Hello! This is Malaisesoup, jumping through the fourth wall to thank everyone who has been reading Serval & Sheep! Can you believe it's been fifty chapters already? In commemoration of such a grand number, this chapter will diverge a little bit from the usual. Today we'll be conducting exclusive interviews with the members of the Noah's Arc student council, as a fun treat!

Though they have been interviewed separately they were all asked the same questions, so their answers will all be shown under each respective question. For convenience's sake, we will be abbreviating their names as such:

Hafsa: H

Desmond: D

Brian: B

Solomon: S

Interviewer: I

Let's jump into it then.

I: Have you given any thought to what careers you'd like to pursue?

H: Um… I'm not too sure. I really want to do something meaningful and impact my community, so some type of public figure. Do you think I'd make a good influencer?

D: I dunno. Most sheep go into low ranking white collar stuff. That sounds boring as shit, though. Wait, can I swear? Boring as… crud. Whatever, I'll figure it out by graduation.

S: As a junior, I've given a lot of thought into the matter. I'm interested in pursuing law, but I've also considered a career in politics. Perhaps I'll try it further down the road.

B: Ooo, good question. Well, I want to do something with math. Something like an engineer or finance.

I: What is the worst thing about being your particular species?

H: My hearing can be too sensitive sometimes. It's convenient sometimes, but I end up listening in to some really weird conversations. I overhead like, twelve different couples break up. Plus, I hate how big my nose is. Oh, and some of my spots are super weirdly shaped, and honestly I don't like being taller than so many males, plus- Oh, I'm only supposed to say one thing, right?

D: The wool is a pain to deal with, honestly. When it's really thick, it's like walking in a hazmat suit. Washing and brushing it takes forever, and it gets crazy hot during the summer. Honestly, if it wasn't for the money I get selling it every year, I'd just shear it every week.

S: I don't like the way my eyes look in the dark. Felines like myself have a special layer of tissue called a tapetum lucidum that reflect light. It makes it easier to see at night, sure, but I've had to delete many photos of myself at parties because my eyes look… well, demonic.

B: Hmm… If I had to pick something, I'd say that pigeons aren't very good singers. It's kind of embarrassing to be a bird with a terrible voice. But besides that, I wouldn't change a thing!

I: What is the best thing about being your particular species?

H: I really like my spots! See, it's not like a cheetah's because a lot of them kind of fuse together in certain parts. It looks like it's dripping! Overall, I think it's pretty distinctive.

D: The four horns, definitely. Listen, they say quality over quantity but I got both. There's a reason I'm ram fighting captain. Just sayin'.

S: Hm. I can't think of anything particularly phenomenal. I suppose my ears are my most identifiable traits. I've been told the tufts at the top are cute. That's good enough for me.

B: So many things! For starters, pigeons are great fliers! I can't wait to get my license and fly all over town! Plus, we're very social. And no matter what Sol says, I'm a great navigator! When I focus.

I: What is your ideal birthday present?

H: A new article of clothing never hurts! But really, I'll be fine with anything: a card, makeup, some soap, jewelry, a new phone…

D: I don't care. Just the cake is fine.

S: Something homemade, I suppose. I never got anything like that before.

B: Ideal? Like, a million dollar budget? Uhh, a new game console! No, two new game consoles! No, a boat! No, wait, a trampoline for Cooper and May! No, wait, this is for my birthday. Uh… I mean, I guess you get the point.

I: What's your favorite genre of music?

H: I like pop the most! It's great for karaoke!

D: Rap. It can be surprisingly deep. I like lofi stuff too.

S: Classical. It was a great inspiration when learning the piano. But I'm also enjoy musicals. I simply adore showtunes. ..What, did this come as a surprise?

B: Anything I can dance to! I'm not picky, I just like something that's catchy and happy!

I: What about your favorite genre of cinema?

H: You'd think it be romance, but I actually think those kinds of movies are kind of boring. I love thrillers best of all!

D: Thrillers. I like how intense they get.

S: Have I mentioned my love of musicals? Well, if I had to choose something else, something arthouse.

B: I'm a romantic at heart! I looove romantic comedies. Me and May watch 'em all the time. Cooper thinks he's too cool for it. He's at that age.

I: What do you think about your fellow student council members?

H: Let's see… Well, Brian's a total sweetie pie, and dangerously huggable. Solomon is super smart and reliable, he basically runs the whole operation. And I mean… We all know he's easy on the eyes. And Desmond… well, I've definitely never met an animal like him, ha ha! I'm definitely glad I did, though. The student council is a dream team, that's for sure.

D: Jeez, do I have to answer this? Fine. The secretary's a prick. Brian is a total idiot, but the kind of idiot that's nice to be around. Hafsa… is a brat. But like… I don't dislike her company. Next question.

S: Our student council president is wonderful, simply put. Competent to the extreme, a shining personality, and undeniably charming. The Vice President is certainly sharp, and no slouch when it comes to work. But his personality is a bit too… brash for me to understand. We're better off in a strictly professional relationship. Brian is of course, uniquely himself. It's a bit shocking to meet someone so candid, but he's, in my opinion, a diamond in the rough.

B: Everyone's awesome! Hafsa's super cool and has an amazing personality! Everyone loves her, she's athletic, and is a total beast at being president! Sol's just as cool and the smartest guy I know! He's also a great singer and super talented at everything. And Desmond is crazy cool too! He's a sports star, and he's totally fearless! Plus, even though he's tough, he's still a really good and loyal friend. I'm really lucky to have them around!

I: What's something you look for in a romantic partner?

H: Oh, okay. Um, ha ha… I guess… A feline who is reliable and charismatic. Being taller than me is a must. And when I hug him, it's like hugging a pillow. No, that's weird, scratch that last one.

D: Oh my god, seriously? This interview is a sham. Whatever. She's gotta be hot. Good body, good face, all that. And funny too, with a similar sense of humor. Really nice smile, the infectious kind, even if it's goofy. When I look up, she's always looking down with those bright eyes and that stupid ass smile. Uh…! This question is stupid.

S: Use Hafsa as a model.

B: I'd like to find someone who's kind. Someone who makes me laugh. Someone who just takes the tension out of a situation and makes it fun. Like a dehumidifier, but for tension.

I: How would you describe yourself in five words?

H: Um… I think I'm cute, reliable…. hardworking, exceptional… and humble!

D: Too good for this shit.

S: Actions are better than words. Even I can recognize that sometimes.

B: I wanna be your friend!

I: What's your workout routine?

H: Cheerleading is amazing exercise, so that keeps me in shape just fine. But I make sure to get plenty of exercise during vacations too. I love workouts that test flexibility, so I stick to yoga and aerobics at home.

D: Ram fighting's my main gain, but it takes a lot of individual training to maintain a ring-ready body. People think wrestlers only care about the arm strength, but legs, back and every other muscle is just as important.

S: I'll admit that I really only go to the gym to avoid fattening up. Felines have a tendency to get round at the lower gut. I don't think it would look flattering on me, so I at least try to avoid that. Luckily, I am naturally strong and slender enough to avoid frequent rigorous workouts.

B: Uh… does going up the school stairs count as a workout routine?

I: Who are you closer to, your mother or your father?

H: I love both of my parents, but I'm a bit of a mama's girl. Serval mothers and daughters have extra special bonds. I even think we look a bit alike too. People have asked if we're sisters before.

D: Ehhh… I guess I'm more on the same page with my dad. He's chill. My mother is more… invested in me, but I don't think that necessarily says anything about how close we are.

S: I am… equally close with both of them.

B: Well, I guess my dad, since I've spent more time with him overall. I was really close to my mother growing up, but it's been a while. On bad days I can't even remember what she sounded like. I still miss her though.

I: What is more important, the body or the mind?

H: The mind, for sure. What good is a strong body if you don't have the common sense to use it wisely?

D: Body. Nobody will listen to you if you don't command attention physically. I would know. It's just a fact that there are societal and instinctual biases that make people more likely to respect and like you if you're conventionally attractive and strong.

S: The mind. Physical hardships can be endured, but only through mental strength. A strong control over the mind is virtually omnipotence.

B: I think both are just as important. Isn't the whole point of life to try and strike a balance between what you think and what you do?

I: What would you like to happen in the future chapters of Serval and Sheep?

H: It'd be nice if I could continue to be student council president until I graduate. Best case scenario…. A statue in my honor.

D: Can I finally catch a fucking break? Jeez. The finale better be me taking a fucking nap.

S: I'd enjoy some conflict resolution. Peacefully of course. Tying up loose ends and… love triangles.

B: I want everyone to come over to my house! We can order pizza and everything.

I: It's your turn now, Malaisesoup.

M: Who, me?

I: Indeed. Who's your favorite character?

M: How could I answer that? They're all my children, and I love them all equally. The more I write about them, the more I find to love, even with minor characters.

I: What was your favorite chapter to write?

M: There is no one chapter, but I am most proud of the ones in which I feel like I have competently conveyed difficult emotions. Usually those are the result of me just getting a flash of inspiration and writing in a hurry. Chapters 9, 17, 32… I have fond memories writing those late at night.

I: Your least favorite?

M: Chapter 34 without a doubt. Despite the importance of darker themes in this story, I still don't like to verbalize it!

I: Why a serval and a sheep of all animals? In fact, why the animal choices in general?

M: Hafsa is a serval solely because I love servals. They are extraordinarily charming and unique. The character of Hafsa needs to be a meat eater, but also cute enough to be popular with herbivores, so the serval was an easy fit. The same applies to Desmond. The Jacob sheep is a fantastic breed of sheep and iconic in their wool pattern and four horns. I needed Desmond to be intimidating (for a sheep) so I picked a breed that looks intense and dangerous. They compliment each other like this. Solomon is a caracal because he needed to be something similar to Hafsa. He's less of her counterpart and more of her mirror. Plus, caracals have very handsome faces, which suits his character well. Brian… I'm not sure when I came up with his purpose. Maybe it's just because I like pigeons. All the other characters were mostly selected using the basic anthropomorphic stereotypes associated with them, some way or another.

I: Is the fanfic reaching a conclusion soon?

M: Absolutely not. I have three "arcs" planned for this story, each spanning a school year: Hafsa goes from sophomore to senior. We're only halfway through the first arc, then. I'm fairly sure that, given the amount of world building I've done in this first arc, the other two will be considerably shorter, and I do plan to take a break between them to work on other stuff. But there is a lot more to this story.

I: Well, that wraps up this interview. Thank you all for your time! And thank you, dear reader, for sticking with this incredibly self-indulgent story for 50 chapters. Let's hope we can reach 50 more!

AN: I hope you enjoyed this little bonus! I love celebrating milestones, as you all know by now, so when it's an actual noteworthy milestone, I want to go all out! Next chapter will be same as usual, but I'll thank anyone and everyone who has been keeping up with this silly little story for 50 chapters, it truly means a lot that you care enough. I hope you continue to read what's to come!

And since today is a fun interview, if you have any questions about the story that I didn't cover, feel free to ask in the comments and I'll answer as best I can.

Take it easy and stay safe.