.

There would definitely be a learning curve, but as the characters understand that you don't understand, they start with simple sentences. "My name is Aila. This is my daughter. My daughter's name is Lena. What is your name?", and once you've figured out the very basics, they progressively get more advanced.

Naturally it wouldn't be only grammar tests and vocabulary quizzes, there would definitely be more tasks and more standard game puzzles in it as well, but the instructions you are given are also in the target language. The whole point of having a plot is being immersive, and weaving the learning into the game.

Like the party you are travelling with needs you to get inside a house to fetch a specific item, and you are told - in the target language - what to do, where, and when. "Go in through the second window on the back. The book is in the living room, on the table. There is a dog, do not wake it up." And whether you accomplish the mission is about equally about the challenge of the mission itself, as how well you understand and remember the instructions.

Maybe also quick time events, when you're supposed to say something correctly within a very limited time range, and the fate of your party depends on whether you can quickly pick the right dialogue option. A car is coming and you've got 30 seconds to pick a word or sentence from 3 options, if you well " a car is coming!" they'll have more time to act than if you choose "look out!" and if you either do nothing or choose the completely wrong one and yell "monday!", you lost.

Every once in a while you also overhear dialogue (considering the added difficulty of hearing comprehension, I think the game would need to be largely text-based, or at least have subtitles) or find letters/notes/etc that you don't understand at all, which can work as foreshadowing or worldbuilding - understanding anything out of these wouldn't be vital to progressing the game, but trying to deduce some their meaning on a hunch is rewarded in some way, as an added bonus or easter egg.

Very early on in the game you get the dialogue option of asking "what does _____ mean?", and the characters try to explain it to you, point at it in the environment, or use a notepad to draw what the word means. Every character explains the same word slightly differently, so you can ask every single member of the party the same question if you don't understand the first one.

As the story progresses and the language gets more complicated, you may also notice that different characters have a varied amount of knowledge about the same things, and give a different amount of detail about the same things - if you ask one of them what [word] means, one of them says "it's a gun", while another one will tell you that it's a specific kind of shotgun, and draw you a picture of two shotguns, circling the one that is the specific type.

Considering the nature of language learning, the genre of the game would definitely be mystery - as you start to understand more and more of the language, you also start to pierce together the answers of your own story. Where are you, and how did you end up there? Who even are these people, and what are they trying to do? What are they trying to achieve with these tasks you have been helping them with, and why are they helping you in the first place?

A game like this would definitely have the risk of becoming mentally draining, so there would need to be a lot of in-between breather parts, the option to regularly go explore, craft and do stuff that requires no boring grammar tasks or word memorisation, but which still includes little things in it that keep the learning process fun and rewarding.

Like hey, while exploring this place you found a tin box with two words written on it and a picture of a lemon. You don't know the other word but you know the other one is "tea". You correctly deduce that this is lemon tea. You bring it to the character who mentioned liking tea, and she is delighted. Your friendship meter goes up.

[legionofpotatoes]

feel like I'm the last person who needs to say this but prey (the new predator movie) rips so, so hard. it is such a lean, well-executed film. it feels fury-road simple, sticks to its stated parable, and doles out wonderfully subtle setups without forgetting to pay every last one of them off in really unexpected, fulfilling ways. there's no fat here, it is utterly uninterested in prolonged satellite arcs or fan service b-plots or lore-braining the predator side of things. Naru goes through a crucible all her own, and the predator is simply there as a crystallized, jet-fueled pressure element personifying that hardship. it is a perfect use of the creature as a metaphor, which has always been the series' secret strength and the reason why it has endured so long, agnostic to tonal shifts and canon inconveniences.

and this film just plain kicks ass beyond its story ethos as well. there's wonderful clarity in set pieces, actual storytelling in action (micro moments of tension-release staggered within larger combat scenes), the whole movie is DP'd beautifully, then color graded in vivid, earthly hues, and scored ever so gently by sarah schachner who is fast becoming one of my favorite musical voices in film and games. oh and as a personal favor to me, they made it run just under 2 hours, truly making me feel pampered. I can't speak to native rep here at all, so I'll leave that one to folks who can comment better, except to say that it does pass the aila test and firmly centers the protagonist with all her complications and humanity.

the dog is great. I rate the dog 15/10, best boy imaginable.

[blackfilmmakers]

Okay, I’m not sure what to call the test, but it is as follows:

Are they a main character?

Do they get turned into a non-human creature at any point in their story?

Do they end up racially profiled or murdered by the end of their story?

If the answer to the first question is yes and the answers to the second and third questions are no, then they pass the test.

While I think these are very good questions as starting points(because a lot of issues of writing Black characters do tend to come from these root questions one way or another), I still feel like we need include more questions into the mix. Because you could have a Black main character that isn't turned into an animal, or doesn't suffer from racial injustice. But that character can still be a caricature if one is not careful and asking additional questions

I would say these are a good set as a base, but like with the Aila test, you should treat it as a starting point, but continue looking more into creating these characters

[sosa-royals]

Simon: Hello?

Jacqueline: Papa?

Simon: Jackie, my sweetheart! I'm so glad to hear your voice. You don't know how happy you've just made me-

Jacqueline: Where have you been? I've been trying to reach you for weeks!

Simon: I was in Aila. I was supposed to be meeting your mother there when all of this happened. Speaking of your mother, she hasn't called you has she?

Jacqueline: Papa, I'm going to ask you a question and I want nothing but the truth from you okay?

Simon: You sound serious. What is this about poussin?

Jacqueline: It's about Jackson. Did you do something to him?

Simon: Jackson? Who's that? What are you talking about?

Jacqueline: Did you do something to him papa?

Simon: Of course not Jackie, how could I? I don't even know who this person is!

Jacqueline: ...Tell me where he is

Simon: Jackie, I just said-

Jacqueline: You're lying to me! I can tell when you're lying and I know you're lying right now! He was my boyfriend papa! I loved him!

Simon: Jackie-

Jacqueline: And so what if he treated me badly? I'm an adult and can handle things myself! I settled everything when I dumped him why did you have to...

Simone: Jackie-

Jacqueline: You betrayed my trust! You lied to my face and did something so evil and horrible behind my back! You went around ruining all the boys I liked like some-some psycho!

Simon: Jackie, my darling please listen to me-

Jacqueline: No! All I want is for you to leave me alone!

Simon: Jackie-

Jacqueline: You told me all men were trash and the only one I could trust was you, but you're the real trash!

Jacqueline hangs up

Jennie: Hey, I heard yelling, is everything okay?

Jacqueline: ...

Jennie: Jackie?

Jacqueline: I think I'm gonna be sick-

Jennie: Jackie... have you eaten anything bad lately?

Jacqueline: No

Jennie: Do you think you have a stomach bug?

Jacqueline: Maybe... or maybe it's all the stress

Jennie: Yeah... or maybe it's something else... I'll go get a test, just to be safe...

Jacqueline: God, please no...

Jennie (outside): Jackie, are you done? I'm coming in!

Jennie: Well... what does it say?

Jacqueline: Of course it's negative

Jennie: Thank God! I'm buying drinks! We need to celebrate

Jacqueline: No...

Next | Previous

[indigenous-character-tournament]

Yes, that one. She is a main character, she doesn't fall in love with and/or marry a white man at any point in her story, and she doesn't get raped or murdered at any point in her story. That's the Aila Test.

Yeah that's it. The fact we need to have this test in the first place makes me so fucking angry but I'm genuinely so glad there's more recent media that treat their Indigenous characters, especially female characters, with respect.

[the-aila-test]

Forgive me for being a day late but I wanted to take the time to inform all of you that as of January 21, 2024, the Ali Nahdee Test / Aila Test is seven years old.

So much has happened since I came up with this idea back in 2017. So much has changed. So many wonderful characters and stories were introduced to me over the course of this journey. Thank you, all of you, for supporting this dream, for talking about it amongst yourself and amongst others, and for all of the Native creators who made real change in film, television, literature, animation, and any place where stories can be told and shared.

This is my greatest pride and joy. Chi Miigwech. <3

[uncommondumdum]

Plot

The prologue starts with you outside of the main cabin. Murch contacts you via a radio telling you to come inside, as there's someone that wants to meet you. The main entrance of the cabin is locked, forcing you to break it open. Inside of the main cabin are 3 characters assembled in the hallway of the cabin, waiting for you. You must talk to Murch in-order to proceed with the prologue.

Murch greets you, welcoming you back. He introduces you to Coyote, a protagonist of Story Mode and a old friend of Murch's. He reveals, that he, together with Coyote had been trying to stop the Deep Night before, but it didn't turn out too well. The Deep Night started to appear in many different places around the world, taking billions of lives. Eventually, the Deep Night caused the timeline to purge. The Deep Night has also been showing signs of appearing in the main cabin, too. The characters are uncertain where the Deep Night comes from, or what it is, but all that they know is that the Deep Night always seems to trace back to Orvhill Energies. Coyote reveals, that he and Murch worked with a different group of survivors in his timeline, but they were missing what they needed, A.I.L.A., a protagonist and a robot, is able to equip them with tech and calculations, giving them all the power that they need to put an end to this. Murch announces the part we come in. They are looking for a team of expert survivors who know the landscapes well enough to delve into the Deep Night. Each landscape we travel to is a manifestation of the Deep Night, sometimes the locations we are sent to are real but there's always something in them that isn't.

Device

The device.

Shortly after, A.I.L.A. initiates holographic imagery, cutting off all of the cabin's lights. A holographic model is put to show. Murch tells us, that the holographic model is an amplifier, which seems to be responsible for giving the Deep Night power in keeping the manifestations alive. During the night, the amplifier appears as a fairly simple and normal device. Once the manifestation is broken, when the night is over, it reveals the reality inside.

Device deep night

The device revealed.

It's unknown what it's fully capable of yet. They have a theory on how to use the amplifier against the Deep Night, but requires a few of them to test it. Our travels, as he says, should be safe, but if the night resets, we will have to start all over again.

Ailas device

A.I.L.A.'s Device.

The holographic model changes to a different type of device built by A.I.L.A.. This device is capable of immediately pulling you out with everything you have collected while you were in the night, although it can't bring stuff back with you during the night. Once we have collected the amplifier, A.I.L.A. will trigger the devices and we will be pulled right back in the cabin.

This doesn't mean we're entirely safe. Murch reveals, that someone came out of the "lab" earlier in the week. Murch is trying to clean up the mess to take a closer look, but it's taking time. The thing attacked in broad daylight, unusual for him.

After everyone finishes talking, we now have to return and prepare using the ghosting machine.

Transcript

Audios

Murch: Good you made it, come on in there's someone I want you to meet.

You enter the house and talk to Murch.

Murch: Welcome back survivor, I hope you rested well because things are about to get complicated. Let me introduce you to:

Coyote: The name isn't important. Call me Coyote. I'm an old friend of Murch's.

Murch: Coyote and I, have worked together against the Deep Night before. It didn't end well.

Coyote: The Deep Night started to pop up in different places all around the world, and eventually, the timeline was purged.

Murch: And in my travels I noticed the signs of it happening again - here.

Coyote: See we don't know yet where the Deep Night comes from, or what it is. All that we know is that it always seems to trace back to Orvhill Energies.

Murch: Whatever this thing is, it's taking lives and killing billions of people. It's like a parasite that keeps coming back. We have to end it.

Coyote: We worked with a group of survivors in my timeline, but we didn't have what we needed before, we didn't have her.

A.I.L.A.: Ready and willing to assist.

Coyote: See with A.I.L.A.'s tech and calculations, we might finally have all the power needed to finally turn the tides of this fight.

Murch: So this is where you come in: we need a team of expert survivors who know the landscapes to delve deep into the Deep Night. Each landscape you travel to during the night is a manifestation of the Deep Night. Sometimes the locations you're sent to are real, but there's always something in them that isn't, and something always leads to this.

A.I.L.A.: Initiating holographic imagery.

The lights cut off and a holographic model appears before you.

Murch: This is an amplifier. It seems to be responsible for giving the Deep Night enough power in keeping the manifestations alive.

Coyote: We have a theory on how to use them against it.

Murch: But we're gonna need a few in order to test it. During the night, it appears as a fairly simple device, something that you wouldn't blink twice if you saw randomly sitting at someone's desk.

The holographic model switches to a new one.

Murch: Once the manifestation is broken, when the night is over, this is the reality of that device.

Coyote: We don't know entirely what it's capable of yet.

Murch: Your travels should be fairly safe, but should the need arise from trusting you to use all the skills you've required to stay alive at all costs, if the night resets, we'll have to start all over again.

The holographic model switches to a new one.

Coyote: We'll guide you through it in every step of the way, in fact, we're going to be equipping each of you with a new device that A.I.L.A. built. Usually, you can't bring stuff back with you during the night, but this will immediately pull you out with everything you have collected while you were in there. So once you've required the amplifier, A.I.L.A.'s gonna trigger the devices,

A.I.L.A.: Affirmative.

Coyote: and you'll be right back here with us.

The holographic imagery shuts down and all of the cabin lights turn back on.

Murch: But that still doesn't mean you're safe. As you know, somebody came out of the lab earlier in the week. I'm trying to clean up the damage so we can take a look, but it's gonna take some time. This thing attacked in broad daylight. I've never even seen anything like it - not even in the other timelines. We aren't safe here, anymore.

Coyote: It's risky business, but we'll be on the radio to guide you guys through the night, so keep your guard up, proceed with caution, be ready for anything. We're dropping you in tomorrow night.

AND THEN IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU LEAVE MURCH TAKES COYOTE BY THE HAND AND LEADS HIM TO THE LAND THAT HE UNDERSTANDS

/j /ref

[a-la-rascasse]

Happy birthday MIKA HÄKKINEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (28/09/1968) 💙⚡

“You can only get over your fears if you attack them head on”.

Mika Pauli Häkkinen was born in Vantaa, a city not far from Helsinki, in an humble family: his father, Harri, was a short-wave radio operator and a part-time taxi driver, meanwhile his mother Aila, was a secretary. He also has a sister called Nina. Since a young age, Mika was a very lively and athletic child and used to play ice hockey and football. It was at the age of 5, that his parents rented a go-kart for him to take and try on a track near their home. However, his first experience on four wheels didn't go so well: little Mika crashed, but thankfully he was uninjured; despite his accident, the young boy wanted to keep racing, so his father decided to buy him a second-hand go-kart, which turned out to be the one that, future rally driver, Henri Toivonen, previously raced with. Young Mika would earn his first karting win in 1975, and in the late 70s would go and win the Keimola Club Championship for two consecutive years. Yet his major success would come in 1981, when he won in the 85cc class of the Finnish Karting Championship, the following year he would win the Ronnie Peterson Memorial event. In 1983, he moved up to the Formula Nordic 100cc that he ended up winning on his first attempt, and would later go and win it in the three following years. In the mean time, to fund his career, Mika got a job with a friend repearing bicycles.

After purchasing his first racing car, in 1987, Mika would take a big step and leave karting to start racing in the Finnish, Swedish and Nordic Formula Ford Championships, that surprisingly, he'll win each one on his first attempt. After joining the British Formula 3, where he finished 7th in the championship, in 1990, the young Finn applied to become a 'Marlboro World Championship team' memeber, his application was the last to be reviewed by the judging panel (which included Ron Dennis and James Hunt) and after looking at his strong results in testing, he secured the membership; that very same year, he also became the British Formula 3 Champion. The following year, he was offered his first Formula 1 test session with Benetton: he really liked the car and its steering wheel and throttle response, but he was sure that the team wouldn't offer him the seat, so he preferred to sign with the Lotus team.

Mika made his debut at the US GP driving for Lotus, however his debut would be quite unpleasent, since he was forced to retire from the race due to an engine failure. But overall, his first year would be quite positive, collecting various points and ending up 16th in the World Championship; his second year in the team would be even more positive, since he finished 8th in the Championship with 11 points. Following a contract dispute, in which the young driver was in the middle of, at the end of the year he managed to sign for McLaren. Initially meant to be the new McLaren driver, he would end up 'on the bench' as the official test driver, due to the hiring of Michael Andretti. Yet, Andretti didn't last much in the team, and at the Portuguese GP, Mika would replace the American for the rest of the season. The Finn immediately showed his worth by outqualyfing Ayrton Senna and at his only second GP for the team, he would end up on podium at Suzuka, with an amazing 3rd place. These good performances lead him to earn his McLaren seat in 1994, that despite the bad start of the season and a ban for three races, he managed to collect a good amount of points and finished 4th overall. Always with McLaren, the 1995 season started with a good fourth place, but unfourtunately continued with a lot of consecutive retirements; but Mika's, already unfortunate, season ended in the worst way possible: during the qualyfing session at the Australian GP, his car suffered a tyre failure, and the car ended up hitting sideways a crash barrier. His conditions were highly critical, but it's thanks to the efforts of the trackside medical team, that his life was saved that day. Transported to the hospital nearby, Mika would spend there two whole months, where he was able to make his remarkable recovery. The Finn's come back to F1 was in time with the start of the new season, feeling stronger than ever, he wanted to start winning, he would have to wait almost one season where at the European GP, the last of the 1997 season, he would score his firts victory in his career, almost forseeing the bright future ahead. Driving the new silver McLaren MP4/13, Mika completely demoralised the competition by finishing on podium every race, except for five, and scoring 8 victories, leading Mika to claim the much coveted World Championship. The following season had the same good ending as the previous one: Mika became champion for the second consecutive year, despite various retirements, the Finn scored enough points to see him prevail on the competition. The Finnish driver almost won his third championship in 2000, but unfortunately Michael Schumacher, with a gap of 19 points, claimed the title. The 2001 season was off a bad start, and continued to be quite unsuccessful, due to the unreliability of the McLaren, this unsatisfaction lead Mika to retire at the end of the season, stating that he would take a sabbatical year from F1, to spend time with his family. (Where are you Mika? We're still waiting for you to come back from the sabbaical).

After his retirment he remained close to the world of motorsport and became a commentator for various tv channels and despite his retirement, he took part, and still does, in various motorsport events, like it happened earlier this year at the Race of Champions.

Nicknamed the 'Flying Finn', like many other Finnish racing drivers before him, he got his nickname, not only for his speed, but after a photo of his McLaren 'flying' mid air as he speeds on the Adelaide circuit was taken, and published by the note motorsport photographer Mark Sutton.

Mika's and Michael's iconic rivalry excited many in the 90s, especially for their different driving styles and personalities clashing against each other: Michael's firey personality reflected his more aggressive, lively and impulsive driving style, meanwhile Mika's cold and detached personality reflected his precise, calculated, neat driving style. But their 'loyal rivalry', actually dates back to their time in the British formula 3, where, at a young age, they were already having heated battles on track.

Michael always stated that Mika was the only driver he really respected and had fun racing against.

[neechees]

Negative & racist depictions, tropes, and Stereotypes regarding Native Americans in Road to El Dorado.

Mayaincatec: The film homogenizes multiple Indigenous cultures cultures into one, specifically and mainly Maya and Nahua cultures, with the story being based on a mythical place set in Colombia.

Mighty Whitey: the basis of the film comes from the Spanish lie and myth that the Indigenous Aztec population worshipped them as gods, with the city of El Dorado doing the same with Miguel and Tulio, who use this to trick Native people to steal gold from them.

Oversexualized Native Woman: Chel’s character has overemphasis on her sex appeal and sexuality, with her character design being very revealing and exageratted on her chest, hips, and thighs. There is little to no exploration of her character outside of her sexuality and servitude towards the White characters. She does not pass the Aila Test and is a near opposite. Chel is a perfect example of how many Native female characters are sexualized

Evil Shaman: The Native religious leader Tzekel-Kan is demonized as evil & plays a heavier role as the main antagonist instead of the famed genocidal colonizer Hernan Cortez. Tzekel-Kan being enslaved by Cortez at the end is depicted as a “good ending”.

Demonized Spiritualiity: connected to the above, all scenes depicting traditional Mesoamerican spirituality/religion or practices are shown as evil, barbaric, savage, scary, and associated with the main antagonist.

White Saviors: El Dorado is saved by the main White protagonists, the idea to destroy the gates to the city is Tulio’s idea, the warriors of El Dorado are portrayed as helpless and no match for the Spanish conquistadors despite Indigenous Mexican warriors going toe to toe with them, and winning against them in various battles in real life.

Whitewashed Colonialism: Cortez, despite being one of the worst colonizers in history, serves as a minor, secondary antagonist & his evilness is only vaguely implied, and never explained why it (his actions) is bad. Cortez has the same goal as Miguel and Tulio (to steal gold from Indigenous people), but the protagonists aren’t shown as bad for doing it. Colonization is essentially excused (& is never explicitly named as harmful) as long as the colonizers are “nice” about it.

There’s likely some other stuff I’m missing but these are some of the big ones that are shown in this film, & its depictions of Indigenous Peoples are extremely harmful. I also don’t wanna see anybody trying to defend any of these with somehow implying “Well it’s not ACTUALLY racist or harmful because-” etc etc save it for a vague post and take our inability to see criticism of racism within a movie you like elsewhere.

[ruin-iii]

Attrition

“Ahya… I h-hope you accept my apology… I am very sorry for allowing Fluffy to, um, r-run away… I promise next time, I will pay more attention.”

The lanky 12-year-old has no laurels around her neck, whereas the 9-year-old has more than she can accommodate, a wall of flower wreaths nearly limiting her ability to see her older sister’s disapproving face, were she not craning her neck up to witness her. No, Mholi receives Vahri’s regard from the near fulm her ahya has over her, puberty having paved the dirt between them and put up a picket fence not moons ago.

Vahri pinches the bridge of her nose between her dirtied fingernails. Her nostrils flare. Her left cheek gives way to a thin-lipped, lopsided impression, curved and punctuated with doubt. 

“You said the same thing last sennight,” she says in irritation. “And the sennight before that, and the suns after it happened. How many times do I have to say there won’t be a next time? We aren’t passing through Larkscall for another few seasons, so I’m never getting Fluffy back. So how are you going to make up for that then? This is serious, anhtan.”

As with every time Vahri has repeated these words, Mholi leaves on her own and stays her quivering bottom lip. She holds her painstakingly made wreath, each hand-picked baby’s breath and sprig of lavender glistening with perfect galvanisation. With the throb of deep hurt coursing through her, she tosses her gift of attrition to the bonfire. 

As her mother Aila attends the feast and she, unlike all the other children, is left to her cup of water, she finds herself skirting the hems of Mama’s robes with the faintest of tugs.

“M-Mama,” she says quietly.

“Mholi, you know that I cannot provide you with food,” says Aila as she turns from the table to her daughter, though there is a sorrow to her words. “Her Sister will be angry.”

“I kn-know, I know…” Mholi concedes. “I just wanted to ask for some advice.”

Aila’s firm expression softens to one of wistful appreciation.

“You are a good girl. Come here, let us speak in quiet.”

They pass through the hempen tents and past the merriment of Alonhi performers as they come to the hems of their clearing. It takes Aila a while to familiarise herself with her surroundings, listening for waiting boars or, Goddess forbid, the cackle of beings from the void — but their patch of the outskirts appears all clear.

“What is it that worries you, dear?”

“I just d-don’t understand,” Mholi says, kneading her skirt in her hands. “Ahya w-won’t accept my apology, even at the Renewal. What am I doing wrong?”

“She will not accept your apology?” Aila’s expression sours, her brow furrowing deeply — what little of it Mholi can see under her hood, at least. “Well, you are doing nothing wrong by apologising. Your sister is being too stubborn before the eyes of the Goddess. I will speak with her.”

There is a tight feeling in Mholi’s chest. She isn’t sure why. Ma is offering to help her out, and soon she and her ahya can be friends again. In the name of logic and rationality, Mholi forces the tiniest of smiles from herself. Aila knows her second daughter is not quite as expressive as her first, and she ruffles young Mholi’s hair with great encouragement.

“I will finish my feast and then speak with your sister. Recite your prayers and we will speak in our tent later as a family.”

“Yes, Ma.”

The night passes with raucous laughter, Mholi resigning herself to a nearby tree a few yalms away from the fire. She practises her galvanising spell with great ease. A rock, a branch, part of the bark behind her — the act of putting the runes in her robes to the test is one that readily clears her turbulent, worrisome mind.

When the sun has fully risen, Aila ushers her children to their tent amongst the other Moshroca’s abodes. Young Ilma, blissfully unaware and having had fun playing with the other Cirkan kids, is put to bed with relative ease, her energy thoroughly depleted. It is Mholi and Vahri who remain awake, looking up at Aila with nervous expectation.

“You should forgive your anhtan. She has been apologising to you for three sennights now!” scolds Aila. 

“But Ma, she’s just saying the same things over and over again,” snaps Vahri, hands balled into fists beside her. “I keep telling her, there isn’t going to be a next time with Fluffy. I’m not replacing him.”

“You would spurn your sister for a marmot?” Aila shakes her head with disdain. “A rodent? It would have perished in mere moons, Vahri. Your sister will be here forever. You should not treat her with such coldness.”

“I would have taken care of him enough. He would live forever!”

“That is not how the world works. Be kind to your anhtan. Forgive her, now.”

Vahri sighs on full throttle, her eyes blazing with indignation. She turns to Mholi who can feel the heat of her ire, her heart palpitating as she takes one step back.

“I’m sorry, anhtan. There. Are you happy?”

“... Th-thank you, ahya,” says Mholi quietly. 

“Good,” says Aila. “Now, I do not want to hear any more arguments about this again. And I do not want rodents in the encampment anyroad, Vahri.”

“I bathed him. Every. Day.”

“It is still a rodent. They are meant for eating, not… scurrying around Goddess knows where.”

Despite Ma ushering them both to bed, Mholi can catch a glimpse of Vahri’s angry, wide-open stare from a yalm away. As her ahya looks to the cloth canopy with fiery stubbornness, she can hear the rage that occupies the lot of her mind, incessant, but quick-witted and full of precise points. She shoots them rapidfire at a target that doesn’t even notice the arrows are there. And Mholi, lying in her dark corner, can only quietly pray that her sister will truly forgive her. 

[apoundofben]

My Statement on The Ali Nahdee Test

My statement on changing The Aila Test to the Ali Nahdee Test.My Statement on The Ali Nahdee Test