An interview with Nilo

     Right in the middle of Neopia Central, a bit hidden beneath the green trees that surround this busy and colorful land, a friendly Kacheek stands wrapped in blue, waiting for the next Neopian to come. The wind plays with his scarf and with the yellow fur on his tail, as he pushes those big round glasses up his nose. His smile gets bigger as I approach, and I can see him waving even from this distance.

     Of course, it’s none other than Nilo!

     As he sees me getting closer, he starts shouting from afar.

     “Hi! Welcome, welcome! I’m Nilo, and I’m here to introduce you to-” He notices that I’m walking as if I’ve walked that path before, which is true, and stops talking. He doesn’t seem disappointed, though, but instead patiently waits for me to be right in front of him.

     “Hi, Nilo!” I say as I shake his hand.

     “Hello!” he replies. “You’re not new around here, I can tell. Do you need anything? Is there something that I can do for you today?”

     It surprises me that he’s not mad or sad for not greeting a newcomer. He keeps being as helpful and friendly as always.

     “Well, as a matter of fact, yes!” I put the backpack that I’ve been carrying this whole time on the grass, and I pull out a Sparkling Faerie Notebook and my trusty Asparagus Pen. I point at these items and say, “Mr. Nilo, do you have time for an interview today?”

     He smiles even harder, and replies, “Why, of course! It’s been some hours since someone came around here, so why not? I might as well call this my break time.”, he laughs.

     “Awesome, thank you very much!”

     We both walk to a nearby tree, just so we could sit a bit more comfortably. The wind is quite chilly in this area of Neopia Central, but Nilo is always well prepared wearing his trademark blue jacket and scarf. I’m alright, though. Being made of ice has its upsides as well.

     “Okay then, let’s begin with the interview!”

     “Alright! What would you like to know?”, he says.

     “I think first things first. I believe most of us know you already, but just in case there’s someone among our readers who doesn’t, would you mind introducing yourself? Tell the people who are you!”

     “Well, I’m Nilo! And as I always say to my friends, ‘I’m here to introduce you to Neopets and show you around’”, he chuckles. “I’ve been saying that phrase for years, and I never get tired of it! It’s always nice to introduce newbies to the world of Neopia. I teach them about games, neohomes, the Neocash Mall, how the inventory works, how to shop, how to travel around, how to dress up, and lots of other stuff. I love this job.”

     I nod in agreement, seeing how full of satisfaction his words are.

     “You’ve been here for a long time if I’m not mistaken. How long, exactly?”

     “Oh! My first day of work was on the 1st day of Swimming, Y11. That would be…”, he closes his eyes for a bit and opens them again half a second later. “June 1st, 2009. After some practice you get used to these strange ways of keeping track of dates.”, he jokes.

     I can’t help but agree.

     “That’s a pretty long time! More than 10 years, actually.”

     “I know! And I’ve been loving every minute of it.”

     “You seem to enjoy this job a lot. Tell us, how did you get it?”

     “Well, I've always loved reading and learning, but what I enjoy more than discovering new things, is to share those things with the world! So naturally, when I heard that The Neopets Team was looking for someone friendly and talkative willing to introduce newcomers to Neopia, I jumped right in. They interviewed me and others, and I was so excited when I received a Neomail saying that I was chosen! Then, a few weeks later, I was officially a member of the crew, and I've been working here since then.” He lets out a happy sigh.

     I write as fast as I can, and when I finish, I notice that some of the words I wrote look more like doodles than words.

     “That's incredible! I'm sure very few people know the backstory of Nilo.”

     “Yes, I'm sure about that!”, he laughs.

     “Moving onto the next question, what do you enjoying doing in your free time?”

     He rests his head on the trunk of the tree, and looking up to the orange sky, says “When I'm not here, greeting people and showing them around, I like to play a good game of Kou-Jong. I also like Roodoku! If I'm at home, I love drinking a few cups of coffee while reading a nice book. I think I'll read “Tyrants of Tyrannia” as soon as I finish “The Lucky Paw”. Oh! And I'm also trying to learn how to play the piano. It's such a lovely instrument... Oh, sorry! Did I ramble too much?”

     I stop staring at my notebook, and looking up at him, I say “No, not at all! That was a really nice insight. By the way, I've heard that ‘The Lucky Paw’ has a nice, heartwarming ending.”

     “Oh, really? I'll have to read that one ASAP.”

     A few stars begin to appear here and there in the sky. They reflect on Nilo’s glasses, and by the look of his face, I can assume he likes stargazing too.

     “Ahem. Earlier you noticed that I wasn’t actually a newcomer, without me even saying a word. How did you know that?”

     “Hmmm, I’m not entirely sure”, he says turning his head. “I guess there’s just a certain look in people's eyes that tells me if they’re new around here, or not. As I told you before, I just can tell. Many people come here only to get their Tutorial Certificate of Completion, and then leave without even saying goodbye. That’s ok, though! Even if they’ve been living in Neopia for years, I enjoy their company either way, even if they’re here just a few minutes!”

     I give him a comforting look, before noticing there’s only 1 question left written on my notebook.

     “Ok, I think this is the last question.”

     “Go ahead!”, he says with a big smile.

     “Do you consider everyone your friends?”

     “Why, of course! I consider every Neopian that comes around here a friend, and I’m so lucky that many of them consider me a friend as well! Whether they’re newbies or not, I love sharing my knowledge with them, and I always do my best, so they can have a positive experience that hopefully will make their day better!”

     I show him a big smile as I nod, and satisfied with the interview (and of course, happy that I got to talk a bit with such a friendly Neopet), I stand up and shake off the grass and leaves stuck to my dress.

     “Nilo, I’m afraid that’s the end of the interview. I had the greatest time talking to you. You’re such a joyful and cordial Kacheek, and you definitely made my day better! It was a pleasure to meet and interview you. I’m sure the readers of The Neopian Times will enjoy getting to know you a bit better!”

     He stands up as well, and shakes my hand one last time.

     “The pleasure is all mine! I had a great time talking to you as well. I wish whoever reads this interview a wonderful day. And, if you happen to come to this part of Neopia Central, be assured that I will be right here!”

     “Thank you very much, Nilo. Enjoy the rest of your day!”, I say as I pick up my backpack and start heading off to my home.

     “Thank you, you too!”, he shouts from the distance.

     Little white dots are scattered all over the dark canvas that is the sky. The only sources of light are Kreludor, and the nearby houses and shops. The wind is colder now, and the busy and colorful land gets less and less busy, but keeps its colorfulness despite everything.

     Right in the middle of Neopia Central, a bit hidden beneath the green trees, a friendly Kacheek stands wrapped in blue, waiting for the next Neopian to come. The wind plays with his scarf and will continue to play with it for years to come. He’ll be waiting for you there, with his yellow fur, his big round glasses, and a warm smile. If you ever see him around, don’t be shy and say him to him! And, if you want, you could also give him a book. I heard he enjoys reading a good one from time to time.