Why is she here?

A human?

Oh, right— Humanian practice.

Today, she’s brought a great delicacy that only the most supreme species of our great world Tál can comprehend the taste— a “Pink Lady” apple. Quite intriguing, how humans are able to put a female soul whose soul color is pink into such a human necessity.

I explain these thoughts to her, and she laughs. “Oh, Tal, you don’t understand. These don’t contain the soul of a pink lady such as Barbie— that’s just the name of the apple! You know, an apple a day keeps the doctors away!”

She doesn’t know my name yet, so she uses the name of our world, though she mispronounces it. That’s how foreigners address each other if they have never met. “Well, Earth, your kind so… finding entertainment rectangle program… through… uh… digesting objects times three day… sleeping on rectangle another. I… it like.”

I have studied two Humanian languages for my entire life, since the day I was born my parents exclaimed random sentences from them— English and Latin. But even so, as soon as I show fluency in one Humanian language, she’ll leave.

I don’t want that.

I want her to stay.

Forever… what… is that called? I’ll ask her.

“So, Earth… forever… stay… human… what called?”

“Oh, you’re probably talking about immortality! It’s the thing where a human lives forever and ever. Does that answer your question, Tal?”

No, that can’t be it.

“Well… I… immortal… you… passion… what called?”

“Are you trying to say you’ve passion about being immortal so that you can learn Humanian languages with me forever? That’s so sweet!”

Getting closer, but that’s still not the word… how could I forget a concept humans are so familiar to?

“No… passion… someone for… start L… and E… what called?”

“I think that word is love? Spelt L-O-V-E? Is that it?”

“Yes… want I… love… Earth?”

Now she’s silent, and a small pink shows at the sides of her mouth. Must be the apple.

“No… you can’t feel that way this early… the other Humans ensured it… it must be you want… You want to be friends?”

She just… “friend zoned” me?

“Sure… friends yes…”

What does she mean by the others ensured it?

That’s a pink lady. And I’ll catch her handed, whether her hands are red or pink.